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BX    8915     .R79 

Rutherford,  Samuel,  1600?- 

1661.  J 

Letters  of  the  Rev.  Samuelj 
Rntherford 


/ 


LETTERS 


OF   THE 


REV.  SAMUEL  RUTHERFOPiD, 

PROFESSOR     OF    DIVINITY    AT     ST.     ANDREw's, 


A   SKETCH   OF   HIS   LIFE 


REV.  A.  A.  BONAR, 

ArXHOR   OF  THE    MEMOIR    OF   ROBERT   MURRAY   M'CHEVNE. 


"  Rutherford's  Letters  is  one  of  my  classics.  Were  trutii  the  beam,  I  have  no  doubt,  that  if  Homer, 
and  Virgil,  and  Horace,  and  all  that  the  world  has  agreed  to  idolize,  were  weighed  against  that  book, 
they  would  be  lighter  than  vanity." — Cecil. 


NEW    YORK: 
ROBERT    CARTER    &    BROTHERS, 

No.    285    BROADWAY. 
1850. 


CONTENTS, 


Advertisement vii 

Sketch  of  Samuel  Rutherford  and  his  Letters ix 


LETTER  PAGE 

1.  To  Marion  Macknaught 31 

2.  To  a  Gentlewoman 31 

3.  To  a  Christian  Gentlewoman...  32 

4.  To  Lady  Kenmure 34 

5.  To  the  same 36 

6.  To  the  same 38 

7.  To  Marion  Macknaught 39 

8.  To  Lady  Kenmure 40 

9.  To  the  same 42 

10.  To  Marion  Macknaught 44 

11.  To  the  same 47 

12.  To  the  same 48 

13.  To  the  same 49 

14.  To  the  same 51 

15.  To  Lady  Kenmure 51 

16.  To  the  same 53 

17.  To  the  same 56 

18.  Tothesame 58 

19.  To  Marion  Macknaught 59 

20.  To  the  same 62 

21.  To  the  same 64 

22.  To  the  same 65 

23.  To  the  same 66 

24.  To  Lady  Kenmure 67 

25.  To  the  same 70 

26.  To  the  same 71 

27.  To  Marion  Macknaught 73 

28.  To  Lady  Kenmure 74 

29.  To  the  same 75 

30.  To  Marion  Macknaught 77 

31.  To  the  same 78 

32.  To  the  same 79 

33.  To  Lady  Kenmure 80 

34.  To  Marion  Macknaught 82 

35.  To  Lady  Kenmure 82 

36.  To  Marion  Macknaught 84 

37.  To  Lady  Kenmure 85 

38.  To  the  same 87 

39.  To  Marion  Macknaught 87 

40.  To  the  same 89 

41.  To  the  same 91 

42.  To  the  same 91 

43.  To  the  same 93 

44.  To  the  same 95 

45.  To  the  same    96 

46.  To  the  same 97 

47.  To  the  same 98 

48.  To  the  same 99 

49.  To  the  same 100 

50.  Tothesame 101 


LETTER  PAGE 

5 1 .  To  Marion  Macknaught 102 

52.  To  the  same 102 

53.  To  Earlston,  Elder 103 

54.  To  Marion  Macknaught 105 

55.  To  Lady  Kenmure 106 

56.  To  the  same 107 

57.  To  Marion  Macknaught 108 

58.  To  the  same Ill 

59.  Tothesame 112 

60.  To  the  same 113 

61.  To  Lady  Kenmure 114 

62.  To  Lady  Culross 115 

63.  To  Mr.  Robert  Cunningham  ...   117 

64.  To  Alexander  Gordon 119 

65.  To  Robert  Gordon 120 

66.  To  the  same 120 

67.  To  William  Fullerton 121 

68.  To  his  Parishioners  at  Anwoth.    122 

69.  To  Lady  Kenmure 124 

70.  To  the  same 126 

71.  To  Hugh  Mackail 128 

72.  To  John  Fleming 129 

73.  To  Earlston,  Elder 130 

74.  To  Lady  Culross 131 

75.  To  William  Gordon 132 

76.  To  John  Kennedy 134 

77.  To  Lord  Boyd 135 

78.  To  Margaret  Ballantyne 136 

79.  To  Robert  Gordon 138 

80.  To  Marion  Macknaught 140 

81.  To  Mr.  John  Meine   140 

82.  To  Cardoness,  Elder 141 

83.  To  the  Earl  of  Lothian 144 

84.  To  Jean  Brown 146 

85.  To  John  Kennedy   148 

86.  To  Elizabeth  Kennedy 150 

87.  To  Jonet  Kennedy 152 

88.  To  a  Christian  Gentlewoman...    153 

89.  To  Lord  Craighall 155 

90.  To  Ji.hn  Kennedy 157 

91.  To  Mr.  Robert  Blair 159 

92.  To  Mr.  John  Livinsgton 161 

93.  To  Mr.  Ephraim  Mel vin 1 62 

94.  To  Robert  Gordon 163 

95.  To  Lady  Kenmure 166 

96.  To  the  same 167 

97.  To  the  same 168 

98.  To  the  same 169 

99.  To  Alexander  Gordon 170 

100.  To  Mr.  Alexander  Colville 172 


IV 


CONTENTS. 


101.  To  Earlston,  Younger 173 

102.  To  Lady  Cardoness 175 

103.  To  Jonet  Macculloch 176 

104.  To  Alexander  Gordon 177 

105.  To  Lady  Cardoness 178 

106.  To  Lady  Kenmure 179 

107.  To  a  Gentlewoman 181 

108.  To  Lady  Kenmure 182 

109.  To  Lady  Boyd 184 

110.  To  Lady  Ka'skiberry 185 

111.  To  Lady  Earlston  .". 186 

112.  To  Mr.  "David  Dickson 187 

113.  To  Jean  Brown 188 

114.  To  Mr.  John  Fergushill 189 

115.  To  Mr.  Robert  Douglas 190 

116.  To  William  Rigge 191 

117.  To  Mr.  Alexander  Henderson  ..  192 

118.  To  Lord  Loudon 193 

119.  To  Mr.  William  Dalgleish 195 

120.  To  Mr.  Hugh  Mackaii 196 

121.  To  Lady  Boyd 197 

122.  To  Mr.  David  Dickson 199 

123.  To  Mr.  Matthew  Mowat 200 

124.  To  William  Halliday 202 

125.  To  a  Gentlewoman 203 

126.  To  John  Gordon,  Younger 204 

127.  To  John  Gordon,  Elder 205 

128.  To  Lady  Forret 200 

129.  To  Marion  Macknaught 207 

130.  To  John  Carsen 207 

131.  To  Lady  Boyd 208 

132.  To  the  Earl  of  Cassillis 210 

133.  To  Robert  Gordon 211 

134.  To  John  Kennedy 212 

135.  To  Jean  Brown 214 

136.  To  Jean  Macmillan 216 

137.  To  Lady  Busbie 216 

138.  To  John  Ewart 218 

139.  To  William  Fullerton 219 

140.  To  Robert  Glcndinning 219 

141.  To  William  Glendinning 221 

142.  To  Mr.  Hugh  Henderson 221 

143.  To  the  Earl  of  Cassillis 222 

144.  To  Lord  Balmerino 224 

145.  To  Lady  Mar,  Younger 225 

146.  To  James  Macadam 225 

147.  To  William  Livingston 226 

148.  To  Williaui  Gordon 227 

149.  To  Mr.  George  Gillespie 228 

150.  To  Jean  Gordon 229 

151.  To  Mr.  James  Bruce 230 

152.  To  John  Gordon 230 

153.  To  Lady  Hallliill 231 

154.  To  John  Osburn 232 

155.  To  John  Henderson 233 

156.  To  John  Meine 234 

157.  To  Mr.  Thomas  Garven 234 

158.  To  Bethaia  Aird 236 

159.  To  Alexander  Gordon 237 

160.  To  Grizzel  Fullerton 237 

161.  To  Patrick  Carsen 238 

162.  To  Carlton 238 

163.  To  Lady  Busbie 240 

164.  To  John  Fleming 242 

166.  To  Alexander  Gordon 244 


LETTER  PAGB 

166.  To  Lady  Boyd 246 

167.  To  Mr.  David  Dickson 248 

168.  To  the  Laird  of  Carlton 249 

1G9.  To  Robert  Gordon 251 

170.  To  the  Laird  of  Moncrieff. 253 

171.  To  John  Clark 255 

172.  To  Cardoness,  Elder 256 

173.  To  Cardoness,  Younger 258 

174.  To  Lord  Craighall 259 

175.  To  John  Laurie 262 

176.  To  Carlton 264 

177.  To  Marion  Macknaught 267 

178.  To  Lady  Culross 269 

1 79.  To  Mr.  John  Nevay 271 

180.  To  John  Gordon,  Elder 274 

181.  To  Earlston,  Younger 278 

182.  To  Alexander  Gordon 281 

183.  To  Mr.  J.  R 284 

184.  To  Mr.  William  Dalgleish 286 

185.  To  Marion  Macknaught 289 

186.  To  John  Gordon 290 

187.  To  Mr.  Hugh  Henderson 292 

188.  To  Lady  Largirie 293 

189.  To  Earlston,  Younger 294 

190.  To  Mr.  William  Dalgleish 296 

191.  To  the  Laird  ofCally 298 

192.  To  John  Gordon,  Younger 299 

193.  To  Robert  Gordon 301 

194.  To  Alexander  Gordon 303 

195.  To  Robert  Stuart 305 

196.  To  Lady  Gaitgirth 308 

197.  To  Mr.  John  Fergushill 309 

198.  To  John  Stuart 311 

199.  ToCarsluth 313 

200.  To  Cassincarrie 315 

201.  To  Lady  Cardoness 317 

202.  To  Sibylla  Macadam 318 

203.  To  the  Laird  of  Cally 319 

204.  To  William  Gordon 321 

205.  To  Margaret  Fullerton 323 

206.  To  Lady  Kenmure 324 

207.  To  the  same 325 

208.  To  John  Henderson 328 

209.  To  Mr.  Alexander  Colville 328 

210.  To  Mr.  John  Nevay 329 

211.  To  Lady  Boyd 330 

212.  To  William  Glendinning 332 

213.  To  Robert  Lennox 333 

214.  To  Mr.  James  Hamilton 335 

215.  To  Mistress  Stuart 337 

216.  To  Mr.  Hugh  Mackaii 338 

217.  To  Alexander  Gordon 340 

2)8.  To  John  Bell.  Elder 341 

219.  To  Mr.  John  Row 342 

220.  To  Lord  Craighall 343 

221 .  To  Marion  Macknaught 343 

222.  To  Lady  Culross 344 

223.  To  Alexander  Gordon 346 

224.  To  Fulwood,  Younger 348 

225.  To  his  Parishioners 349 

226.  To  Lady  Kilconquhair 355 

227.  To  Lord  Craighall 359 

228.  To  Mr.  James  F'leming 361 

229.  To  Mr.  Hugh  Mackaii 363 

230.  To  Lady  Kenmure 364 


CONTENTS. 


LETTER  PACK 

231.  To  Lord  Lindsay 366 

232.  To  Lord  Boyd 368 

233.  To  Fulk  Elies 371 

234.  To  James  Lindsay 373 

233.  To  Lord  Craighall 376 

236.  To  Mr.  James  Hamilton 377 

237.  To  the  Laird  of  Gaitgirth 378 

238.  To  Lady  Gaitgirth 379 

239.  To  Mr.  Matthew  Mowat 380 

240.  To  Mr.  John  Maine 382 

24L  To  John  Fleming 382 

242.  To  Lady  Rowallan ,383 

243.  To  Marion  Macknaught 384 

244.  To  the  same 385 

245.  To  Lady  Boyd 387 

246.  To  Mr.  Thomas  Garven 389 

217.  To  Jonet  Kennedy 380 

248.  To  Margaret  Reid 391 

249.  To  James  Bautie 392 

250.  To  John  Stuart 396 

251 .  To  the  same 399 

252.  To  the  same 400 

253.  To  Lady  Busbie 403 

254.  To  Ninian  Mure 404 

255.  To  Mr.  Thomas  Garven 405 

256.  To  the  Earl  of  Cassillis 406 

257.  To  Ladv  Largirie 408 

258.  To  Lady  Dungueigh 409 

259.  To  Jonet  Macculloch 410 

260.  To  Mr.  George  Gillespie 411 

261.  To  Mr.  Robert  Blair 411 

262.  To  Lady  Carlton 413 

263.  To  William  Rigge 414 

264.  To  Lady  Craighall 416 

265.  To  Lord  Loudon 417 

266.  To  Mr.  David  Dickson 420 

267.  To  Alexander  Gordon 421 

268.  To  Lady  Kilconquhair 422 

269.  To  Robert  Lennox 423 

270.  To  Marion  Macknaught 425 

27 1 .  To  Thomas  Corbet 425 

272.  To  Mr.  George  Dunbar 42S 

273.  To  John  Fleming 428 

274.  To  WiUiam  Glendinning 428 

275.  To  Earlston,  Younger 429 

276.  To  John  Gordon 430 

277.  To  William  Rigge 432 

278.  To  James  Murray 433 

279.  To  Mr.  John  Fergushill 433 

280.  To  William  Glendinning 436 

281.  To  Marion  Macknaught 438 

282.  To  Lady  Robertland 438 

283.  To  Lord  Loudon 440 

284.  To  Professors  ofChrist  in  Ireland  442 

285.  To  Robert  Gordon 448 

286.  To  Parishioners  of  Kilmalcolm.   451 

287.  To  Lady  Kenmure 456 

28S.  To  Persecuted  Church  in  Ireland  458 

289.  To  Dr.  Alexander  Leighton 464 

290.  To  Mr.  Henry  Stuart,  etc 466 

291.  To  Mrs.  Pont 471 


LKTTER  PAOE 

292.  To  Mr.  James  Wilson 473 

293.  To  Lady   Boyd 475 

294.  To  John  Fenwick 477 

295.  To  Peter  Stirhng 481 

296.  To  Lady  Fingask 482 

297.  To  Mr.  David  Dickson 484 

298.  To  Lady  Boyd 485 

299.  To  Agnes  Macmath 488 

300.  To  Mr.  IV]  atthew  Mowat 489 

301 .  To  Lady  Kenmure 490 

302.  To  Lady  Boyd 491 

303.  To  James  Murray's  Wife 492 

304.  To  Lady  Kenmure 493 

305.  To  the  same 494 

306.  To  Lady  Boyd 495 

307.  To  Mistress  Taylor 496 

308.  To  Barbara  Hamilton 498 

309.  To  Mistress  Hume 500 

310.  To  Lady  Kenmure 501 

311.  To  Barbara  Hamilton 502 

312    To  a  Christian  Friend 503 

313.  To  a  Christian  Brother 504 

314.  To  a  Christian  Gentlewoman...  505 

315.  To  Lady  Kenmure 508 

316.  To  Mr.  J.  G 509 

317.  To  Lady  Kenmure 510 

318.  To  Lady  Ardross 511 

319.  To  M.  0 512 

320.  To  Earlston,  Elder 514 

321.  To  Mr.  George  Gillespie 515 

322.  To  Mistress  Gillespie 516 

323.  To  Col.  Gilbert  Ker 517 

324.  To  the  same 519 

325.  To  Mr.  William  Guthrie 520 

326.  To  Col.  Gilbert  Ker 521 

327.  To  the  same 522 

328.  To  the  same 524 

329.  To  the  same 527 

330.  To  Lady  Kenmure 528 

331.  To  the  same 529 

332.  To  Grizzel  FuUerton 530 

333.  To  Lady  Kenmure 531 

334.  To  Col.  Gilbert  Ker 532 

335.  To  Mr.  John  Scott 534 

336.  To  Lady  Kenaiure 535 

337.  To  the  same 536 

338.  To  the  same 536 

339.  To  Mr.  John  Scott 537 

340.  To  the  same 537 

341.  To  Mr.  James  Durham 538 

342.  To  Mr.  John  Scott 539 

343.  To  Lady  Kenmure 539 

314.  To  the  same 540 

345.  To  Mr.  Guthrie,  Mr.  Traill,  etc.  542 

346.  To  some  Brethren 543 

347.  On  Petitioning  Charles  II 544 

3 18.  To  Lady  Kenmure 546 

349.  To  Mistress  Craig 547 

350.  To  Mr.  James  Guthrie 549 

351.  To  Mr.  Robert  Campbell 550 

352.  To  Aberdeen 551 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


In  this  edition  of  "  The  Letters"  of  that  eminently  holy  minister  of  the 
Gospel,  who  suffered  so  much  persecution  for  the  Word  of  God,  and  for 
Scotland's  Covenanted  Work  of  Reformation,  the  Rev.  Samuel  Ruther- 
ford, the  text — which,  in  later  editions,  had,  through  carelessness  of  print- 
ing, unacquaintance  with  the  Scottish  dialect,  and  attempts  to  substitute 
English  words  and  phrases  for  Scotch  ones,  become  very  corrupt — has, 
by  a  careful  collation  of  the  earliest  editions,  been  corrected  and  restored ; 
while  the  Scottish  words,  allusions,  and  idiomatic  phrases  are  explained  in 
notes  at  the  bottom  of  the  page ;  and  the  Letters,  which,  in  some  of  the 
former  editions,  had  been  very  much  mutilated,  and  had,  in  all  of  them, 
been  printed  without  any  regard  to  arrangement,  have  been  arranged 
according  to  the  dates,  in  as  far  as  these  could  be  ascertained,  at  which 
they  were  written,  and  are  given  without  omission,  abridgment,  suppres- 
sion, or  mutilation. 

It  is  not  anticipated  that  any  apology  needs  to  be  made  for  this 
endeavor  to  offer  to  the  Christian  Public  "The  Letters"  of  Rutherford, 
in  a  form  somewhat  worthy  of  their  author's  reputation,  and  of  their  own 
intrinsic  excellence.  It  may,  perhaps,  indeed,  be  thought  by  some  per- 
sons, that  it  would  have  been  better  had  English  words  and  phrases  been 
substituted,  in  the  text,  for  those  peculiar  to  the  Scottish  dialect ;  but, 
had  this  been  attempted,  much  of  the  spirit  of  Rutherford  would,  in 
many  instances,  have  evaporated,  and  the  energy  of  his  diction  been 
impaired ;  while  the  style,  having  ceased  to  be  Scotch  Avithout  becoming 
English,  would  have  been  greatly  debased,  enfeebled,  and  vulgarized.  By 
the  plan  which  has  been  adopted,  it  is  hoped  that  the  language,  allowed 
to  remain  as  Rutherford  wrote  it,  will  be  rendered  at  once,  and  perfectly, 
intelligible  to  the  southern  reader,  even  though  he  never  before  may  have 
seen  or  heard  a  word  of  the  northern  speech.  No  Scotchman  can  find 
the  slightest  difficulty  in  the  diction. 

Other  persons  may,  perhaps,  think  that  some  of  the  Letters  might 
have  been  omitted,  some  of  the  sentences  suppressed,  and  certain  "  homely 
and  familiar  expressions,  which,"  Wodrow  observes,  "  have  been  jested 
on  by  profane  wits  of  his  age,"  might  have  been  altered,  with  advantage 
to  this  edition.  It  is  true  that  there  are  some  of  the  Letters  not  so  valu- 
able to  the  Christian  reader  as  others;  but,  perhaps  there  is  not  one  of 
them  which  does  not  present  some  useful,  if  not  important  instruction, 
respecting  either  doctrine  or  duty.  There  are,  indeed,  not  a  few  repeti- 
tions, as  was  to  be  expected  in  familiar  letters,  written  to  friends  and 
acquaintances,  without  the  remotest  anticipation  of  their  ever  being  pub- 
lished ;  but,  those  repetitions  are  generally  statements  of  facts  or  feelings 
regarding  matters  of  absorbing  interest  to  the  Christian ;  and  by  those. 


VUl  ADVERTISEMENT. 

therefore,  who  peruse  these  Letters  with  the  view  of  spiritually  profiting 
thereby,  will  not  be  complained  of:  and  it  must  be  confessed  that  there 
are  some  expressions  which  "  profane  wits"  might,  perhaps,  succeed  in 
turning  into  ridicule ;  but,  as  there  is  no  danger  that  they  will  be  so  dealt 
with  by  any  one  who  can  appreciate  the  poetic  and  evangelical  beauty  of 
the  Song  of  Solomon,  and  as  it  is  not  very  likely  that  any  "  profane  wit" 
of  this  age  will  ever  condescend  to  look  into  the  Letters  of  the  Rev. 
Samuel  Rutherford,  they  have  been  allowed  to  stand  as  they  came  from 
the  pen  of  that  eminently  pure  and  heavenly  minded  man. 

This  edition,  then,  is  thus  offered  respectfully  to  the  Church  of  God, 
with  humble  but  fervent  supplication,  that  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  so  fully 
dwelt  in  the  venerable  Author  of  these  Letters,  would  bless  it,  to  the 
promotion  of  His  own  glory,  by  rendering  it  the  means  of  arousing  some 
thoughtless  sinners  to  consider  the  things  which  concern  their  everlasting 
peace,  before  they  be  forever  hid  from  their  eyes,  and  of  building  up 
some  of  the  saints  and  edifying  them  in  their  most  holy  Faith. 

Editor. 


SKETCH  OF   SAMUEL  RUTHERFORD 

AND  HIS   LETTERS. 


In  the  history  of  the  Reformation  we  read  of  Brother  Martin, 
a  poor  monk  at  Basle,  wliose  hope  of  salvation  rested  solely  on 
the  Lord  Jesus,  long  before  Luther  arose.  Having  written  out 
his  confession  of  reliance  on  the  righteousness  of  Christ  alone, 
the  monk  placed  the  parchment  in  a  wooden  box,  and  shut  up  the 
wooden  box  in  a  hole  of  the  wall  of  his  cell.  It  was  not  till  last 
century  that  this  box  with  its  interesting  contents  was  discovered; 
but  it  was  brought  to  light  when  the  old  wall  of  the  monastery 
was  taken  down.  And  is  it  not  an  incident  fitted  to  suggest  to 
us  that  Basle  may  have  been  made  a  focus  of  light  in  its  day 
very  much  in  answer  to  the  prayers,  and  in  acknowledgment  of 
the  faith  of  this  "hidden  one,"  and  others  hke  him,  who  cried  day 
and  night  to  the  Lord  ? 

Now,  there  is  a  fact  not  unlike  this  in  the  history  of  the  district 
where  Samuel  Rutherford  labored  so  lovingly.  The  people  of 
that  shire  tell  that  there  was  found,  some  generations  ago,  in  the 
wall  of  the  old  chapel  of  Earlston,  in  Kirkcudbrightshire,  a  copy 
of  Wickllffe's  Bible.  It  seems  to  have  been  shut  into  that  recep- 
tacle in  order  to  be  hid  from  the  view  of  enemies,  but  no  doubt  it 
was  the  lamp  of  light  to  some  godly  souls — who,  perhaps  in  the 
silence  of  night,  found  opportunity  in  that  chapel  to  draw  it  out 
of  its  ark  and  peruse  its  pages.  It  seems  that  the  Lollards  of 
Kyle  (which  is  the  adjoining  district,)  had  brought  it  to  Earlston ; 
and  there  were  friends  or  members  of  the  family  of  Earlston  who 
embraced  the  gospel  even  in  those  days.^  May  we  not  believe  that 
the  Gordons  of  Earlston,  in  Rutherford's  days,  were  not  a  little, 
indebted  to  the  faith  and  prayers  of  these  ancient  witnesses  who 
hid  the  sacred  treasure  in  the  chapel  wall  ?     Like  the  monk  of 

I  Some  of  the  ancestors  of  Viscount  Kemnure  embraced  the  principles  of  Wicklifie 
in  the  16th  century. 


X  SKETCH    OF    RUTHERFORD 

Basle,  their  faith  and  patience  were  acknowledged  in  after  days 
by  the  blessing  sent  down  on  that  quarter,  when  the  Lord,  in  re- 
membrance of  his  "hidden  ones,"*  both  raised  up  the  Gordons  of 
Earlston,  with  many  others  of  a  Uke  spirit,  and  also  sent  thither 
his  servant  Samuel  Rutherford,  to  sound  the  silver  trumpet  and 
make  the  lamp  of  truth  blaze  like  a  torch  all  over  that  region. 

Samuel  Rutherford  was  born  about  the  year  1600.  His 
father  is  supposed  to  have  been  a  respectable  farmer,  and  he  had 
two  brothers,  James  and  George.  The  place  of  his  birth  was  not 
near  the  scene  of  his  after  labors.  It  is  almost  certain  that  Nisbet, 
a  village  of  Roxburghshire,  close  to  the  Teviot,  in  the  parish  of 
Crailing,  was  his  birth-place;  not  long  ago,  there  were  some  old 
people  in  the  parish  who  remembered  the  gable-end  of  the  house 
in  which  he  was  born,  and  which,  from  respect  to  his  memory, 
was  permitted  to  stand  as  long  as  it  could  keep  together.  Some 
one  may  yet  light  upon  the  well  where,  when  very  young,  Samuel 
nearly  lost  his  life.  He  had  been  amusing  himself  with  some 
companions  when  he  fell  in,  and  was  left  there  till  they  ran  and 
procured  assistance ;  but  on  reaching  the  spot,  they  found  him 
seated  on  a  knoll,  cold  and  dripping,  yet  uninjured.  He  told  them 
that  "  A  bonnie  white  man  came  and  drew  him  out  of  the  well !" 
Whether  or  not  he  really  fancied  that  an  angel  had  delivered  him 
we  cannot  tell,  but  it  is  plain  that  at  all  events  his  boyish  thoughts 
were  already  wandering  in  the  region  of  the  sky. 

He  owed  little  to  his  native  place.  There  was  not  so  much  of 
Christ  known  in  that  parish  then  as  there  is  now.  For  in  after 
days  he  writes,  "  My  soul's  desire  is,  that  the  place  to  which  I 
owe  my  first  birth — in  which  I  fear  Christ  was  scarcely  named  as 
touching  any  reality  of  the  power  of  godliness, — may  blossom  as 
the  rose."  We  have  no  account  of  his  revisiting  these  scenes  of 
his  early  life,  though  he  thus  wrote  to  his  friend,  Mr.  Scott,  min- 
ister of  the  adjoining  parish  of  Oxnam.  Like  Donald  Cargill, 
born  in  Perthshire,  yet  never  known  to  preach  there  even  once, — 
Rutherford's  labors  were  all  in  other  parts  of  the  land.  In  this 
arrangement  we  see  the  Master's  Sovereignty  the  better  ;  the 
sphere  thus  appears  evidently  to  be  one  of  God's  choosing  for  the 
man,  and  not  the  man's  gratifying  his  natural  predilections.  It 
accords,  too,  with  the  Master's  own  example,  He  having  never 
returned  to  Bethlehem,  where  he  was  born,  to  do  any  of  his 
works. 

Jedburgh  is  a  town  three  or  four  miles  distant  from  Nisbet,  and 

1  Gen.  xix.  29. 


AND   HIS    LETTERS.  XI 

thither  Samuel  went  for  his  education  ;  either  walking  to  it  and 
returning  home  at  evening, — as  a  school-boy  would  scarcely 
grudge  to  do, — or  residing  in  the  town  for  a  season.  The  school 
at  that  time  met  in  a  part  of  the  ancient  abbey,  called  from  this 
circumstance  the  Latiners'  Abbey.  In  the  year  1617,  we  find 
him  farther  from  home — removed  to  Edinburgh,  which,  forty 
years  before,  had  become  the  seat  of  a  College,  though  not  as  yet 
a  University.  There  he  obtained,  in  1621,  the  degree  of  A.M. 
Soon  after,  he  was  appointed  Regent  or  Professor  of  Humanity, 
though  there  were  three  other  competitors;  for  his  talents  had 
attracted  the  notice  of  many.  But,  on  occasion  of  a  rumor  that 
cliarged  him  with  some  irregularity, — whether  with  or  without 
foundation,  it  is  now  difficult  to  ascertain, — he  demitted  his  office 
in  1625,  and  led  a  private  life,  attending  prelections  on  theology, 
and  devoting  himself  to  that  study. 

It  is  not  unlikely  that  this  may  have  been  the  time  of  which 
he  says  in  a  lettler,  "  I  knew  a  man  who  wondered  to  see  any  in 
this  life  laugh  or  sport."  It  may  have  been  then  that  he  was  led 
by  the  Spirit  to  know  the  things  that  are  freely  given  us  of  God. 
We  have  no  proof  that  he  was  converted  at  an  earlier  period,  but 
rather  the  opposite.  He  writes,  "  Like  a  fool  as  I  was,  I  suffered 
my  sun  to  be  high  in  the  heaven  and  near  afternoon,  before  ever 
I  took  the  gate  by  the  end."  And  again,  "I  had  stood  sure,  if  in 
my  youth  I  had  borrowed  Christ  for  my  bottom."  Affliction  fol- 
lowed ;  the  clouds  returned  after  the  rain  ;  family  trials  seemed 
to  have  been  used  by  the  Lord  to  promote  the  better  growth  of 
the  plant  of  grace.  All  these  dealings  of  Providence  combined 
to  form  his  character  as  a  man  of  God  and  as  a  pastor. 

In  1627  he  was  settled  at  Anwoth,  a  parish  situated  in  Kirciid- 
brightshire,  and  though  at  this  period  Episcopacy  had  been  ob- 
truded upon  Scotland,  and  many  faithful  ministers  were  suffering 
on  account  of  their  resistance  to  its  ceremonies  and  services,  yet 
he  appears  to  have  been  allowed  to  enter  on  his  charge  without 
any  compliance  being  demanded,  and  "  without  giving  any  en- 
gagement to  the  Bishop." — He  began  his  ministry  from  the  text 
John  ix.  39.  The  same  Lord  that  would  not  let  Paul  and  Timo- 
thy preach  in  Asia,'  nor  in  Bithynia,  and  yet  sent  to  the  one 
region  the  beloved  John,^  and  to  the  other  the  scarcely  less  be- 
loved Peter,'  in  this  instance  prevented  John  Livingstone  going  to 
Anwoth,  (though  the  patron  had  designed  it  for  him,)  and  sent 
Rutherford   instead.     This  was  the  more   remarkable,  because 

»  Acts,  xvi  6,  1.  2  Rev.  i.  11.  3  1  Peter,  L  1. 


XU  SKETCH    OF    RUTHERFORD 

Livingstone  was  sent  to  Ancium,  the  parish  that  borders  on  Nis- 
bet,  while  he  who  was  by  birth  related  to  that  place  was  dis- 
patched to  another  spot.  This  is  the  Lord's  doing.  Ministers 
must  not  choose  according  to  the  flesh. 

During  the  first  years  of  his  labors  here  the  sore  illness  of  his 
wife  was  a  bitter  grief  to  him.  Her  distress  was  very  severe. 
He  writes  of  it : — "She  is  sore  tormented  night  and  day. — My 
life  is  bitter  unto  me. — She  sleeps  none,  and  cries  as  a  woman 
travailing  in  birth  ;  my  life  was  never  so  wearisome."  She  con- 
tinued in  this  state  for  no  less  than  a  year  and  a  month,  ere  she 
died.  Besides  all  this,  his  two  children  had  been  taken  from  him. 
Such  was  the  discipline  by  which  he  was  trained  for  the  duties 
of  a  pastor,  and  by  which  a  shepherd's  heart  of  true  sympathy 
was  imparted  to  him. 

Anwoth  had  no  large  village  near  the  church.  The  people 
were  scattered  over  a  hilly  district,  and  were  quite  a  rural  flock. 
But  their  shepherd  found  their  souls  worth  the  caring  for,  and  did 
not  feel  that  his  learning  and  talents  would  be  ill  spent  if  laid 
out  in  seeking  souls,  obscure  and  unknown.  See  him  setting  out 
to  visit !  passing  along  yonder  field,  or  climbing  that  hill  in  his 
way  to  some  cottage,  his  "  quick  eyes"  occasionally  glancing  on 
the  objects  around,  but  his  "  face  upward"  for  the  most  part,  as  if 
he  were  gazing  into  heaven.  He  has  time  to  visit,  for  he  rises  at 
three  in  the  morning,  and  then  meets  his  God  in  prayer  and 
meditation,  and  has  space  for  study  besides.  He  takes  some  days 
for  catechizing.  He  never  fails  to  be  found  at  the  sick-beds  of  his 
people.  Men  said  of  him,  "He  is  alwai/s  praying,  always  preach- 
ing, always  visiting  the  sick,  always  catechiizng,  always  writing 
and  studying."  He  was  known  to  fall  asleep  at  night  speaking 
of  Christ,  and  even  to  speak  of  him  during  his  sleep.  Indeed, 
himself  speaks  of  his  dreams  being  of  Christ. 

His  preaching  could  not  but  arrest  attention,  though  his  elocu- 
tion was  not  good,  and  his  voice  rather  shrill.  He  was, — accord- 
ing to  Wodrow, — "one  of  the  most  moving  and  aflfectionate 
preachers  in  his  time,  or  perhaps  in  any  age  of  the  Church."* 
Especially  when  he  came  to  dwell  upon  the  subject  he  so  de- 
lighted in,  Jesus  Christ,  his  manner  grew  so  animated  that  it 
seemed  as  if  he  would  have  flown  out  of  the  pulpit.  An  English 
merchant  said  of  him  in  days  when  controversy  might  have 
turned  him  to  other  themes,  "  I  went  to  St.  Andrew's,  where  I 
heard  a  sweet,  majestic  looking  man  (R.  Blair,)  and  he  showed 

1  WodroVs  Church  Hist.  I  205. 


AND    HIS    LETTERS.  XIU 

me  the  majesty  of  God.  After  him  I  heard  a  little  fair  man, 
(Rutherford,)  and  he  showed  me  the  loveliness  of  Christ. ''^^ 

Anwoth  was  dear  to  him^  as  the  sphere  appointed  him  by  his 
Master,  more  than  because  of  the  fruits  of  his  labors.  Two  years 
after  being  settled  there,  he  writes,  "I  see  exceedingly  small  fruit 
of  my  ministry.  I  would  be  glad  of  one  soul,  to  be  a  crown  of 
joy  and  rejoicing  in  the  day  of  Christ."  His  people  were  "  like 
hot  iron,  which  cooleth  when  out  of  the  fire."  Still  he  labored  in 
hope,  and  labored  often  almost  beyond  his  strength.  Once  he 
says,  "I  have  a  grieved  heart  daily  in  my  calling."  He  speaks 
of  his  pained  breast,  at  another  time,  on  the  evening  of  the  Lord's 
Day,  when  his  work  was  done.  But  he  had  seasons  of  refreshing 
to  his  own  soul  at  least — especially  when  the  Lord's  Supper  was 
dispensed.  Of  these  seasons  he  frequently  speaks.  He  asks  his 
friend,  Marion  Macknaught,  to  help  with  her  prayers  on  such  an 
occasion,  "  that  being  one  of  the  days  wherein  Christ  was  wont 
to  make  merry  with  his  friends."  It  was  often  then  that  with 
special  earnestness  he  besought  the  Father  to  distribute  "  the  great 
Loaf,  Christ,  to  the  children  of  his  family." 

Anwoth  church  was  filled,  but  not  altogether  by  parishioners. 
Many  came  from  great  distances  ;  among  others,  several  that 
were  converted,  seventeen  years  before,  under  John  Welsh,  at 
Ayr.  These  all  helped  him  by  their  prayers,  as  did  also  a  goodly 
number  of  godly  people  in  the  parish  itself,  who  were  the  fruit  of 
the  ministry  of  his  predecessor.  Yet  over  the  unsaved  he  yearned 
most  tenderly.  At  one  time  we  hear  him  say,  "  I  would  lay  my 
dearest  joys  in  the  gap  between  you  and  eternal  destruction."  At 
another,  "  My  witness  is  in  heaven,  your  heaven  would  be  two 
heavens  to  me,  and  your  salvation  two  salvations."  He  could  ap- 
peal to  his  people,  "  My  day-thoughts  and  my  night-thoughts  are 
of  you  ;" — and  he  could  appeal  to  God,  "  O  my  Lord,  judge  if  my 
ministry  be  not  dear  to  me ;  but  not  so  dear  by  many  degrees  as 
Christ  my  Lord." 

All  classes  of  people  of  Anwoth  were  objects  of  his  care.  He 
maintained  a  friendly  intercovirse  with  people  of  high  rank,  and 

1  M'Crie's  Sketches. 

2  The  oak  pulpit  out  of  wliich  he  preached  is  still  preservei  The  old  church  is  in 
the  shape  of  a  barn,  and  could  hold  only  250  sitters.  The  years  1631  and  1633  are 
carved  on  some  of  the  seats, — perhaps  the  seats  of  the  Gordons,  or  other  heritors.  We 
may  add, — while  speaking  of  this  old  edifice  where  "  the  swallows  building  their  nest," 
seemed  to  the  exiled  pastor  "  blessed  birds," — that  the  rusty  key  of  that  kirk  door  is 
now  in  the  keeping  of  Mr.  Rowan,  Librarian  to  the  New  College,  Edinburgh,  sent  to 
the  college  as  a  precious  relic  three  years  ago  by  a  friend  through  Dr.  Welsh. 


XIV  SKETCH    OF    RUTHERFORD 

many  of  his  letters  are  addressed  to  such  persoris. — But  the  herd 
hoys  were  not  beneath  his  special  attention.  He  writes  of  them 
when  at  Aberdeen,  and  exclaims,  "  Oh  if  I  might  but  speak  to  thee 
or  your  herd  boys,  of  my  worthy  Master."  He  had  a  heart  for  the 
young  of  all  classes,  so  that  he  would  say  of  two  children  of  one 
of  his  friends,  "I  pray  for  them  by  name,"  and  could  thus  take 
time  to  notice  one,  "Your  daughter  desires  a  Bible  and  a  gown. 
I  hope  she  shall  use  the  Bible  well,  which  if  she  do  the  gown  is 
the  better  bestowed."  He  lamented  over  the  few  that  cry  "  Ho- 
sanna"  in  their  youth.  "  Christ  is  an  unknown  Christ  to  young 
ones,  and  therefore  they  seek  him  not  because  they  know  him 
not."  He  dealt  with  individual  parishioners  so  closely  and  so  per- 
sonally as  to  be  able  to  appeal  to  them  that  he  had  so  done.  He 
addresses  one  of  them,  Jean  M'Millan  :  "  I  did  what  I  could  to 
put  you  within  grips  of  Christ;  I  told  you  Christ's  testament  and 
latter-will  plainly."  He  so  carried  them  about  with  him  (like  the 
priest  with  the  twelve  tribes  on  his  breast-plate,)  that  he  could 
declare  to  Gordon  of  Cardoness,  "  Thoughts  of  your  soul  depart 
not  from  me  in  my  sleep."  "My  soul  was  taken  up  when  others 
were  sleeping,  how  to  have  Christ  betrothed  with  a  bride  in  that 
part  of  the  land,"  viz.  Anwoth.  He  so  prayed  over  them  and  for 
them,  that  he  fears  not  to  say,  "  There  I  wrestled  with  the  angel 
and  prevailed.  Woods,  trees,  meadows,  and  hills,  are  my  wit- 
nesses that  I  drew  on  a  fair  match  betwixt  Christ  and  Anwoth." 
It  is  related  that  on  first  coming  to  the  parish,  there  was  a  piece 
of  ground  on  Mossrobin  farm,  where  on  Sabbath  afternoon  the 
people  used  to  play  at  foot-ball.  On  one  occasion  he  repaired  to 
the  spot  and  pointed  out  their  sin,  calling  on  the  objects  round  to 
be  witness  against  them  if  they  persevered,  especially  three  large 
stones,'  two  of  which  still  remain,  and  are  called  "  Rutherford^s 
witnesses." 

Once  in  Anwoth  his  labors  were  interrupted  by  a  tertian  fever 
which  laid  him  aside  for  thirteen  weeks.  Even  when  well  re- 
covered, he  could  only  preach  on  the  Sabbaths ;  visiting  and  cate- 
chizing were  at  a  stand.  This  was  just  before  his  wife's  death  in 
1630,  and  he  writes  in  the  midst  of  it,  "  Welcome,  welcome,  cross 
of  Christ,  if  Christ  be  with  it."  "  An  afflicted  life  looks  very  like 
the  way  that  leads  to  the  kingdom."  And  some  years  thereafter, 
when  his  mother,  who  resided  with  him  six  years  after  his  first 
wife's  death,  was  in  a  dangerous  illness,  he  touchingly  informs 
one  of  his  correspondents,  to  whom  he  writes  from  Anwoth,  "  My 

t  Josh.  xxiv.  27. 


AND   HIS    LETTERS.  XV 

mother  is  weak,  and  I  think  shall  leave  me  alone,  but  I  am  not 
alone,  because  Christ's  Father  is  with  me." 

The  manse  of  Anwoth  had  many  visits  of  kind  friends,  who  in 
Rutherford's  fellowship  felt  that  saying  verified,  '-  They  that  dwell 
under  his  shadow  shall  return  ;  they  shall  revive  as  the  corn." '  The 
righteous  compassed  him  about,  because  the  Lord  had  dealt  boun- 
tifully with  him.  His  letters  would  be  enough  of  themselves  to 
show  that  his  company  was  sought  by  the  godly  on  all  sides. 
But  besides  this  evidence,  we  have  notices  of  such  visitors  as  his 
own  brother  George,  at  Kirkcudbright.  This  good  man  was  a 
teacher  in  that  town,  and  often  repaired  to  Anwoth  to  take  sweet 
counsel  with  Samuel ;  and  then  together,  they  often  talked  of 
and  prayed  for  their  only  other  brother  James,  an  officer  in  the 
Dutch  service,  who  had  sympathy  with  their  views,  and  in  after 
days  conveyed  to  Samuel  the  invitation  to  become  Professor  at 
Utrecht.  Visits  of  those  friends  who  resided  near  were  not  un- 
frequent,  such  as  the  Gordons,  Viscount  Kenmure  and  his  lady, 
and  in  humbler  li(e,  Marion  Macknaught.  But  at  times  Anwoth 
manse  was  hghted  up  by  the  glad  visit  of  unexpected  guests. 
There  is  a  tradition  that  Archbishop  Usher,  passing  through  Gal- 
loway, turned  aside  on  a  Saturday  to  enjoy  the  congenial  society 
of  Rutherford.  He  came,  however,  in  disguise,  and  being  wel- 
comed as  a  guest,  took  his  place  with  the  rest  of  the  family  when 
they  were  catechized,  as  was  usual  that  evening.  The  stranger 
was  asked,  "  How  many  commandments  are  there?"  His  reply 
was  "  Eleven.''''  The  pastor  corrected  him ;  but  the  stranger 
maintained  his  position,  quoting  our  Lord's  words,  '•  A  new  com- 
mandment /  give  unto  you^  that  you  love  one  another.^''  They 
retired  to  rest,  all  interested  in  the  stranger.  Sabbath  morning 
dawned,  Rutherford  arose  and  repaired  for  meditation  to  a  walk 
that  bordered  on  a  thicket,*  but  was  startled  by  hearing  the  voice 
of  prayer, — prayer  too,  from  the  heart,  and  in  behalf  of  the  souls 
of  the  people  that  day  to  assemble.  It  was  no  other  than  the 
holy  Archbishop  Usher ;  and  soon  they  came  to  an  explanation, 
for  Rutherford  had  begun  to  suspect  he  had  "entertained  angels 
unawares."  With  great  mutual  love  they  conversed  together,  and 
at  the  request  of  Rutherford,  the  Archbishop  went  up  to  the  pulpit, 
conducted  the  usual  service  of  the  presbyterian  pastor,  and 
preached  on  "  the  New  Commandment." 

Scarcely  less  interesting  is  the  record  of  one  of  those  incidental 

*  Hos.  xiv.  7. 

2  The  place  is  Btill  pointed  out  by  tradition,  as  "  Rutherford's  Walk" 


XVI  SKETCH    OF    RUTHERFORD       , 

meetings  that  are  often  so  refreshing  to  the  saints  in  their  pilgri- 
mage. Rutherford  iiad  one  day  left  home  to  go  to  the  neighbor- 
ing town  of  Kirkcudbright,  the  next  day  being  a  day  of  humilia- 
tion in  that  place.  Having  no  doubt  spent  some  time  with  his  like- 
minded  brother,  he  had  turned  his  steps  to  tlie  house  of  another 
friend,  Provost  Fullerton,  whose  wife  was  Marion  Macknaught. 
While  sitting  with  them  a  knock  at  tlie  door  was  heard,  and  then 
a  step  on  the  threshold.  It  was  worthy  Mr.  Blair,  who,  on  his 
way  from  London  to  Port  Patrick,  had  sought  out  some  of  his 
godly  friends,  that  with  them  he  might  be  refreshed  ere  he  returned 
to  Ireland.  He  told  them,  when  seated,  that  "he  had  a  desire  to 
visit  both  Mr.  Rutherford  at  Anwoth,  and  Marion  Macknaught  at 
Kirkcudbright,  but  not  knowing  how  to  accomplish  both,  he  had 
prayed  for  direction  at  the  parting  of  the  road,  and  laid  the  bridle 
on  the  horse's  neck.  The  horse  took  the  way  to  Kirkcudbright, 
and  there  he  found  both  the  friends  he  so  longed  to  see."  It  was 
a  joyful  and  refreshing  meeting  on  all  sides. 

In  1634  he  attended  the  remarkable  death-bed  of  Lord  Ken- 
mure,  a  narrative  of  which  he  published  fifteen  years  after,  in 
"The  last  heavenly  speeches  and  glorious  departure  of  John 
Viscount  Kenmure." '  The  inroads  of  Episcopacy  were  at  this 
time  threatening  to  disquiet  Anwoth.  His  own  domestic  afflic- 
tions were  still  affecting  him  ;  for  he  writes  that  same  year,  in  re- 
ferring to  his  wife's  death  many  years  before,  "  which  wound  is 
not  yet  fully  healed  and  cured."  About  that  time,  too,  there  was 
a  proposal  never  carried  into  effect  to  call  him  to  Cramond,  near 
Edinburgh. 

Meanwhile  he  persevered  in  study  as  well  as  in  labors,  and 
with  no  common  success.  He  had  himself  a  metaphysical  turn, 
as  well  as  a  great  readiness  in  using  the  accumulated  learning  of 
other  days.  It  might  be  instructive  to  inquire  why  it  is  that 
wherever  Godliness  is  healthy  and  progressive  we  almost  invari- 
ably find  Learning  in  the  Church  of  Christ  attendant  on  it ;  while 
on  the  other  hand,  an  illiterate  state  is  attended  sooner  or  later 
by  decay  of  vital  godliness.     Not  that  all   are  learned  in  such 

'  Referring  to  the  previous  tempest  that  swept  tlirough  Lord  Kenmure 's  soul,  the 
preface  says  that  we  may  be  taught  that,  "  the  wound  of  a  wounded  conscience  is  a 
most  inexpressible  terror ;  none  can  describe  it  but  he  who  has  tried  and  tasted  the 
same.  It  hnpaireth  the  health,  drieth  up  the  blood,  wasteth  away  the  maiTow,  pineth 
away  the  flesh,  consumeth  away  the  bones,  maketh  pleasure  painful,  and  shortcneth 
life.  No  wisdom  can  counsel  it,  no  counsel  can  advise  it,  no  advice  can  persuade  it, 
no  assuagement  can  cure  it,  no  eloquence  can  move  it,  no  power  can  overcome  it,  no 
epectre  affray  it,  no  enchanter  charm  it." 


AND    HIS    LETTERS.  XVU 

times ;  but  there  is  always  an  ingredient  of  the  kind  among  some 
of  those  whom  the  Lord  is  using.  It  may  be  that  the  energy  of 
soul  created  by  a  revival  leads  on  to  the  study  of  whatever  is 
likely  to  be  useful  in  the  defence  or  propagation  of  the  truth, 
whereas,  when  decay  is  progressing  in  a  church,  sloth  and  ease 
prevail,  and  are  causes  why  theological  learning  is  thought  too 
heavy  to  be  plodded  through.  With  Samuel  Rutherford  and  his 
contemporaries  we  find  learning  side  b}?^  side  with  vital,  and  singu- 
larly deep  godliness.  Gillespie,  Henderson,  Blair,  Dickson,  and 
others,  are  well-known  proofs.  Circumstances  led  Rutherford  in 
1636  to  publish  his  elaborate  defences  of  grace  against  the  Armin- 
ians,  in  Latin.  Its  title  is  "  Exercitationes  de  Gratia."  So  highly 
was  it  esteemed  at  Amsterdam,  where  it  was  published,  that  a 
second  edition  was  printed  that  very  year  ;  and  invitations  were 
addressed  soon  after  to  the  author  to  come  over  and  occupy  the 
chair  of  Professor  of  Divinity  in  Utrecht.  The  university  of 
Hardewyrk  had  already  offered  him  both  its  chair  of  Divinity  and 
Hebrew. 

The  contest  for  Chrisfs  Kingly  office  had  become  hot  and 
keen.  To  Rutherford  it  appeared  no  small  matter.  "  I  could 
wish  many  pounds  added  to  my  cross  to  know  that  by  my  suffer- 
ing Christ  was  set  forward  in  his  Kingly  office  in  this  land." 
July  27,  1636,  was  a  day  that  put  his  principles  to  the  test.  He 
was  called  before  the  High  Commission  Court,  because  of  non-con- 
formity to  the  acts  of  Episcopacy,  and  because  of  his  work  against 
the  Arminians.  The  issue  was  not  doubtful,  though  Lord  Lorn 
made  every  exertion  in  his  behalf, — they  deprived  him  of  his  min- 
isterial office,  which  he  had  exercised  at  Anwoth  for  a  period  of 
nine  years,  and  banished  him  to  Aberdeen.  The  next  day,  writ- 
ing at  evening  on  the  subject,  he  tells  of  his  sentence,  and  sub- 
joins, "  The  honor  that  I  have  prayed  for  these  sixteen  years." 
He  made  up  liis  mind  to  leave  Anwoth  at  once,  observing,  with  a 
submissiveness  which  we  cannot  help  wondering  at  in  the  author 
of  Lex  Rex,  "  I  purpose  to  obey  the  king,  who  has  power  over  my 
body."  *     His  only  regret  was  lest  this  separation  from  his  flock 

'  Tlie  following  is  liLs  owii  account  of  this  whole  matter,  as  given  in  a  speech  de- 
livered before  the  General  Assembly  of  29th  Nov.  1638.  Wlien  asked  by  the  Mod- 
erator, "  "Were  you  not  sent  to  Aberdeen  by  the  High  Commission  ?"  his  reply  was, 
"Most  true.  I  was  sent  in  and  summoned  by  the  High  Commission  for  diverse  points 
the  Bishop  of  Galloway  hbelled  against  me,  and  there  was  nothing  at  all  proven 
against  me,  notwithstanding  three  several  days  I  was  before  them ;  and  the  third  day 
they  had  no  other  question  to  propose,  but  those  wherewith  they  attempted  me  the 
first  two  days, — only  the  matter  of  non-conformity,  which  I  stand  by ;  and  upoa  this 

2 


XVIU  SKETCH    OP    RUTHERFORD 

was  a  chastisement  on  him  from  the  Lord,  "Because  I  have  not 
been  so  faithful  in  the  end  as  I  was  in  the  two  first  years  of  my 
ministry,  when  sleep  departed  from  mine  eyes  through  care  for 
Christ's  lambs." 

On  leaving  Anvvoth  he  directed  his  steps  by  Irvine,  spending  a 
night  there  with  his  beloved  friend  David  Dickson.  What  a  night 
it  would  be  !  To  hear  these  two  in  solemn  converse  !  The  one 
could  not  handle  thq  harp  so  well  as  the  other ;  for  David  Dick- 
son could  express  his  soul's  weary  longings  and  its  consoling  hopes 
in  such  strains  as  that  which  has  made  his  name  familiar  in  Scot- 
land, "  O  mother  dear  Jerusalem^''  &c.  But  Rutherford,  never- 
theless, had  so  much  of  poetry  and  sublime  enthusiasm  in  his  soul, 
that  any  poet  could  sympathize  with  him  to  the  full.  Many  of 
his  lettters  "  from  Chrisfs  palace  in  Aberdeen"  have  strains  of 
true  poetry.  What  else  is  such  an  effusion  as  this,  when  rising  on 
eagles'  wings,  he  exclaims,  "A  land  that  has  more  than  four 
summers  in  the  year !  What  a  singing  life  is  there  !  There  is 
not  a  dumb  bird  in  all  that  large  field,  but  all  sing  and  breathe 
out  heaven,  joy,  glory,  dominion,  to  the  High  Prince  of  that  new- 
found land.  And  verily  the  land  is  sweeter  that  He  is  the  glory 
of  that  land."  "O  how  sweet  to  be  wholly  Christ's,  and  wholly 
in  Christ — to  dwell  in  Immanuel's  high  and  blessed  land,  and 
live  in  that  sweetest  air,  where  no  wind  blovveth  but  the  breath- 
ings of  the  Holy  Ghost — no  sea  nor  floods  flow  but  the  pure  water 
of  life  that  floweth  from  under  the  throne  and  from  the  Lamb — 
no  planting,  but  the  tree  of  life  that  yieldeth  twelve  manner  of 
fruits  every  month  !  What  do  we  here  but  sin  and  suffer  ?  O 
when  shall  the  night  be  gone,  the  shadows  flee  away,  and  the 
morning  of  the  long,  long  day,  without  cloud  or  night,  dawn? 

they  Bcntenced  me,  after  I  declared  by  writ,  the  unlawfuhiess  of  that  act,  and  that  I 
durst  not  be  answerable  to  the  king  to  acknowledge  that  judicatory,  because  it  was 
against  the  standing  law  of  the  kingdom.  Notwithstanding  of  this,  they  proceeded 
against  me,  deprived  me  of  my  ministry  in  Anwoth,  and  confined  me  in  Aberdeen. 
I  watched  on  in  Edinburgli,  desiring  the  clerk  to  give  me  an  extract  of  the  sentence, 
but  could  not  get  it ;  and  the  reason  why  he  shifted  me  was,  because  the  Bishop  of 
Galloway  caused  him  to  add  a  point  to  my  sentence  that  I  was  not  sentenced  for,  viz. 
that  I  should  exei'cise  no  ministerial  functions  within  the  king's  dominions.  The  clerk 
denied  it  was  a  point  of  my  sentence,  notwithstanding  the  Bishoj)  of  Galloway  caused 
to  add  that  point,  and  I  could  never  have  the  extract  of  it,  only  I  got  a  copy." — Re- 
cords of  the  Church  of  Scotland,  p.  150.  Baillie  says,  "  He  was  silenced  and  confined 
to  Aberdeen  for  preaching  against  the  Articles  of  Perth,  and  such  things.  It  is  true 
he  refused  to  give  the  Chancellor  or  any  of  the  Bishops  their  styles.  Tliey  were 
aniniat  also  against  him  for  taxing  Cameron  in  his  book,  and  more  for  his  indiscreet 
raihng  at  Jackson." — Baill.  i.  p.  8. 


AND    HIS    LETTERS.  XIX 

The  Spirit  and  the  bride  say  '  Come  !'  O  when  shall  the  Lamb's 
wife  be  ready,  and  the  Bridegroom  say,  Come  ?"  Whoever  com- 
pares such  breathings  as  this  with  David  Dickson's  hymn,  will  at 
once  see  how  very  congenial  were  their  feelings  and  their  hopes, 
and  even  their  mode  of  expressing  what  they  felt  and  hoped, 
though  the  one  used  prose  and  the  other  tried  more  memorable 
verse. 

We  follow  Rutherford  to  Aberdeen,  the  capital  of  the  North, 
whither  he  was  accompanied  by  a  deputation  of  his  affectionate 
parishioners  from  Anwoth,  in  whose  company  he  would  forget  the 
length  and  tediousness  of  the  way.  He  arrived  here  in  Septem- 
ber, 1636.  This  town  was  at  that  time  the  stronghold  of  Episco- 
pacy and  Arminianism,  and  in  it  the  state  of  religion  was  very 
low.  "  It  consisted  of  Papists,  and  men  of  Gallio's  naughty  faith."  ' 
The  clergy  and  doctors  took  the  opportunity  of  Rutherford's  arrival, 
to  commence  a  series  of  attacks  on  the  doctrines  he  held.  But  in 
disputation  he  foiled  them  ;  and  when  many  began  to  feel  drawn 
to  his  earnest  dealings  or  private  exhortations,  there  was  a  proposal 
made  to  remove  him  from  the  town.  "  So  cold,"  writes  he,  "  is 
northern  love  !  But  (added  he)  Christ  mid  I  will  hear  it  f  deeply 
feeling  his  union  to  him  who  said  to  Saul,  "  why  persecutest  thou 
me  J?"  Often  on  the  streets,^  he  was  pointed  out  as  "  the  Ban- 
ished Minister f^  and  hearing  of  this,  he  remarked,  '-I  am  not 
ashamed  of  my  garland."  He  had  visitors  from  Orkney,  and  from 
Caithness,  to  the  great  annoyance  of  his  persecutors.  Some 
blamed  him  for  not  being  ^'■prudent  enough^''  as  we  have  seen 
men  ready  to  do  in  the  case  of  Dr.  Kalley  at  Madeira  in  our  day; 
but  he  replies,  "  It  is  ordinary  that  that  should  be  part  of  the  cross 
of  those  who  suffer  for  him P  Still  he  enjoyed,  in  his  solitude, 
occasional  intercourse  with  some  of  the  godly  ones,  among  whom 
were  Lady  Pitshgo,  Lady  Burnet  of  Largs,  Andrew  Cant,  and 
James  Martin.  His  deepest  affliction  was  separation  from  his 
flock  at  Anwoth.  Nothing  can  exceed  his  tender  sorrow  over  this 
flock. 

It  was  a  saying  of  his  own,  "  Gold  may  be  gold  and  bear  the 
king's  stamp  upon  it,  when  it  is  trampled  upon  by  men."      And 

1  Dr.  James  Sibbald,  said  to  have  been  a  man  of  great  learning,  was  minister  in  one 
of  the  churches  of  what  was  then  called  New  Aberdeen,  and  Rutherford  was  a  hearer 
of  his ;  he  taught  Arminianism,  and  Rutherford  afterwards  testified  against  him  ou 
this  point  from  what  he  had  himself  listened  to. — Gordons  Scots  Affair,  iii.  230. 

*  The  impression  of  some  readers  might  be  that  he  was  in  prison.  But  he  never 
■was  so.  He  was  in  exile ;  but  the  whole  town  was  his  prison,  like  Shimei  confined  to 
Jerusalem. 


XX  SKETCH    OF    RUTHERFORD 

(his  was  true  of  himself.  But  he  came  out  of  his  trial  unhurt ; 
or  rather,  as  his  many  letters  from  Aberdeen  show,  greatly  in- 
creased in  every  grace. 

He  was  part  of  two  years  closely  confined  to  that  town  ;  but  in 
1638  public  events  had  taken  another  turn.  The  Lord  had 
stirred  up  the  spirit  of  the  people  of  Scotland,  and  the  Covenant 
was  again  triumphant  in  the  land.  Rutherford  hastened  back  to 
Anwoth.  During  his  absence,  "  for  six  quarters  of  a  year,"  say 
his  parishioners,  "  no  sound  of  the  word  of  God  was  heard  in  our 
kirk."  The  swallows  had  made  their  nests  undisturbed  for  two 
summers. 

His  letters  do  not  refer  to  the  proceedings  of  the  Glasgow  As- 
sembly of  1638 ;  still  it  is  well  known  that  he  was  no  mere  indif- 
ferent spectator  to  what  then  took  place,  but  was  member  of  sev- 
eral committees  which  at  that  time  sat  on  the  affairs  of  the 
Church ;  and  Presbytery  being  fully  restored  by  that  Assembly, 
it  was  thought  right  that  one  so  gifted  should  now  be  brought 
forward  to  a  more  important  sphere.  He  was  sent  by  the  Church 
to  several  districts  to  promote  the  cause  of  reformation  and  the 
covenant :  and  at  length,  in  spite  of  his  reluctance,  arising  chiefly 
from  love  to  his  flock, — his  rural  flock  at  Anwoth, — he  was  con- 
strained by  the  united  opinion  of  his  brethren  to  remove  to  the 
Professor's  Chair  in  St.  Andrew's,  in  1639.  He  bargained  to  be 
allowed  to  preach  regularly  every  Sabbath  in  his  new  sphere  ;  for 
he  could  not  endure  silence  when  he  might  speak  a  word  for  his 
Lord.  He  seems  to  have  preached,  as  occasion  offered,  in  the 
parishes  around,  especially  at  Scoonie,  where  the  village  of  Leven 
stands.  His  hands  were  necessarily  filled  with  work  in  his  new 
sphere ;  yet  still  he  relaxed  nothing  of  his  diligence  in  study. 
Nor  did  he  lose  anything  of  former  blessing.  It  was  here  the 
English  merchant  heard  him  preach  so  affectingly  on  the  loveli- 
ness of  Christ  while  such  was  his  success  as  a  Professor  that  "  the 
university  became  a  Lebanon  out  of  which  were  taken  cedars  for 
building  the  house  of  God  throughout  the  land." 

In  the  year  1640,  he  married  his  second  wife,  "  a  woman,"  says 
one,  "  of  such  worth,  that  I  never  knew  any  among  men  exceed 
him,  nor  any  among  women  exceed  her.  He  who  heard  either 
of  them  pray  or  speak  might  have  learnt  to  bemoan  his  own 
ignorance.  Oh  how  many  times  I  have  been  convinced  by  ob- 
serving them,  of  the  evil  of  unseriousness  unto  God,  and  unsa- 
voriness  in  discourse,"     They  had  seven  children ;  but  only  one 


AND    HIS    LETTERS.  XXI 

survived  the  father,  a  little  daughter  Agnes,  who  does  not  seem 
to  have  been  a  comfort  to  her  godly  mother. 

In  July,  1643,  the  Westminster  Assembly  sat ;  and  to  it  he  was 
sent  up  as  one  of  the  Commissioners  from  Scotland.  There  exists 
in  MS.  in  the  library  of  the  Edinburgh  University,  a  sketch  of 
the  Shorter  Catechism,  in  Rutherford's  handwriting,  very  much 
resembling  the  Catechism  as  it  now  stands,  as  if  he  had  had  the 
principal  hand  in  drawing  it  up  for  the  Assembly.  He  continued 
four  years  attending  the  sittings  of  this  famous  synod,  and  was  of 
much  use  in<*heir  deliberations.  So  prominent  a  part  did  he  take, 
that  the  great  Milton  has  singled  him  out  for  attack  in  his  lines, 
"  On  the  new  forcers  of  conscience,  under  the  Long  Parliament." 
Milton  knew  him  only  as  an  opponent  of  his  sectarian  and  Inde- 
pendent principles,  and  so  could  scorn  measures  proposed  by  "  Mere 
A.  S.  and  Rutherford."  But  had  he  known  the  soul  of  the  man, 
would  not  even  Milton  have  found  that  there  was  a  sublimity  of 
thought  and  feeling  in  his  adversary,  that  at  times  might  ap- 
proach his  own  lofty  poesy  ?  Yet  how  interesting,  in  any  point  of 
view,  to  find  the  devoted  Pastor  of  Anwoth,  on  the  streets  of  Lon- 
don, crossing  the  path  of  the  greatest  poet  of  modern  times  ! 

During  his  residence  in  London,  several  of  his  family  died  ;  yet 
amid  the  trials  and  bustle  of  that  time  he  wrote  "  the  Due  Right 
of  Presbytery,"  "  Lex  Rex,"  and  "  Trial  and  Triumph  of  Faith." 

Returning  home  to  St.  Andrew's  he  resumed  his  labors  both 
in  the  college  and  in  the  pulpit  with  all  his  former  zeal.*     He 

1  "1651,  July  13. — Tlie  comm.  was  given  at  Scoonie.  Mr.  Alex.  Moncrieff,  m. 
there,  did  preach  the  Preparation  Sermon,  and  on  Monday  morning,  Mr.  Sa.  Ruther- 
ford did  preach ;  his  text  at  both  occasions  "was  Luke  vii.  36  till  39  v.  At  this  time 
was  present,  besides  Mr.  Sa.  Rutherford,  Mr.  Ja.  Guthrie,  and  Mr.  David  Bennet,  Mr. 
Ephraim  Melven,  and  Mr.  William  OHphant,  m.  in  Dumfermhn.  lliither  did  resort 
many  strangers,  so  that  the  throng  was  great.  Mr.  Ephraim,  and  Mr.  D.  Bennet  both 
did  sit  witliin  the  pulpit  while  the  minister  had  his  sermon."  "  1654,  Jan.  4. — Being 
Saturday,  there  was  a  Preparation  Sermon  for  a  Thanksgiving  preached  at  Scoonie 
in  Fyfe,  for  the  continuance  of  the  Gospel  in  the  land,  and  for  the  spreading  of  it  in 
some  places  of  the  Highlands  in  Scotland,  where  in  some  families  two,  and  in  some 
famiUes  one,  began  to  call  on  God  by  prayer.  Mr.  Samuel  Rutherford,  M.  in  St.  An- 
drew's, preached  on  Saturday  ;  his  text,  Isai.  xlLx.  9,  10,  11,  12.  On  the  Sabbath,  Mr 
Alex.  Moncrieff,  M  then  preached ;  hi-i  lecture,  1  Thess.  i.  ch. ;  his  text,  Coloss.  i.  27. 
In  the  afternoon  of  the  Sabbath,  Mr.  Samuel  preached  again  upon  his  forementioned 
text.  On  Monday  morning,  Mr.  Samuel  had  a  Lecture  on  PsaL  IxxxviiL  He  did 
read  the  whole  Psalm.  Observe,  that  on  Saturday  Mr.  Samuel  had  tliis  expression  in 
his  prayer  after  sermon,  desiring  that  the  Lord  would  rebuke  Presbyteries  and  others 
that  had  taken  the  keys  and  the  power  in  their  hands,  and  keeped  out,  and  would  suf- 
fer none  to  enter  (meaning  in  the  ministry)  but  such  as  said  as  they  said." — Lamonl'a 
Diary. 


XXU  SKETCH    OF    RUTHERFORD 

joined  tlie  Protesters  in  determinedly  opposing  the  proceedings  of 
the  Commission  of  Assembly,  who  had  censured  such  as  pro- 
tested against  the  admission  to  power  of  persons  in  the  class  of 
Malignants.  His  friend  David  Dickson  keenly  opposed  him,  and 
Mr.  Blair  also,  though  less  violently.  It  was  this  controversy  that 
made  John  Livingstone  say  in  a  letter  to  Blair,'  "  Your  and  Mr. 
D.  Dickson's  accession  to  these  resolutions,  is  the  saddest  thing  I 
have  seen  in  my  time.  My  wife  and  I  have  had  more  bitterness 
in  this  respect,  these  several  months,  than  ever  we  had  since  we 
knew  what  bitterness  meant."  Rutherford  wiote  to©  violently  on 
this  matter ;  for  all  parties  were  greatly  excited.  Still  he  did  not 
lose  his  brotherly  love,  the  same  brotherly  love  that  led  him  to 
embrace  Archbishop  Usher  as  a  fellow-believer.  We  may  get  a 
lesson  for  our  times  from  his  remarks  on  occasion  of  these  bitter 
controversies.  It  is  in  1646,  that  he  writes  ;  "  It  is  hard  when 
saints  rejoice  in  the  sufferings  of  saints,  and  redeemed  ones  hurt, 
and  go  nigh  to  hate,  redeemed  ones.  For  contempt  of  the  com- 
munion of  saints,  we  have  need  of  new-born  crosses  scarce  ever 
heard  of  before. — Our  star-light  hideth  us  from  ourselves,  and 
hideth  us  from  one  another,  and  Christ  from  us  all."  And  then 
he  subjoins,  (and  is  he  not  borne  out  by  the  words  of  the  Lord  in 
John  xvii.  22.)  "  A  doubt  it  is  if  we  shall  have  fully  one  heart,  till 
we  shall  enjoy  one  heaven."  The  state  of  things  lay  heavy  on 
his  mind  :  "  I  am  broken  and  wasted  by  the  wrath  that  is  upon 
this  land." 

Milton  sings,  "  They  also  serve  who  only  stand  and  wait ;"  and 
Rutherford  was  longing  now  for  such  service.  He  sometimes 
refers  to  this  desire ;  he  wishes  for  a  quiet  harbor  in  his  latter 
days  ;  only,  adds  he,  "  sailing  is  serving" — and  he  did  delight  in 
serving  his  Lord. 

In  1660,  his  published  work,  "  Lex  Rex,"  was  taken  notice  of 
by  the  government ;  for  reasonable  as  it  is  in  defence  of  the  lib- 
erty of  subjects,  its  spirit  of  freedom  was  intolerable  to  rulers  who 
were  gradually  advancing  to  acts  of  cruelty  and  death.  Indeed, 
it  was  so  hateful  to  them,  that  they  burnt  it,  first  at  Edinburgh 
by  the  hands  of  the  hangman  ;  and  then  some  days  after  by  the 
hands  of  the  infamous  Sharpe,  under  the  windows  of  its  author's 
College  in  St.  Andrew's.  He  was  next  deposed  from  all  his  offices  ; 
and  last  of  all  summoned  to  answer  at  next  Parliament  on  a 
charge  of  high  treason.  But  the  summons  was  too  late.  He 
was  already  on  his  death-bed,  and  on  hearing  of  the  summons, 

1  Wodrow  Select  Biographies. 


AND    HIS    LETTERS.  XXIU 

calmly  remarked,  that  he  had  got  another  summons  before  a  su- 
perior Judge  and  Judicatory,  and  sent  the  message,  "I  behove  to 
answer  my  first,  summons  ;  and  ere  your  day  arrive,  I  will  be      \ 
where  few  king^and  great  folks  come." 

All  that  is  told  us  of  his  death-bed  is  characteristic  of  the  man. 
He  said  when  asked,  "  What  think  ye  now  of  Christ?"—"  I  shall 
live  and  adore  him.  Glory  dwelleth  in  Immanuel's  land."  The 
same  afternoon  he  said,  "  I  shall  sleep  in  Christ,  and  when  I 
awake  I  shall  be  satisfied  with  his  likeness."  Once  he  cried 
aloud,  "  O  for  arms  to  embrace  Him  !  O  for  a  well-tuned  harp  !" 
This  last  expression  he  used  more  than  once,  as  if  already  stretch- 
ing out  his  hand  to  get  his  golden  harp,  and  join  the  redeemed  in 
their  new  song.  He  also  said  on  another  occasion,  "I  hear  him 
saying  to  me,  '  Come  up  hither.' "  His  little  daughter,  Agnes, 
only  eleven  years  of  age,  stood  by  his  bed-side  ;  he  looked  on  her, 
and  said,  "  1  have  left  her  upon  the  Lord."  Well  might  the  man 
say  so,  who  could  so  fully  testify  of  his  portion  in  the  Lord,  as  a 
goodly  heritage.  To  four  of  his  brethren,  who  came  to  see  him, 
he  said,  "  My  Lord  and  Master  is  chief  of  ten  thousands  of  thou- 
sands. None  is  comparable  to  Him  in  heaven,  or  in  earth.  Dear 
brethren,  do  all  for  Him.  Pray  for  Christ.  Preach  ybr  Christ." 
He  seemed  to  know  the  hour  of  his  departure,  not  perhaps  so 
surely  as  Paul,  2  Tim.  iv.  6,  or  Peter,  2  Peter  i.  14,  yet  still  in  a 
manner  that  seems  to  indicate  that  the  Lord  draws  very  near  his 
servants  in  that  hour,  and  gives  glimpses  of  what  he  is  doing. 
On  the  last  day  of  his  life,  in  the  afternoon,  he  said,  "This  night 
will  close  the  door,  and  fasten. my  anchor  within  the  veil,  and  I 
shall  go  away  in  a  sleep  by  five  o'clock  in  the  morning."  And  so 
it  was.  He  entered  Immanuel's  land  at  that  very  hour,  March 
20,  1661,  at  his  house  in  St.  Andrew's,  and  is  now  (as  himself 
would  have  said)  "  sleeping  in  the  bosom  of  the  Almighty,"  till 
the  Lord  come.  One  of  his  dying  sayings  was,  "  There  is  noth- 
ing now  between  me  and  the  resurrection  but,  'This  day  tlioa 
shalt  be  with  me  in  Paradise.' "  And  Livingstone  records  that 
his  last  words  were,  "Glory,  glory  dwelleth  in  Immanuel's  land  !" 
— as  if  he  had  caught  a  glimpse  of  its  mountain  tops.' 

Had  he  lived  a  few  v;eeks,  his  might  have  been  the  cruel  deatli 

1  "1661,  Mar.  29,  (a  mistake  for  20.)  Mr.  Samuel  Rutherford,  Principal  of  the 
"New  College  in  St.  Andrew's,  departed  out  of  this  life,  at  his  dwelhng-house  there, 
and  was  interred  the  30th  of  Mar.  at  the  ordinary  burial  place  of  the  said  city.  Some 
"weeks  before  lie  had  a  daughter  that  departed  out  of  this  Ufe  Ukewise.  Also,  the 
said  30  of  Mar.  Mr.  Andrew  Honeyman's  mother-in-law  was  interred  Ukewise.  They 
were  both  carried  at  one  time  to  their  long  home." — Zamont's  Diary. 


XXIV  ,  SKETCH    OF    RUTHERFORD 

endured  by  his  friend  James  Guthrie,  whom  he  had  encouraged 
by  his  letters  to  steadfastness  to  the  end.  The  vote  which  the 
Parhament  passed  when  told  that  he  was  dying  did  him  no  dis- 
honor. When  they  had  voted  that  he  should  not  die  in  the  Col- 
lege, Lord  Burleigh  rose  and  said,  "  Ye  cannot  vote  him  out  of 
heaven." 

If  ever  there  was  any  portrait  of  him,  it  is  not  now  known. 
We  are  most  familiar  with  the  likeness  of  his  soul.  There  is  one 
expressive  line  in  the  epitaph  on  his  tombstone,  in  the  churchyard 
of  the  Chapel  of  St.  Regulus  : 

What  tongue,  what  pen,  or  skill  of  men, 
Can  famous  Rutherford  commend ! 
His  learning  justly  raised  his  fame, 
True  greatness  did  adorn  his  name. 
He  did  converse  with  things  above, 
Acquainted  with  ImnianueVs  love. 

His  memory  was  long  cherished,  and  it  is  said  that  so  great 
was  the  reverence  which  some  of  the  godly  had  for  this  venerable 
man,  that  they  requested  to  be  buried  near  where  his  body  was  laid. 
It  is  also  mentioned,  that  an  old  man  in  the  parish  of  Crailing 
remembers  the  veneration  entertained  for  him  by  the  great-grand- 
father of  the  present  Marquis  of  Lothian.  This  good  Marquis  used 
to  lift  his  hat  as  he  passed  the  spot  where  stood  the  cottage  in 
which  Samuel  Rutherford  was  born. 

His  "  Letters"  have  long  been  famous  among  the  godly. 
The  collector  was  godly  Mr.  M'Ward,  who,  as  a  student,  being 
much  beloved  by  Rutherford,  went  to  the  Westminster  Assembly 
with  him  as  his  secretary.  He  was  afterwards  successor  to  An- 
drew Gray  in  Glasgow,  and  finally  minister  in  Rotterdam.  He 
published  them  with  an  enthusiastic  recommendation  ;  but  seems 
sometimes  to  have  given  us  erroneous  readings.  At  least,  there 
are  occasionally  expressions  or  clauses  that  are  obscure,  as  they 
stand  in  print.  The  first  letter  is  dated  April  23,  1628  ;  and  on- 
ward from  that  date,  we  have  occasional  pieces  up  to  the  year  of 
his  death.  It  will  be  noticed,  that  at  times,  the  pen  of  the  ready 
writer  ran  on  most  rapidly.  He  has  written  many  in  one  day, 
when  his  heart  was  overflowing.  It  was  easy  to  write  when  the 
Lord  was  pouring  on  him  the  unction  that  teacheth  all  things. 
He  would  sometimes  have  written  still  more,  but  he  had  heard 
that  people  looked  up  to  him  and  overpraised  his  letters.  During 
his  confinement  at  Aberdeen,  he  wrote  about  220. 

There  are  a  few  unpleasant  expressions  in  the  letters,  which 


AND    HIS    LETTERS.  XXV 

are  the  sparks  of  a  fancy  that  sought  to  appropriate  everything 
to  spiritual  purposes  ;  but  as  to  extravagance  in  the  thoughts  con- 
veyed, there  is  none.  The  extravagance  alleged  against  them  by 
some,  is  just  that  of  Paul,  when  he  spoke  of  knowing  "  the  height 
and  depth,  length  and  breadth,"  of  the  love  of  Christ ;  or  that  of 
Solomon,  when  the  Holy  Ghost  inspired  him  to  write  "  The  Song 
of  Songs."  Rather  would  we  say  of  these  letters,  what  Living- 
stone in  a  letter  says  of  John  Welsh's  dying  words,  "  O  for  a  sweet 
fill  of  this  fanatic  humor  !"  In  modern  days,  Richard  Cecil  has 
said  of  Rutherford  :  "  He  is  one  of  my  classics  ;  he  is  a  real  origi- 
nal ;"  and  in  older  times,  Richard  Baxter,  some  of  whose  theo- 
logical leanings  might  have  prejudiced  him,  if  anything  could, 
said  of  his  letters  :  "  Hold  off  the  Bible,  such  a  book  the  world 
never  saw."  They  were  long  ago  translated  into  Dutch,  and  of  late 
years  they  have  been  translated  into  German.  Both  in  these,  and 
in  his  other  writings,  we  see  sufficient  proof  that  had  he  cultivated 
literature  as  a  pursuit,  he  might  have  stood  high  in  the  admira- 
tion of  men.^ 

The  letters  often,  by  a  few  strokes,  suggest  very  much  that  is 
edifying  and  impressive.  There  is  something  not  easily  forgotten 
in  the  words  used  to  express  the  Church's  indestructibleness  in 
that  letter,  where  he  says,  "  the  bush  has  been  burning  these  five 
thousand  years,  and  7io  man  yet  saw  the  ashes  of  that  fire.^^  How 
mucli  truth  is  conveyed  by  that  saying,  "  Losses  for  Christ  are 
but  goods  given  out  in  bank  in  Christ's  hand."  There  is  an  in- 
genious use  of  Scripture  that  often  dehghts  the  reader,  as  when 
he  speaks  of  "  the  corn  on  the  house-tops  that  never  got  the  hus- 
bandman's prayer,"  or  of  "  Him  that  counteth  the  basons  and 
knives  of  his  house,  (Ezra  i.  9,  10,)  and  bringeth  them  back  safe 
to  his  second  temple."  But  the  general  characteristics  of  his  let- 
ters are  still  more  worthy  of  attentive  consideration. 

'  His  other  works  bear  the  stamp  of  the  same  lofty  soul.  In  his  Treatise,  "  De 
Divina  Providentia,"  the  following  paragraph  occiu-s  extolling  the  glory  of  Godhead 
wisdom.  "  Comparentur  cum  ilia  increata  sapientia  Dei  Patris  umbratiles  scintillulai 
creatae  gloriolte  quotquot  nominis  celebritate  inclaruerunt.  Delirat  Plato.  Mentitur 
Aristoteles.  Cicero  balbulit,  htesitat,  nescit  Latine  loquL  Demosthenes  mutus  et 
elinguis  obstepescit ;  virtutis  viam  ignorat  Seneca,  nihil  canit  Homerus, — male  canit 
Virgiliusl  Accedant  ad  ChriBtum  qui  virtutis  gloria  fulgent!  Aristides  virtutem 
mentitur.  Fahius  cespitat,  a  via  justitiae  deviat.  Socrates  ne  hoc  quidem  scit,  se  niliil 
Bcire.  Cato  levis  et  futdis  est,  Solon  est  mundi  et  voluptatum  servus  et  mancipium, 
non  legislator.  Pythagoras  nee  sophos,  nee  philosophus  est.  Bias  nee  mundi  nee 
inanis  glorias  contemptor.    Alexander  Macedo  ignavus  est,"  <fec. 


XXVI  SKETCH    OP    RUTHERFORD 

These  Letters  will  ever  be  precious  to  : — 

1.  All  who  are  sensible  of  their  own,  and  the  Church's,  decay 
and  corruptions.  The  wound  and  the  cure  are  therein  so  fully 
opened  out ;  self  is  exposed,  even  spiritual  self.  He  will  tell 
you,  "  There  is  as  much  need  to  watch  over  grace,  as  to  watch 
over  sin."  He  will  show  you  God  in  Christ,  to  fill  up  the  place 
usurped  by  self.  The  subtleties  of  sin,  idols,  snares,  temptations, 
self-deceptions,  are  dragged  into  view  from  time  to  time.  And 
what  is  better  still,  the  cords  of  Christ  are  twined  round  the  roots 
of  these  bitter  plants,  that  they  may  be  plucked  up. 

Nor  is  it  less  so  in  regard  to  corruption  in  public,  and  in  the 
Church.  We  do  not  mean  merely  the  open  corruption  of  error, 
but  the  secret  "  gray  hairs"  of  decay.  How  it  suits  our  day  to 
hear  him  cry,  "  There  is  universal  deadness  on  all  that  fear  God. 
/Oh  whpre  are  the  sometime  quickening  breathjings,  and  injlu- 
y^nces  from  heaven  that  have  refreshed  his  hidden  ones .'"  And 
then,  how  like  our  day  when  his  complaint  laments,  in  the  name 
of  the  saints,  "  Wfc  are  half-satisfied  with  our  witheredness  ;  nor 
have  we  so  much  of  .his  strain  who  doth  eight  times  breathe  out 
that  suit  (Psa.  119,)  Quicken  me  !"  We  live  far  from  the  well, 
and  copaplain  but  dryly  of  our  dryness." 

' '  '    •■    '5^' ■■'".'.  ' 

2.  A II  who  delight  in  the  Surety^ s  imputed  righteousness.    If 

thoroughly  aware  of  the  body  of  sin  in  ourselves,  we  cannot  but 
feel  that  we  need  a  person  in  our  stead,— the  person  of  the  God- 
man  in  the  room  of  our  guilty  person.  This  is  full  salvation  from 
^guilt.  "  To  us  a  Son  is  given  ;"  not  salvation  only,  but  a  Saviour. 
The  person  of  Jesus  is  given  us,  "  he  gave  himself  for  iis." 

These  Letters  are  ever  carrying  us  to  the  Surety  and  his  right- 
eousness. The  eye  never  gets  time  to  rest  long  on  anything 
apart  from  Him  and  his  righteousness.  We  are  shown  the  del- 
uge-waters undried  up,  in  order  to  lead  us  into  the  ark  again  ;  "  I 
had  fainted,  had  not  want  and  penury  chased  me  to  the  storehouse 
of  ajy  says  he  on  one  occasion. 

3.  All  who  rejoice  in  the  gospel  of  free  grace.  Lord  Kenmure 
once  said  to  him,  "  Sin  causeth  me  to  be  jealous  of  His  love  to 
such  a  man  as  I  have  been  ;"  he  replied,  "Be  jealous  of  yourself, 
my  lord,  but  not  of  Jesus  Christ."  In  his  "Trial  and  Triumph 
of  Faith,"  he  remarks,  "As  holy  walking  is  a  duty  coming  from 
us,  it  is  no  ground  of  true  peace.  Believers  often  seek  in  them- 
selves what  they  should  seek  in  Christ."     It  is  to  the  like  effect 


AND    HIS    LETTERS.  XXVll 

he  says  in  a  letter,  "Your  heart  is  not  the  compass  that  Christ 
saileth  by,"  turning  away  his  friends  from  looking  inward,  to  look 
upon  the  heart  of  Jesus.  And  this  is  his  meaning,  when  he  thus 
lays  the  whole  burden  of  salvation  on  the  Lord,  and  leaves  noth- 
ing for  us  but  acceptance,  "Take  ease  to  thyself,  and  let  him  bear 
all."  Then  pointing  us  to  the  risen  Saviour  as  our  pledge  of  com- 
plete redemption,  "Faith  may  dance,  because  Christ  singeth ;" 
"  Faith  apprehendeth  pardon,  but  never  payeth  a  penny  for  it." 
On  his  death-bed  he  said  to  his  friends,  "  I  disclaim  all  that  ever 
God  made  me  will  or  do,  and  I  look  upon  it  as  defiled  and  imper- 
fect." And  so  in  his  letters  he  will  admit  of  no  addition,  or  in- 
termixture of  other  things  ;  "  The  Gospel  is  like  a  small  hair  that 
hath  no  breadth,  and  will  not  cleave  in  two."  He-  Exhorts  to  as- 
surance as  being  the  way  to  be  humbled  very  low  before  Ood: 
"Often  in  us,  complaining  is  but;  a  hunlbfe  backbiting  and  tra- 
ducing of  Christ's  new  work  in  the  soul."  "Make  meikle  of  as- 
surance, for  it  keepeth  your  anchor  fixed."  He  warns  us,  in  his 
Trial  and  Triumph  of  Faith,  "  not  to  be  too  desirous  of  keen 
awakenings  to  chase  us  to  Christ.  Let  Christ  tutor  me  as  he 
thinketh  good.  He  has  seven  eyes :  I  have  but  one,  and  that  too 
dim."  In  a  similar  strain  he  writes  : — "  The  law  shall  never  be 
my  doomster,  by  Christ's  grace  ;  I  shall  find  a  sure  enough  doom 
in  the  gospel  to  humble  and  cast  me  down.  There  cannot  be  a 
more  humble  soid  than  a  believer.  It  is  no  pride  in  a  drowning 
man  to  catch  hold  of  a  rockP  How  much  truth  there  is  here  ! 
Naaman  never  was  humble  in  any  degree,  until  he  felt  himself 
com,pletely  healed  of  his  scaly  leprosy  :  but  truly  he  was  humbled 
and  humble  then.  And  what  one  word  is  there,  that  suerffests  so 
many  humbling  thoughts  as  that  word  "  Gracef 

4.  All  who  seek  to  grow  in  holiness.  The  Holy  Ghost  delights 
to  show  us  the  glorious  Godhead,  in  the  face  of  Jesus.  And  this 
is  a  very  frequent  theme  in  these  letters.  He  often  seems  to  be 
standing  in  immovable  contemplation  of  Christ,  and  so  becom- 
ing holier  and  holier  ;  "changed  into  the  same  image  from  glory 
to  glory."  "  Take  Christ  for  sanctification,  as  well  as  justifica- 
tion," is  often  his  theme.  And  in  him  we  see  a  ma"n  who  seems 
to  have  sought  (or  holiness  as  unceasingly  and  as  eagerly  as  other 
men  seek  for  pardon  and  peace.  In  him,  "  holiness  to  the  Lord^^ 
seems  written  on  every  affection  of  the  heart,  and  on  every  fresh- 
springing  thought. 

Fellowship  with  the  living  God  is  a  distinguishing  feature  in 


XXVlll  SKETCH    OF    RUTHERFORD 

the  holiness  given  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  "  access  by  one  Spirit  to 
the  Father  through  him."  It  must  be  with  the  Living  One  we 
meet,  and  then  the  sympathies  of  a  Hving  heart  are  felt.  Ruth- 
erford could  sometimes  say,  "  I  have  been  so  near  Him,  that  I 
have  said,  'I  take  instruments  that  this  is  the  Lord.'"  And  he 
could  from  experience  declare,  "  I  dare  avouch  the  saints  know 
not  the  length  and  largeness  of  the  sweet  Earnest,  and  of  the 
sweet  green  sheaves  before  the  harvest,  that  might  be  had  on  this 
side  of  the  water,  if  we  tvoidcl  take  ino7'e  pai?is.'^  "I  am  every 
way  in  your  case,  as  hard-hearted  and  dead  as  any  man,  but  yet 
I  speak  to  Christ  through  my  sleep."  All  this  is  from  the  pen  of 
a  man  who  was  a  metaphysician,  a  controversialist,  a  leader  in 
the  Church,  and  learned  in  ancient  lore.  Why  are  there  not  such 
gracious,  as  well  as  great  men  now  ? 

5,  All  afflicted  persons.  He  abounds  in  rich  words  to  such  ; 
indeed,  here  he  had  the  very  "  tongue  of  the  learned,  to  speak  a 
word  in  season  to  him  that  was  weary."  And  with  what  tender 
sympathy  does  he  speak,  leading  the  mourner  so  gently  to  the 
heart  of  Jesus  !  He  knew  the  heart  of  a  stranger,  for  he  had 
been  a  stranger.  "  Let  no  man  after  me  slander  Christ  for  his 
cross."  Yes,  says  he,  his  most  loved  are  often  his  most  tried  ; 
"The  lintel-stone  and  pillars  of  his  New  Jerusalem  suffer  more 
knocks  of  God's  hammer  and  tools,  than  the  common  side-wall 
stones."  Even  as  to  reproach  and  calumny,  "  I  love  Christ's 
worst  reproaches." 

It  was  to  Hugh  M'Kail,  he  wrote,  "  Some  have  written  me  that 
I  am  possibly  too  joyful  of  the  cross,  but  my  joy  overleapeth  the 
cross, — it  is  bounded  and  terminated  on  Christ."  And  there  it 
was  he  found  a  well  of  comfort  never  dry. 

6.  All  who  love  the  Person  of  Christ.  Our  age  and  country 
have  been  tempted  to  be  satisfied  with  speculative,  abstract  doc- 
trine. On  the  one  hand,  the  orthodox  have  too  often  rested  in  the 
statements  of  our  Catechisms  and  Confession  ;  and,  on  the  other, 
the  "Election-doubters,"  (as  Bunyan  would  have  called  them,) 
have  gone  about  with  their  favorite  dogma,  that  Christ  died  for 
all  men,  as  if  mere  assent  to  a  proposition  would  save  the  soul. 
Rutherford  ever  places  the  truth  before  us  in  a  savory  way — full 
of  life  and  warmth.  The  person  of  Him  who  gave  himself  for 
his  church  is  held  up  in  all  its  attractiveness.  With  him,  it  is 
ever  the  Person  as  much  as  the  work  done  ;  or  rather,  never  the 


AND    HIS    LETTERS.  XXIX 

one  apart  from  the  other.  Like  Paul,  he  would  fain  know  Him, 
and  the  power  of  his  resurrection. 

Once  when  Lord  Kenmure  asked  him,  "  What  will  Christ  be 
like  when  he  cometh?"  his  reply  was,  "  All  lovely.''^  And  this  is 
everywhere  the  favorite  theme  with  him.  At  times  he  tells  of 
his  love.  "His  love  surroundeth  and  surchargeth  me."  "If  his 
love  was  not  in  heaven,  I  should  be  unwilling  to  go  thither." 
But  often  he  checks  his  pen  to  tell  of  Christ  himself.  "  Wel- 
come, welcome,  sweet,  sweet  cross  of  Christ ;" — then  correct- 
ing his  language, — "  Welcome,  fair,  lovely,  royal  King,  with 
thine  ow?i  cross.^^  "  Oh  if  I  could  doat  as  much  upon  Himself  as 
I  do  upon  his  love."  "  I  fear  I  make  more  of  his  love  than  of 
HiTnself^^  How  peculiar,  and  how  true  is  this  remark,  "'I  see 
that  in  communion  with  Christ  we  may  make  more  Gods  than 
one,"  meaning,  that  we  may  be  tempted  to  make  the  enjoyment 
itself  our  God.  It  was  his  habitual  aim  to  pass  through  privi- 
leges, joys,  even  fellowship,  to  God  himself;  "I  have  casten  this 
work  upon  Christ,  to  get  me  himself  J^  "  I  would  be  farther  in 
upon  Christ  than  at  his  joys — in,  where  love  and  mercy  lodgeth 
— beside  his  heart."  "  He  who  sitteth  on  the  throne  is  his  lone 
a  sufficient  heaven."  "  Sure  I  am  He  is  the  far  best  half  of 
heaven." 

In  one  word,  such  was  his  soul's  view  of  the  livinsr  Person,  that 
he  writes,  "  Holiness  is  not  Christ,  nor  the  blossoms  and  flowers 
of  the  tree  of  life,  nor  the  tree  itself"  He  had  found  out  the  true 
fountain-head,  and  would  direct  all  Zion's  travellers  thither.  And 
let  a  man  try  this, — let  the  Holy  Spirit  lead  a  man  to  this  Person, 
— and  surely  his  experience  will  be,  "  None  ever  came  up  dry 
from  David's  well." 

All  who  love  that  blessed  hope,  the  glorious  appearing  of  the 
great  God  our  Saviour.  The  more  we  love  the  person  of  Christ, 
the  more  ought  we  to  love  his  appearing,  and  the  more  we  cherish 
both  feelings,  the  holier  shall  we  become.  Rutherford  abounds 
in  aspirations  for  that  day  ;  he  is  one  who  "  looks  for  and  hastens 
unto  the  coming  of  the  day  of  God !"  While  in  exile  at  Aber- 
deen in  1637,  he  writes,  "O  when  will  we  meet !  O  how  long  is 
it  to  the  dawning  of  the  marriage  day?  O  sweet  Jesus,  take 
wide  steps  !  O  my  Lord,  come  over  mountains  at  one  stride  !  O 
my  Beloved,  flee  as  a  roe  or  young  hart  upon  the  mountains  of 
separation."  Now  and  then  he  has  the  expression  of  an  intense 
desire  for  the  restoration  of  Israel  to  their  Lord,  and  the  fulness 


XXX  SKETCH    OP    RUTHERFORD. 

of  the  Gentiles;  but  far  oftener  his  desires  go  forth  to  his  Lord 
himself.  "  O  fairest  among  the  sons  of  men,  why  stayest  thou 
so  long  away  ?  O  heavens,  move  fast !  O  time,  run,  run,  and 
hasten  the  marriage  day  !"  To  Lady  Kenmure  his  words  are, 
"The  Lord  hath  told  you  what  you  should  be  doing  till  he  come. 
'Wait  and  hasten,'  saith  Peter,  'for  the  coming  of  the  Lord.' 
Sigh  and  long  for  the  dawning  of  that  morning  and  the  breaking 
of  that  day  of  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man,  when  the  shadows 
shall  flee  away.  Wait  with  the  wearied  night-watch  for  the 
breaking  of  the  eastern  sky."  Saints  who  feel  their  exile  and  ab- 
sence most  are  those  who  will  most  fervently  love  their  Lord's  ap- 
pearing. It  was  thus  with  Daniel  on  the  banks  of  Ulai,  and  John 
in  Patmos  ;  and  Samuel  Rutherford's  most  intense  aspirations  for 
that  day  are  breathed  out  in  Aberdeen. 

His  description  of  himself  on  one  occasion  is, — "A  man  often 
borne  down  and  hungry,  and  waiting  for  the  marriage  supper  of 
the  Lamb."  He  is  now  gone  to  the  "  mountain  of  myrrh  and 
the  hill  of  frankincense;"  and  there  he  no  doubt  still  wonders  at 
the  unopened  treasures  of  Christ.  But  O  for  his  insatiable  de- 
sires Christward  in  our  day !  O  for  ten  such  men  '  in  Scotland  to 
stand  in  the  gap,  men  who  all  day  long  find  nothing  but  Christ 
to  rest  in,  and  whose  very  sleep  is  a  pursuing  after  Christ  in  dreams, 
and  who  intensely  desire  to  "  awake  with  his  likeness." 

1  Gea  xviiL  32. 


EELIGIOUS    LETTERS. 


LETTER  I. 

FOR     MARION     MACKNAUGHT. 

Well-beloved  and  Dear  Sister, — My  love  in  Christ  remem- 
bered— I  have  sent  to  you  your  daughter,  Grizzel,  with  Robert  Gor- 
don, who  came  to  fetch  her.  I  am  in  good  hopes  that  the  seed  of 
God  is  in  her,  as  in  one  born  of  God,  and  God's  seed  will  come  to 
God's  harvest.  I  have  her  promise  that  she  will  be  Christ's,  for 
I  have  told  her  that  she  may  promise  much  in  his-w^orthy  name ; 
for  he  becometh  caution'  to  his  Father  for  all  such  as  resolve  and 
promise  to  serve  him.  I  shall  remember  her  to  God.  I  trust  that 
you  will  acquaint  her  with  good  company,  and  be  diligent  to 
know  with  whom  she  loveth  to  haunt. 

Remember  Zion,  and  our  necessities.  I  bless  your  daughter 
from  our  Lord,  and  pray  the  Lord  to  give  you  joy  and  comfort  of 
her.  Remember  my  love  to  your  husband,  to  William  and  Sam- 
uel, your  sons. 

The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 

Yours,  at  all  power  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Anwoth,  June  6th,  1624. 


LETTER  IL 

TO    A     GENTLEWOMAN. 


Mistress, — I  beseech  you  to  have  me  excused  if  the  daily  em- 
ployments of  my  calling  shall  hinder  me  to  see  you,  according  as 
I  would  wish ;  for  I  dare  not  go  abroad,  since  many  of  my  people 
are  sick,  and  the  time  of  our  communion^  draweth  near.  But  fre- 
quent the  company  of  your  worthy  and  honest-hearted  pastor, 
Mr.  Robert,  to  whom  the  Lord  hath  given  the  tongue  of  the 
learned,  to  minister  a  word  in  due  season  to  the  weary.  Remem- 
ber me  to  him,  and  to  your  husband. 

The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 

Your  affectionate  Friend,  S.  R. 

'  Surety.  2  Dispensation  of  the  Lord's  Supper. 


32  Rutherford's  letters 

LETTER  III. 

TO   A    CHRISTIAN    GENTLEWOMAN. 

Mistress, — My  love  in  Christ  remembered  to  you : — I  was  in- 
deed sorrowful  at  my  departure  from  you,  especially  since  ye  were 
in  such  heaviness  after  your  daughter's  death  ;  yet  I  do  persuade 
myself  that  ye  know  that  the  weightiest  end  of  the  cross  of  Christ, 
which  is  laid  upon  you,  lieth  upon  your  strong  Saviour ;  for  Isaiah 
saith,  (chap.  Ixiii.  9,)  "  In  all  your  afflictions  he  is  afflicted."  O 
blessed  Second,  who  suffereth  with  you  !  and  glad  may  your  soul 
be,  even  to  walk  in  the  fiery  furnace,  with  One  like  vmto  the  Son 
of  Man,  who  is  also  the  Son  of  God.  Courage  !  up  your  heart ! 
when  ye  do  tire,  he  will  bear  both  you  and  your  burden.  (Ps.  Iv. 
22.)     Yet  a  little  while,  and  ye  shall  see  the  salvation  of  God. 

Remember  of  what  age  your  daughter  was  ;  so  long  was  your 
lease  of  her.  If  she  was  eighteen,  nineteen,  or  twenty  years  old 
I  know  not ;  but  sure  I  am,  seeing  her  term  was  come,  and  your 
lease  run  out,  ye  can  no  more  justly  quarrel  with  your  great  Supe- 
rior for  taking  his  own,  at  his  just  term-day,  than  a  poor  farmer 
can  complain  that  his  master  taketh  a  portion  of  his  own  land  to 
himself  when  his  lease  is  expired.  Good  mistress,  if  ye  would  not 
be  content  that  Christ  should  hold  from  you  the  heavenly  inher- 
itance, which  is  made  yours  by  his  death,  shall  not  that  same 
Christ  think  hardly  of  you,  if  you  refuse  to  give  him  your  daugh- 
ter willingly,  who  is  a  part  of  his  inheritance  and  conquest?'  I 
pray  the  Lord  to  give  you  all  your  own,  and  to  grace  you  with 
patience,  to  give  God  his  also.  He  is  an  ill  debtor  who  payeth 
that  which  he  hath  borrowed  with  a  grudge.  Indeed  that  long 
loan  of  such  a  good  daughter,  an  heir  of  grace,  a  member  of  Christ, 
(as  I  believe,)  deserveth  more  thanks  at  your  Creditor's  hands, 
than  that  ye  should  gloom'^  and  murmur  when  he  craveth  but  his 
own.  I  believe  ye  would  judge  them  to  be  but  thankless  neigh- 
bors who  would  pay  you  a  sum  of  money  after  this  manner.  But 
what?  Do  ye  think  her  lost,  when  she  is  but  sleeping  in  the 
bosom  of  the  Almighty  ?  Think  not  her  absent  who  is  in  such  a 
friend's  house.  Is  she  lost  to  you,  who  is  found  to  Christ?  If 
she  were  with  a  dear  friend,  although  ye  should  never  see  her 
again,  your  care  of  her  would  be  but  small.  Oh,  now,  is  she  not 
with  a  dear  Friend,  and  gone  higher,  upon  a  certain  hope  that  ye 
shall,  in  the  Resurrection,  see  her  again,  when  (be  ye  sure)  she 
shall  neither  be  hectic,  nor  consumed  in  body  ?  Ye  would  be 
sorry  either  to  be,  or  be  esteemed,  an  atheist ;  and  yet  not  I,  but 
the  Apostle,  (1  Thess.  iv.  13,)  thinketh  those  to  be  hopeless  atheists 
who  mourn  excessively  for  the  dead.  But  this  is  not  a  challenge^ 
on  my  part ;  I  do  speak  this  only  fearing  your  weakness,  for  your 

'  Acquisition  by  purchase  or  industry.  2  Let  your  countenance  fall. 

3  Accusation. 


Rutherford's  letters.  33 

daughter  was  a  part  of  yourself;  and,  therefore,  nature  m  you 
being,  as  it  were,  cut  and  halved,  will  indeed  be  grieved :  but  Ave 
have  to  rejoice,  that  when  a  part  of  you  is  on  earth,  a  great  part 
of  you  is  glorified  in  Heaven.  Follow  her,  but  envy  her  not ;  for, 
indeed,  it  is  self-love  in  us  that  niaketh  us  mourn  for  them  that 
die  in  the  Lord.  Why  1  Because  for  them  we  cannot  mourn, 
since  they  are  never  happy  till  they  be  dead  ;  therefore,  we  mourn 
for  our  own  private  respect.  Take  heed,  then,  that  in  showing 
your  affection  in  mourning  for  your  daughter,  ye  be  not,  out  of 
self-affection,  mourning  for  yourself.  Consider  what  the  Lord  is 
doing  in  it.  Your  daughter  is  plucked  out  of  the  fire,  and  she 
resteth  from  her  labors ;  and  your  Lord  in  that  is  trying  you,  and 
casting  you  into  the  fire.  Go  through  all  fires  to  your  rest :  and 
now  remember  that  the  eye  of  God  is  upon  you,  beholding  your 
patience  and  faith  ;  he  delighteth  to  see  you  in  the  burning  bush 
and  not  consumed  ;  and  he  is  gladly  content  that  such  a  weak 
woman  as  ye  should  send  Satan  away,  frustrated  of  his  design. 
Now  honor  God,  and  shame  the  strong  Roaring  Lion,  when  ye 
seem  Aveakest.  Should  such  an  one  as  ye  faint  in  the  day  of  ad- 
versity ?  Call  to  mind  the  days  of  old  :  the  Lord  yet  liveth :  trust 
in  him,  although  he  should  slay  you.  Faith  is  exceedingly  char- 
itable, and  believeth  no  evil  of  God.  Now  is  the  Lord  laying  in 
the  one  scale  of  the  balance  your  making  conscience  of  submission 
to  his  gracious  Avill :  and,  in  the  other,  your  affection  and  love  to 
your  daughter — which  of  the  tAvo  Avill  ye  then  choose  to  satisfy  ? 
Be  Avise,  then ;  and,  as  I  trust  that  ye  love  Christ  better  than  a 
sinful  Avoman,  pass  by  your  daughter,  and  kiss  the  Lord's  rod. 
Men  do  lop  the  branches  off  their  trees  round  about,  to  the  end 
they  may  groAV  up  high  and  tall ;  the  Lord  hath,  in  this  Avay, 
lopped  your  branch,  in  taking  from  you  many  children,  to  the  end 
ye  should  grow  upAvard,  like  one  of  the  Lord's  cedars,  setting  your 
heart  above,  Avhere  Christ  is  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father. 
What  is  next,  but  that  your  Lord  cut  down  the  stock  after  he 
hath  cut  the  branches?  Prepare  yourself;  ye  are  nearer  your 
daughter  this  day  than  you  Avere  yesterday  ;  Avhile  ye  prodigally 
spend  time  in  mourning  for  her,  ye  are  speedily  posting  after  her. 
Run  your  race  Avith  patience ;  let  God  have  his  own,  and  ask  of 
him,  instead  of  your  daughter,  Avhom  he  hath  taken  from  you,  the 
daughter  of  faith,  which  is  patience  ;  and  in  patience  possess  your 
soul.  Lift  up  your  head  ;  ye  do  not  knoAV  hoAV  near  your  redemp- 
tion doth  draAV. 

Thus,  recommending  you  to  the  Lord,  who  is  able  to  establish 
you,  I  rest, 

Your  loving  and  affectionate  Friend, 

In  the  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Anwoth,  April  23,  1628. 

3 


34  Rutherford's  letters. 

LETTER  IV. 

TO    THE    VISCOUNTESS    OP    KENMURE.^ 

Madam, — All  dutiful  obedience  in  the  Lord  remembered — I  have 
heard  of  your  Ladyship's  infirmity  and  sickness  with  grief;  yet  I 
trust  that  ye  have  learned  to  say,  "  It  is  the  Lord,  let  him  do  what- 
soever seemeth  good  in  his  eyes."  It  is  now  many  years  since  the 
apostate  angels  made  a  question,  whether  their  will  or  the  will  of 
their  Creator  should  be  done ;  and  since  that  time,  froward  man- 
kind hath  always,  in  that  same  suit  of  law,  compeared'^  to  plead 
with  them  against  God,  in  daily  repining  against  his  will :  but 
the  Lord,  being  both  party  and  judge,  hath  obtained  a  decreet,^ 
and  saith,  (Isaiah  xlvi.  10,)  "My  counsel  shall  stand,  and  I  will 
do  all  my  pleasure."  It  is  then  best  for  us,  in  the  obedience  of 
faith,  and  in  a  holy  submission,  to  give  that  to  God  which  the  law 
of  his  almighty  and  just  power  Avill  have  of  us.  Therefore,  madam, 
your  Lord  willeth  you,  in  all  states  of  life,  to  say,  "  Thy  will  be 
done  in  earth,  as  it  is  in  Heaven  ;"  and  herein  shall  ye  have  com- 
fort, that  He,  who  seeth  perfectly  through  all  your  evils,  and  know- 
eth  the  frame  and  constitution  of  your  nature,  and  what  is  most 
healthful  for  your  soul,  holdeth  every  cup  of  affliction  to  your  head 
with  his  own  gracious  hand.  Never  beheve  that  your  tender- 
hearted Saviour,  who  knoweth  the  strength  of  your  stomach,  will 
mix  that  cup  with  one  dram-weight  of  poison.  Drink  then  with 
the  patience  of  the  saints ;  and  the  God  of  patience  bless  your 
physic. 

I  have  heard  your  Ladyship  complain  of  deadness,  and  want  of 
the  bestirring  power  of  the  hfe  of  God  ;  but,  courage  !  He,  who 
walked  in  the  garden,  and  made  a  noise  that  made  Adam  hear 
his  voice,  will  also,  at  some  times,  walk  in  your  soul,  and  make 
you  hear  a  more  sweet  word — ^yet  ye  will  not  always  hear  the 
noise  and  the  din  of  his  feet  when  he  walketh.  Ye  are,  at  such  a 
time,  like  Jacob  mourning  at  the  supposed  death  of  Joseph,  when 
Joseph  was  living.  The  new  creature,  the  image  of  the  Second 
Adam,  is  hving  in  you  ;  and  yet  ye  are  mourning  at  the  supposed 
death  of  the  life  of  Christ  in  you.  Ephraim  is  bemoaning  and 
mourning,  (Jer.  xxxi.  18,)  Avhen  he  thinketh  God  is  far  off,  and 
heareth  not;  and  yet  God  is  like  the  Bridegroom,  (Cant,  ii.,) 
standing  only  behind  a  thin  wall,  and  laying  to  his  ear  ;  for  he 
saith  himself,  (ver.  18,)  "  I  have  surely  heard  Ephraim  bemoan- 
ing himself."  I  have  good  confidence,  madam,  that  Christ  Jesus, 
whom  your  soul,  through  forests  and  mountains,  is  seeking,  is 
within  you :  and  yet  I  speak  not  this  to  lay  a  pillow  under  your 
head,  or  to  dissuade  you  from  a  holy  fear  of  the  loss  of  your 

1  Lady  Jean,  third  daughter  of  Archibald  Campbell,  seventh  Earl  of  Argyll,  and 
the  sister  of  the  Martyr  Archibald,  Marquis  of  Argyll. 

2  Appeared  as  in  court.  3  Sentence. 


Rutherford's  letters.  35 

Christ,  01-  of  provoking  and  stirring  up  the  Beloved  before  he 
please,  by  sin.  I  know  that  in  spiritual  confidence,  the  Devil  will 
come  in,  as  in  all  other  good  works,  and  cry,  "Half  mine!"  and 
so  endeavor  to  bring  you  under  a  fearful  sleep,  till  He,  whom 
your  soul  lovcth,  be  departed  from  the  door,  and  have  left  off 
knocking  ;  and,  therefore,  here  the  Spirit  of  God  must  hold  your 
soul's  feet  in  the  golden  mid-line,  betwixt  confident  resting  in  the 
arms  of  Christ,  and  presumptuous  and  drowsy  sleeping  in  the 
bed  of  fleshly  security.  Therefore,  worthy  Lady,  so  count  little 
of  yourself,  because  of  your  own  wretchedness  and  sinful  drowsi- 
ness, that  ye  count  not  also  little  of  God  in  the  course  of  his  un- 
changeable mercy  ;  for  there  be  many  Christians,  most  like  unto 
young  sailors,  who  think  the  shore  and  the  whole  land  do  move, 
when  the  ship  and  they  themselves  are  moved  ;  just  so,  not  a 
few  do  imagine  that  God  moveth,  and  saileth,  and  changeth 
places,  because  their  giddy  souls  are  under  sail,  and  subject  to 
alteration,  to  ebbing  and  flowing — but  the  foundation  of  the 
Lord  abideth  sure.  God  knoweth  that  ye  are  his  own.  Wrestle, 
fight,  go  forward,  watch,  fear,  believe,  pray  ;  and  then  ye  have  all 
the  infallible  symptoms  of  one  of  the  elect  of  Christ  within  you. 

Ye  have  now,  madam,  a  sickness  before  you ;  and  also  after  that, 
a  death :  gather  then  now  fooTT  for  the  journey.  God  give  you 
eyes  to  see  through  sickness  and  death,  and  to  see  something 
beyond  death.  I  doubt  not  that  if  Hell  were  betwixt  you  and 
Christ,  as  a  river  which  ye  behooved  to  cross  ere  ye  could  come 
at  him,  but  ye  would  willingly  put  in  your  foot,  and  make 
through  to  be  at  him,  upon  hope  that  he  would  come  in  himself 
into  the  deepest  of  the  river,  and  lend  you  his  hand.  Now  I 
believe  that  your  hell  is  dried  up,  and  that  ye  have  only  these 
two  shallow  brooks,  sickness  and  death,  to  pass  through ;  and 
ye  have  also  a  promise  that  Christ  will  do  more  than  meet  you, 
even  that  he  will  come  himself  and  go  with  you  foot  for  foot, 
yea,  and  bear  you  in  his  arms.  Oh  then !  oh  then  !  for  the  joy 
that  is  set  before  you,  for  the  love  of  the  Man  (who  is  also  God 
over  all,  blessed  forever,)  that  is  standing  upon  the  shore  to 
welcome  you ;  run  your  race  with  patience.  The  Lord  go  with 
you.  Your  Lord  will  not  have  you,  nor  any  of  his  servants,  to 
exchange  for  the  worse.  Death,  in  itself,  includeth  both  the 
death  of  the  soul  and  the  death  of  the  body  ;  but  to  God's  children 
the  bounds  and  the  limits  of  death  are  abridged,  and  drawn  into 
a  more  narrow  compass  :  so  that  when  ye  die,  a  piece  of  death 
shall  only  seize  upon  you,  or  the  least  part  of  you  shall  die, 
and  that  is,  the  dissolution  of  the  body :  for  in  Christ  ye  are 
delivered  from  the  Second  Death  ;  and,  therefore,  as  one  born 
of  God,  commit  not  sin,  (although  ye  cannot  live  and  not  sin,) 
and  that  serpent  shall  but  eat  your  earthly  part — as  for  your 
soul,  it  is  above  the  law  of  death.  But  it  is  fearful  and  dangerous 
to  be  a  debtor  and  a  servant  to  sin  ;  for  the  count  of  sin  ye  will 
not  be  able  to  make  good  before  God,  except  Christ  both  count 
and  pay  for  you. 


36  Rutherford's  letters. 

I  trust  also,  madam,  that  ye  will  be  careful  to  present  to  the 
Lord  the  present  estate  of  this  decaying  Kirk;*  for  what  shall 
be  concluded  in  Parliament  anent"  her,  the  Lord  knoweth.  Sure 
I  am  that  the  decree  of  a  most  fearful  Parliament  in  Heaven  is 
at  the  very  point  of  coming  forth,  because  of  the  sins  of  the  land  ; 
for  we  have  cast  away  the  law  of  the  Lord,  and  despised  the 
words  of  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  (Isaiah  v.  24.)  "Judgment  is 
turned  away  backward,  and  justice  standeth  afar  off;  for  truth  is 
fallen  in  the  streets,  and  equity  cannot  enter."  (Isaiah  lix.  14.) 
Lo,  the  Prophet,  as  if  he  had  seen  us  and  our  Kirk,'  resembleth 
justice  to  be  handled  as  an  enemy,  holden  out  at  the  ports  of  our 
city,  so  is  she  banished ;  and  truth  to  a  person  sickly  and  dis- 
eased, fallen  down  in  a  deadly  swooning  fit  in  the  streets  before 
he  can  come  to  an  house.  The  priests  have  caused  many  to 
stumble  at  the  Law,  and  have  corrupted  the  Covenant  of  Levi, 
(Mai.  ii.  8.)  But  what  will  they  do  in  the  end?  (Jer.  v.  31.) 
Therefore  give  the  Lord  no  rest  for  Zion. 

Stir  up  your  husband,  your  brother,  and  all  with  whom  ye  are 
in  favor  and  credit,  to  stand  upon  the  Lord's  side  against  Baal.  I 
have  good  hope  that  your  husband  loveth  the  peace  and  prosperity 
of  Zion.  The  peace  of  God  be  upon  him  for  his  intended  courses 
anent'  the  establishment  of  a  powerful  ministry  in  this  land. 

Thus,  not  wilhng  to  weary  your  Ladyship  farther,  I  commend 
you,  now  and  always,  to  the  grace  and  mercy  of  that  God  who  is 
able  to  keep  you  that  ye  fall  not.  The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your 
spirit. 

Your  Ladyship's  servant,  at  all  dutiful  obedience  in  Christ, 

Anwoth,  July  27,  1G28.  S.   R. 


LETTER  V. 

TO  THE  ELECT  AND  NOBLE  LADY,  MY  LADY  KENMURE. 

Madam, — Saluting  your  Ladyship  with  grace  and  mercy  from 
God  our  Father,  and  from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ — I  was  sorry  at 
my  departure,  leaving  your  Ladyship  in  grief;  and  should  still  be 
grieved  at  it,  if  I  were  not  assured  that  ye  have  One  with  you  in 
the  furnace,  whose  visage  is  like  unto  the  Son  of  God.  I  am  glad 
that  ye  have  been  acquainted,  from  your  youth,  with  the  wrest- 
lings of  God ;  and  that  ye  get  scarce  hberty  to  swallow  down  your 
spittle,  being  casten  ^  from  furnace  to  furnace,  knowing  that  if  ye 
were  not  dear  to  God,  and  if  your  health  did  not  require  so  much 
of  him,  he  would  not  spend  so  much  physic  upon  you.  All  the 
brethren  and  sisters  of  Christ  must  be  conformed  to  his  image  and 
copy  in  suffering,  (Rom.  viii.,)  and  some  do  more  vively^  resemble 
the  copy  than  others.     Think,  madam,  that  it  is  a  part  of  your 

I  Church.  2  Concerning. 

3  Tossed.  <  In  a  lively  manner. 


Rutherford's  letters.  37 

glory  to  be  enrolled  among  those  whom  one  of  the  elders  (Rev.  vii. 
14,)  pointed  out  to  John,  "  These  are  they  which  came  out  of  great 
tribulation,  and  have  washed  their  robes,  and  made  them  white  in 
the  blood  of  the  Lamb."  Behold  your  Forerunner  going  out  of 
the  world,  all  in  a  lake  of  blood ;  and  it  is  not  ill  to  die  as  he  did. 
Fulfil,  with  joy,  the  remnant  of  the  grounds  and  remainders  of  the 
afflictions  of  Christ  in  your  body. 

Ye  have  lost  a  child— nay,  she  is  not  lost  to  you,  who  is  found 
to  Christ ;  she  is  not  sent  away,  but  only  sent  before ;  like  unto 
a  star,  which,  going  out  of  our  sight,  doth  not  die  and  vanish,  but 
shineth  in  another  hemisphere  ;  ye  see  her  not,  yet  she  doth  shine 
in  another  country.  If  her  glass  was  but  a  short  hour,  what  she 
wanteth  of  time,  that  she  hath  gotten  of  eternity ;  and  ye  have 
to  rejoice  that  ye  have  now  some  plenishing'  up  in  Heaven. 
Build  your  nest  upon  no  tree  here  ;  for  ye  see  God  hath  sold  the 
forest  to  death  ;  and  every  tree,  whereupon  we  would  rest,  is  ready 
to  be  cut  down,  to  the  end  that  we  might  flee^  and  mount  up,  and 
build  upon  the  Rock,  and  dwell  in  the  holes  of  the  Rock.  What 
ye  love  besides  Jesus,  your  husband,  is  an  adulterous  lover :  now 
it  is  God's  special  blessing  to  Judah,  that  he  will  not  let  her  find 
her  paths  in  following  her  strange  lovers.  (Hos.  ii.  6,)  "  There- 
fore behold,  I  will  hedge  up  thy  way  with  thorns,  and  make  a 
wall,  that  she  shall  not  find  her  paths."  (Ver.  7,)  "And  she  shall 
follow  after  her  lovers,  but  she  shall  not  overtake  them."  Oh 
thrice  happy  Judah,  when  God  buildeth  a  double-stone  wall  be-  . 
twixt  her  and  the  fire  of  Hell !  The  world,  and  the  things  of  the 
world,  madam,  is  tlie  lover  that  ye  naturally  affect,  beside  your 
own  husband,  Christ.  The  hedge  of  thorns,  and  the  wall  which 
God  buildeth  in  j^our  way,  to  hinder  you  from  this  lover,  is  the 
thorny  hedge  of  daily  grief,  loss  of  children,  weakness  of  body,  in- 
iquity of  the  time,  uncertainty  of  estate,  lack  of  wordly  comfort, 
fear  of  God's  anger  for  old  unrepented-of  sins.  What  lose  ye  if 
God  twist  and  plait  the  hedge  daily  thicker  ?  God  be  blessed  ! 
the  Lord  will  not  let  you  find  your  paths.  Return  to  your  first 
husband.  Do  not  weary,  neitlier  think  that  death  walketh  toward 
you  with  a  slow  pace.  Ye  must  be  riper  ere  ye  be  shaken  ;  your 
days  are  no  longer  tlian  Job's,  that  were  swifter  than  a  post,  and 
passed  away  as  the  ships  of  desire,  and  as  the  eagle  that  hasteth 
for  the  prey.  (Job  ix.  25,  26,)  There  is  less  sand  in  your  glass  >^ 
now  than  there  was  yesterday;  this  span-length  of  ever-posting 
time  will  soon  be  ended ;  but  the  greater  is  the  mercy  of  God,  the 
more  years  ye  get  to  advise  upon  what  terms,  and  upon  what  con- 
ditions, ye  cast  your  soul  into  the  huge  gulf  of  never-ending  eter- 
nity. The  Lord  hath  told  you  what  ye  should  be  doing  till  he 
come  :  wait  and  hasten,  saith  Peter,  for  the  coming  of  our  Lord. 
All  is  night  that  is  here,  in  respect  of  ignorance  and  daily  ensuing 
troubles,  one  always  making  way  to  another,  as  the  ninth  wave 
of  the  sea  to  the  tenth ;  therefore,  sigh  and  long  for  the  dawning 

I  Furniture,  2  Fly. 


X 


38  Rutherford's  letters. 

of  that  morning,  and  the  breaking  of  that  day  of  the  coming  of 
the  Son  of  Man,  when  the  shadows  shall  flee  away.  Persuade 
yourself  that  the  King  is  coming.  Read  his  letter  sent  before  him, 
(Rev.  iii.  11,)  "Behold,  I  come  quickly."  Wait,  with  the  Avearied 
nio-ht-watch,  for  the  breaking  of  the  eastern  sky,  and  think  tltat 
ye  have  not  a  morrow  ;  as  the  wise  father  said,  Avho,  being  invi- 
ted against  to-morrow  to  dine  with  his  friends,  answered,  "These 
many  days  I  have  had  no  morrow  at  all."  I  am  loath  to  weary 
you.  Show  yourself  a  Christian,  by  suffering  witliout  murmuring, 
for  which  sin  fourteen  thousand  and  seven  hundred  were  slain. 
(Numb.  xvi.  49.)  In  patience  possess  your  soul — they  lose  nothing 
who  gain  Christ. 

Thus,  remembering  my  brother's  and  my  wife's  humble  service 
to  your  Ladyship,  I  commend  you  to  the  mercy  and  grace  of  our 
Lord  Jesus,  assuring  you  that  your  day  is  coming,  and  that  God's 
mercy  is  abiding  you. 

The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 

Yours,  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  at  all  dutiful  obedience,     S.  R. 

Anwoth,  Jan.  15,  1629. 


LETTER  VL 

TO     MY     LADY     KENMURE, 


Madam, — ^Saluting  you  in  Jesus  Clirist — to  my  grief  I  must  bid 
you  (it  may  be)  forever  farewell,  on  paper,  having  small  assurance 
ever  to  see  your  face  again  till  the  last  general  assembly,  where 
the  whole  Church  universal  shall  meet ;  yet  promising,  by  his 
grace,  to  present  your  Ladyship,  and  your  burdens  to  Him,  who 
is  able  to  save  you,  and  to  give  you  an  inheritance  with  the  saints, 
after  a  more  special  manner  than  ever  I  have  done  before. 

Ye  are  going  to  a  country  where  the  Sun  of  righteousness  in 
the  Gospel  shineth  not  so  clearly  as  in  this  kingdom ;  but  if  ye 
Avould  know  where  He,  whom  your  soul  loveth,  doth  rest,  and 
where  he  feedeth  at  the  noon-tide  of  the  day,  wherever  ye  be,  get 
ye  forth  by  the  footsteps  of  the  flock,  and  feed  yourself  beside  the 
shepherds'  tents,  (Cant.  i.  7,  8,)  that  is,  ask  for  some  of  the  w^atch- 
men  of  the  Lord's  city,  who  will  tell  you  truly,  and  will  not  lie, 
where  you  shall  find  Him,  whom  your  soul  loveth.  I  trust  that 
ye  are  so  betrothed  in  marriage  to  the  true  Christ,  that  ye  will  not 
give  your  love  to  any  false  Christ.  Ye  know  not  how  soon  your 
marriage-day  will  come  ;  nay,  is  not  eternity  hard  upon  you  ?  It 
were  time,  then,  that  ye  had  your  wedding-garment  in  readiness. 
Be  not  sleeping  at  your  Lord's  coming :  I  pray  God  that  ye  may 
be  upon  your  feet  standing  when  he  knocketh.  Be  not  discour- 
aged to  go  from  this  country  to  another  part  of  the  Lord's  earth — 
the  earth  is  his,  and  the  fulness  thereof  (Psalm  xxiv.  1.)  This  is 
the  Lord's  lower  house ;  and,  while  we  are  lodged  here,  we  have 


Rutherford's  letters.  39 

no  assurance  to  lie  ever  in  one  chamber,  but  must  be  content  to 
remove  from  one  corner  of  our  Lord's  ncthcr-house  to  another, 
resting  in  hope  that,  when  we  come  up  to  the  Lord's  upper  city, 
Jerusalem  that  is  above,  we  shall  remove  no  more ;  because  then 
we  shall  be  at  home.  And,  go  whithersoever  ye  will,  if  your  Lord 
go  with  you,  ye  are  at  home  ;  and  your  lodging  is  ever  taken  before 
night,  so  long  as  He,  who  is  Israel's  dwelling-house,  is  your  home. 
(Psalm  xc.  1.)  Believe  me,  madam,  my  mind  is,  that  ye  are  well 
lodged;  and  that  in  your  house  there  are  fair  ease-rooms'  and 
pleasant  lights,  ^if  ye  can  in  faith  lean  down  your  head  upon  the 
breast  of  Jesus  Christ ;  and  till  this  be,  ye  will  never  get  a  sound 
sleep.  Jesus,  Jesus,  be  your  shadow  and  your  covering — it  is  a 
sweet  soul-sleep  to  lie  in  the  arms  of  Christ,  for  his  breath  is  very 
sweet. 

Pray  for  poor  friendless  Zion  !  Alas !  no  man  will  speak  for 
her  now,  although  at  home,  in  her  own  country,  she  hath  good 
friends,  her  liusband,  Christ,  and  his  Father,  her  father-in-law. 
Beseech  your  husband  to  be  a  friend  to  Zion,  and  to  pray  for  her. 

I  have  received  many  and  divers  dashes  and  heavy  strokes  since 
the  Lord  called  me  to  the  ministry ;  but,  indeed,  I  esteem  your 
departure  from  amongst  us  the  weightiest :  but  I  perceive  that 
God  will  have  us  to  be  deprived  of  whatsoever  we  idolize,  that  he 
may  have  his  own  room.  I  see  exceedingly  small  fruit  of  my 
ministry,  and  would  be  glad  to  know  of  one  soul  to  be  my  crown  - 
and  rejoicing  in  the  day  of  Christ.  Though  I  spend  my  strength 
in  vain,  yet  my  labor  is  with  my  God.  (Isaiah  xlix.  4.)  I  wish 
and  pray  that  the  Lord  would  harden  my  face  against  all,  and 
make  me  to  learn  to  go  with  my  face  against  a  storm. 

Again,  I  commend  you,  body  and  spirit,  to  Him,  who  hath  loved 
us,  and  washed  us  from  our  sins,  in  his  own  blood.  Grace,  grace, 
grace,  forever,  be  with  you.     Pray,  pray  continually. 

Your  Ladyship's,  at  all  dutiful  obedience  in  Christ,     S.  R. 
Anwoth,  Sept.  1-1,  1629. 


LETTER  VII. 

FOR     MARION     MACKNAUGHT. 

Loving  and  Dear  Sister, — If  ever  you  would  pleasure  me, 
entreat  the  Lord  for  me,  now  when  I  am  so  comfortless,  and  so 
full  of  heaviness,  that  I  am  not  able  to  stand  under  the  burden 
any  longer.  The  Almighty  hath  doubled  liis  stripes  upon  me ; 
for  my  wife  is  so  sore  tormented,  night  and  day,  that  I  have  won- 
dered why  the  Lord  tarrieth  so  long.  My  life  is  bitter  unto  me, 
and  I  fear  that  the  Lord  be  my  contrary  party.  It  is  (I  now  know 
by  experience)  hard  to  keep  sight  of  God  in  a  storm,  especially 
when  he  hideth  himself  for  the  trial  of  his  children.     If  he  would 

1  Rooms  for  repose. 


40  Rutherford's  letters. 

be  pleased  to  remove  his  hand,  I  have  a  purpose  to  seek  him  more 
than  I  have  done.  Happy  are  they  that  can  win  away'  with  their 
soul :  I  am  afraid  of  his  judgments.  I  bless  my  God,  that  there 
is  a  death  and  a  heaven.  I  would  weary  to  begin  again  to  be  a 
Christian,  so  bitter  is  it  to  drink  of  the  cup  that  Christ  drank  of, 
if  I  knew  not  that  there  is  no  poison  in  it.  God  give  us  not  of  it 
whill^  we  vomit  again,  for  we  have  sick  souls  when  God's  physic 
worketh  not.  Pray  that  God  would  not  lead  my  wife  into  tempta- 
tion. Wo"  is  my  heart  that  I  have  done  so  little  against  the  king- 
dom of  Satan  in  my  calling ;  for  he  would  fain  attempt  to  make 
me  blaspheme  God  in  his  face.  I  believe,  I  believe,  in  the  strength 
of  Him,  who  hath  put  me  into  his  work,  that  he  shall  fail  in  that 
which  he  seeketh.  I  have  comfort  in  this,  that  my  Captain,  Christ, 
hath  said  I  must  fight  and  overcome  the  world,  (John  xvi.  33,)  and 
with  a  weak,  spoiled,  weaponless  devil,  (John  xiv.  30.)  "  The 
Prince  of  this  world  cometh,  and  hath  nothing  in  me." 

Desire  Mr.  Robert  to  remember  me,  if  he  love  me.  Grace,  grace 
be  with  you,  and  all  yours.     Remember  Zion. 

There  is  a  letter  procured  from  the  King,  by  Mr.  John  Maxwell, 
to  urge  conformity,  to  give  the  Communion  at  Christmas,  in  Edin- 
burgh. Hold  fast  that  which  ye  have,  that  no  man  take  the  crown 
from  you. 

The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 

Yours,  in  the  Lord,  S.  R. 

Anwoth,  Nov.  17,  1629. 


LETTER  VHL 

TO     MY     LADY     KENMURE 


Madam, — I  have  longed  exceedingly  to  hear  of  your  life  and 
health,  and  growth  in  the  grace  of  God.  I  lacked  the  opportunity 
of  a  bearer,  in  respect  I  did  not  understand  of  the  hasty  departure 
of  the  last,  by  whom  I  might  have  saluted  your  Ladyship ;  and, 
therefore,  I  could  not  write  before  this  time.  I  entreat  you,  madam, 
to  let  me  have  two  lines  from  you,  concerning  your  present  condi- 
tion. I  know  that  ye  are  in  grief  and  heaviness  ;  and  if  it  were 
not  so,  ye  might  be  afraid,  because  then  your  way  should  not  be 
so  like  the  way  that  our  Lord  saith  leadeth  to  the  New  Jerusalem. 
Sure  I  am  that,  if  ye  knew  what  was  before  you,  or  if  ye  saw  but 
some  glances  of  it,  ye  would  with  gladness  swim  through  the 
present  tloods  of  sorrow,  spreading  forth  your  arms  out  of  desire 
to  be  at  land.  If  God  has  given  you  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit,  as 
part  of  payment  of  God's  principal  sum,  ye  have  to  rejoice ;  for 
our  Lord  will  not  lose  his  earnest,  neither  will  he  go  back  nor  re- 
pent him  of  the  bargain.  If  ye  find,  at  some  time,  a  longing  to 
see  God,  joy  in  the  assurance  of  that  sight,  howbeit  that  feast  be 

1  Escape.  2  Till.  3  Grieved. 


Rutherford's  letters.  41 

hut  like  the  Passover,  that  cometh  ahoiit  only  once  a  year.  Peace 
of  conscience,  liberty  of  prayer,  the  doors  of  God's  treasure  casten 
up'  to  the  soul,  and  a  clear  sight  of  himself  looking  out,  and  say- 
ing, with  a  smiling  countenance,  "  Welcome  to  me,  afflicted  soul," 
this  is  the  earnest  that  he  giveth  sometimes,  and  which  maketh 
glad  the  heart,  and  is  an  evidence  that  the  bargain  will  hold. 

But  to  the  end  that  ye  may  get  this  earnest,  it  were  good  to 
come  oft  into  terms  of  speech  with  God,  both  in  prayer  and  hear- 
ing of  the  word  ;  for  this  is  the  house-of-wine,  where  ye  meet  Avith 
your  Well-beloved.  Here  it  is  where  he  kisseth  you  with  the 
kisses  of  his  mouth,  and  where  ye  feel  the  smell  of  his  garments ; 
and  they  have  indeed  a  most  fragrant  and  glorious  smell.  Ye 
must,  I  say,  wait  upon  him,  and  be  often  communing  with  Him, 
whose  lips  are  as  lilies,  dropping  sweet-smelhng  myrrh,  and  by 
the  moving  whereof  he  will  assuage  your  grief;  for  the  Christ, 
that  saveth  you,  is  a  speaking  Christ ;  the  Church  knoweth  him 
(Cant,  ii.)  by  his  voice,  and  can  discern  his  voice  among  a  thou- 
sand. I  say  this,  to  the  end  that  ye  should  not  love  those  masks 
of  Anti-christian  ceremonies,  which  the  Church,  where  ye  are  for 
a  time,  hath  casten^  over  the  Christ,  whom  your  soul  loveth. 
This  is  to  set  before  you  a  dumb  Christ.  But  when  our  Lord 
cometh,  he  speaketh  to  the  heart  in  the  simplicity  of  the  Gospel. 

I  have  neither  tongue  nor  pen,  to  express  to  you  the  happiness 
of  such  as  are  in  Christ.  When  ye  have  sold  all  that  ye  have, 
and  bought  the  field  wherein  this  pearl  is,  ye  will  think  it  no  bad 
market :  for  if  ye  be  in  him,  all  his  is  yours ;  and  ye  are  in  him ; 
"  therefore,  because  he  liveth,  ye  shall  hve  also."  (John  xiv.  19.) 
And  what  is  that  else,  but  as  if  the  Son  had  said,  "  I  will  not  have 
Heaven,  except  my  redeemed  ones  be  with  me  ?  they  and  I  can- 
not live  asunder — abide  in  me  and  I  in  you."  (John  xv.  4.)  Oh 
sweet  communion,  when  Christ  and  we  are  through  other,^  and 
are  no  longer  two  !  "  Father,  I  will  that  those  Avhom  thou  hast 
given  me,  be  with  me  where  I  am,  to  behold  my  glory,  that  thou 
hast  given  me."  (John  xvii.  24.)  Amen :  dear  Jesus,  let  it  be 
according  to  that  word. 

I  wonder  that  ever  your  heart  should  be  casten^  down,  if  ye  be- 
lieve this  truth.  And  they  are  not  worthy  of  Jesus  Christ,  who 
will  not  suffer  forty  years'  trouble  for  him,  since  they  have  such 
glorious  promises.  But  we  fools  beheve  those  promises  as  the 
man  that  read  Plato's  writings  concerning  the  immortality  of  the 
soul.  So  long  as  the  book  was  in  his  hand,  he  beheved  that  all 
was  true,  and  that  tlie  soul  could  not  die ;  but  so  soon  as  he  laid 
by  the  book,  presently  he  began  to  imagine,  that  the  soul  is  but  a 
smoke  or  airy  vapor,  that  perishcth  with  the  expiring  of  the  breath : 
so  we  at  starts  do  assent  to  the  sweet  and  precious  promises ;  but 
laying  aside  God's  book,  we  begin  to  call  all  in  question.  It  is 
faith,  indeed,  to  believe  without  a  pledge,  and  to  hold  the  heart 
constant  at  this  work,  and  when  we  doubt,  to  run  to  the  Law  and 

1  Thrown  open.  2  Thrown.  3  Promiscuously  united.  *  Cast, 


42  Rutherford's  letters. 

to  the  Testimony,  and  stay  there.  Madam,  hold  you  here.  Here 
is  your  Father's  testament,  read  it :  in  it  he  hath  left  to  you  re- 
mission of  sins  and  life  everlasting.  If  all  that  ye  have  here  be 
crosses  and  troubles,  downcastings,  frequent  desertions,  and  depart- 
ure of  the  Lord,  who  is  suiting'  you  in  marriage,  courage  !  He, 
who  is  wooer  and  suiter,  should  not  be  an  household-man  with 
you,  till  ye  and  he  come  up  to  his  Father's  house  together.  He 
purposeth  to  do  you  good  at  your  latter  end,  (Deut.  viii.  1(3,)  and"^ 
to  give  you  rest  from  the  days  of  adversity.  (Psalm  xciv.  13.)  It 
is  -good  to  bear  the  yoke  of  God  in  your  youth.  (Lam.  iii.  27.) 
Turn  in  to  your  strong-hold  as  a  prisoner  of  hope.  (Zee.  ix.  12.) 
"  For  the  vision  is  yet  for  an  appointed  time,  but  at  the  end  it 
shall  speak  and  not  lie :  though  it  tarry,  wait  for  it ;  because  it 
will  surely  come,  it  will  not  tarry."  (Hab.  ii.  3.)  Hear  himself 
saying,  (Isa.  xxvi.  20,)  "  Come  my  people," — rejoice,  he  calleth  on 
you — "  Enter  thou  into  thy  chambers,  and  shut  thy  doors  about 
thee ;  hide  thyself,  as  it  were  for  a  little  moment,  till  the  indigna- 
tion be  overpast."  Believe  then,  "  believe  and  be  saved."  Think 
it  not  hard,  if  ye  get  not  your  will,  nor  your  delights  in  this  life ; 
God  will  have  you  to  rejoice  in  nothing  but  himself.  God  forbid 
that  ye  should  rejoice  in  anything  but  in  the  cross  of  Christ.  (Gal. 
vi.  16.) 

Our  Church,  madam,  is  decaying ;  she  is  like  Ephraim's  cake, 
and  gray  hairs  are  here  and  there  upon  her,  and  she  knoweth  it 
not.  (Hos.  vii.  9.)  She  is  old  and  gray-headed,  near  the  grave, 
and  no  man  layeth  it  to  heart — her  wine  is  sour,  and  is  corrupted. 
Now  if  the  wife  of  Phineas  did  live,  she  might  travail  in  birth  and 
die,  to  see  the  Ark  of  God  taken,  and  the  glory  departing  from  our 
Israel — the  power  and  life  of  religion  is  away,  "  Wo  unto  us,  for 
the  day  goeth  away,  for  the  shadows  of  the  evening  are  stretched 
out."  (Jcr.  vi.  4.)  Madam,  Zion  is  the  ship  wherein  ye  are  carried 
to  Canaan.  If  she  suffer  shipwreck,  ye  will  be  casten"  overboard, 
upon  death  and  life,  to  swim  to  land  upon  broken  boards.  It  were 
time  for  us,  by  prayer,  to  put  upon^  our  Master-pilot,  Jesus,  and  to 
cry,  "  Master,  save  us,  we  perish  !" 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you.  We  would  think  it  a  blessing  to  our 
Kirk*  to  see  you  here  ;  but  our  sins  withhold  good  things  from  us. 
The  great  Messenger  of  the  covenant  preserve  you,  in  body  and 
in  spirit. 

Yours,  in  the  Lord,  S.  R. 

Anwoth,  Feb.  1,  1630. 


LETTER  IX. 

TO      THE      LADY     K E N M U R E . 

Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  multiplied  upon  you — I 
received  your  Ladyship's  letter,  in  the  which  I  perceive  that  your 

1  Wooing.  2  Cast.  3  Importune.  «  Church. 


Rutherford's  letters.  43 

case  in  this  world  smelleth  of  worship  and  communion  with  the 
Son  of  God  in  his  sufferings.  Ye  cannot,  ye  must  not,  have  a 
more  pleasant  or  more  easy  condition  here,  than  He  had,  who, 
through  afflictions,  was  made  perfect.  (Heb.  ii.  10.)  We  may 
indeed  think,  cannot  God  bring  us  to  Heaven  with  ease  and  pros- 
perity? Who  doubteth  that  he  can?  But  his  infinite  wisdom 
thinketh,  and  decreeth  the  contrary  ;  and  w^e  cannot  see  a  reason 
for  it,  yet  he  hath  a  most  just  reason.  We  never  with  our  eyes 
saw  our  own  soul,  yet  we  have  a  soul ;  we  see  many  rivers,  but 
we  know  not  their  first  spring  and  original  fountain,  yet  they 
have  a  beginning.  Madam,  when  ye  are  come  to  the  other  side 
the  water,  and  have  set  down  your  foot  on  the  shore  of  glorious 
eternity,  and  look  back  again  to  the  waters,  and  to  your  wearisome 
journey,  and  shall  see,  in  that  clear  glass  of  endless  glory,  nearer 
to  the  bottom  of  God's  Avisdom,  ye  sliall,  then,  be  forced  to  say, 
^'If  God  had  done  otherwise  with  me  than  he  hath  done,  I  had 
never  come  to  the  enjoying  of  this  crown  of  glory."  It  is  your 
part  now  to  believe,  and  suffer,  and  hope,  and  wait  on  :  for  I  pro- 
test, in  the  presence  of  that  all-discerning  Eye,  who  knoweth  what 
I  write,  and  what  I  think,  that  I  would  not  want  the  sweet  ex- 
perience of  the  consolations  of  God,  for  all  the  bitterness  of  afflic- 
tion :  nay,  whether  God  come  to  his  children  with  a  rod  or  a 
crown,  if  he  come  himself  with  it,  it  is  well.  Welcome,  welcome 
Jesus,  what  w'ay  soever  thou  comest,  if  we  can  get  a  sight  of  thee. 
And  sure  I  am  that  it  is  better  to  be  sick,  providing  Christ  come  to 
the  bed-side,  and  draw  by  the  curtains,  and  say,  "  Courage  !  I  am 
thy  salvation  !"  than  to  enjoy  health,  being  lusty  and  strong,  and 
never  to  be  visited  of  God. 

Worthy  and  dear  Lady,  in  the  strength  of  Christ,  fight  and 
overcome.  Ye  are  now  your  lone ; '  but  ye  may  have,  for  the 
seeking,  Three  always  in  your  compan}^,  the  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Spirit — I  trust  they  are  near  you.  Ye  are  now  deprived  of 
the  comfort  of  a  lively  ministry,  so  was  Israel  in  their  captivity : 
yet  hear  God's  promise  to  them,  (Ez.  xi.  16,)  "Therefore  say, 
thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  'Although  I  have  cast  them  far  off'  among 
the  heathen,  and  although  I  have  scattered  them  among  the 
countries,  yet  will  I  be  to  them  as  a  little  sanctuary,  in  the  coun- 
tries where  they  shall  come.'  "  Behold  a  sanctuary  !  for  a  sanc- 
tuary God  himself,  in  the  place  and  room  of  the  Temple  of  Jeru- 
salem. I  trust  in  God  that,  carrying  this  temple  about  with  you, 
ye  shall  see  Jehovah's  beauty  in  his  house. 

We  are  in  great  fears  of  a  great  and  fearful  trial  to  come  upon 
the  Kirk^of  God;  for  those,  who  would  build  their  houses  and 
nests  on  the  ashes  of  mourning  Jerusalem,  have  drawn  our  King 
upon  hard  and  dangerous  conclusions,  against  such  as  are  termed 
Puritans,  for  the  rooting  of  them  out.  Our  prelates — the  Lord 
take  the  keys  of  his  house  from  these  bastard  porters  ! — assure  us 
that  for  sucJi  as  will  not  conform,  there  is  nothing  but  imprison- 

1  By  yourself  alone.  2  Church. 


44  RUTHKRFORn's    LETTERS. 

ment  and  deprivation.  The  Spouse  of  Jesus  shall  ever  be  in  the 
fire  ;  -but  I  trust  in  my  God  that  she  shall  not  be  consumed,  because 
of  the  good-will  of  Him,  who  dwelleth  in  the  bush,  for  he  dwelleth 
in  it  with  good-will.  All  sorts  of  crying  sins,  without  controlment, 
abound  in  our  land.  The  glory  of  the  Lord  is  departing  from 
Israel,  and  the  Lord  is  looking  back  over  his  shoulder  to  see  if  any 
will  say,  "Lord!  tarry,"  and  no  man  requesteth  him  to  stay. 
Corrupt  and  false  doctrine  is  openly  preached  by  the  idol-shepherds 
of  the  land.  For  myself  I  have  daily  griefs,  through  the  disobe- 
dience unto,  and  contempt  of  the  word  of  God. 

I  was  summoned  before  the  High  Commission  by  a  profligate 
person  in  this  Parish,  convicted  of  incest.  Li  the  business,  Mr. 
Alexander  Colville,  for  respect  to  your  Ladyship,  was  my  great 
fiiend,  and  wrote  a  most  kind  letter  to  me. — The  Lord  give  him 
mercy  in  that  day.  Upon  the  day  of  my  compearance,'  the  sea, 
and  winds,  refused  to  give  passage  to  the  Bishop  of  St.  Andrew's. 
I  entreat  yoem-  Ladyship,  to  thank  Mr.  Alexander  Colville,  with 
two  lines  of  a  letter. 

My  wife  now,  after  a  long  disease  and  torment,  for  the  space  of 
a  year  and  a  month,  is  departed  this  life  ; — the  Lord  hath  done  it ; 
blessed  be  his  name.  I  have  been  diseased  of  a  fever  tertian  for 
the  space  of  thirteen  weeks,  and  am  yet  in  that  sickness,  so  that 
I  preach  but  once  on  the  Sabbath  with  great  difficulty.  I  am  not 
able  either  to  visit,  or  examine  the  congregation. 

The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 

Your  Ladyship's,  at  all  obedience,  S.  R. 

Anwoth,  June  26th,  1G30, 


LETTER  X. 

FOR      MARION      MACKNAUGHT. 

Well-beloved  and  Dear  Sister, — My  love,  in  the  Lord 
Jesus,  remembered — I  understand  that  you  are  still  under  the 
Lord's  visitation,  in  your  former  business  with  your  enemies,  which 
is  God's  dealing.  For,  till  He  take  his  children  out  of  the  furnace, 
who  knoweth  how  long  they  should  be  tried,  there  is  no  deliver- 
ance ;  but  after  God's  highest  and  fullest  tide,  that  the  sea  of 
trouble  is  gone  over  the  souls  of  his  children,  then  cometh  the 
gracious  long-hoped-for  ebbing,  and  drying  up  of  the  waters.  Dear 
sister,  do  not  faint ;  the  wicked  may  hold  the  bitter  cup  to  your 
head,  but  God  mixeth  it,  and  there  is  no  poison  in  it ;  they  strike, 
but  God  moveth  the  rod ;  Shimei  curseth,  but  it  is  because  the 
Lord  biddeth  him. 

I  tell  you,  and  I  have  it  from  Him  before  whom  I  stand  for 
God's  people,  that  there  is  a  decreet^  given  out  in  the  Great  Court 
of  the  Highest  Heavens,  that  your  present  troubles  shall  be  dis- 

1  Appearance,  in  obedience  to  a  legal  citation,  2  Sentence. 


Rutherford's  letters.  45 

persed  as  the  morning  cloud,  and  God  will  bring  forth  your  right- 
eousness as  the  light  of  the  noontide  of  the  day.  Let  me  entreat 
you  in  Christ's  n^me,  to  keep  a  good  conscience  in  your  proceed- 
ings in  that  matter,  and  beware  of  yovirself — yourself  is  a  more 
dangerous  enemy  than  I,  or  any  without  you.  Innocence,  and  an 
upright  cause,  is  a  good  advocate  before  God,  and  will  plead  for 
you,  and  shall  win  your  cause  ;  and  count  much  of  your  Master's 
approbation,  and  his  smiling.  He  is  now  as  the  king  that  is  gone 
to  a  far  country.  God  seemeth  to  be  from  home,  (if  I  may  say  so,) 
yet  he  seeth  the  ill  servants,  who  say,  "  Our  Master  deferreth  his 
coming,"  and  so  strike  their  fellow-servants.  But  patience,  my 
beloved,  Christ,  the  King,  is  coming  home  ;  the  evening  is  at 
hand,  and  he  will  ask  an  account  of  his  servants.  Make  a  fair 
clear  count  to  him.  So  carry  yourself,  as  at  night  you  may  say, 
"Master,  I  have  wronged  none  :  behold,  ye  have  your  own  with 
advantage."  Oh  your  soul  then  will  esteem  much  one  of  God's 
kisses  and  embracenients,  in  the  testimony  of  a  good  conscience  ! 
The  wicked,  howbeit  they  be  casting  many  evil  thoughts,  bitter 
words,  and  sinful  deeds  behind  their  back,  yet  they  are,  in  so  doing, 
clerks  to  their  own  process,  and  doing  nothing  all  their  lives,  but 
gathering  dittays'  against  themselves;  for  God  is  angry  at  the 
wicked  every  day.  And  I  hope  your  present  process  shall  be 
sighted  2  one  day  by  Him  who  knoweth  your  just  cause  ;  and  the 
bloody  tongues,  crafty  foxes,  double-ingrained  hypocrites,  shall 
appear  as  they  are  before  his  Majesty,  when  he  shall  take  the 
mask  off  their  faces :  and  oh !  thrice  happy  wnll  your  soul  be 
then,  when  God  findeth  you  covered  with  nothing  but  the  white 
robe  of  the  saints'  innocence,  and  the  righteousness  of  Jesus  Christ. 
You  have  been  of  late  in  the  King's  wine-cellar,  where  you 
were  welcomed  by  the  Lord  of  the  inn,  upon  a  condition  that  you 
would  walk  in  love.  Put  on  love,  and  brotherly  kindness,  and 
long  suffering.  Wait  as  long  upon  the  favor  and  turned  hearts 
of  enemies  as  your  Christ  waited  upon  you,  and  as  dear  Jesus 
stood  at  your  soul's  door  with  dewy  and  rainy  locks,  the  long, 
cold  night.  Be  angry,  but  sin  not.  I  persuade  myself  that  that 
holy  unction  within  you,  which  teacheth  you  all  things,  is  also 
saying,  "  Overcome  evil  with  good."  If  that  had  not  spoken  in 
your  soul,  at  the  tears  of  your  aged  Pastor,  you  would  not  have 
agreed,  and  forgiven  his  foolish  son  who  wronged  you :  but  my 
Master  bade  me  tell  you,  that  God's  blessing  shall  be  upon  you 
for  it ;  and  from  him  I  say,  "Grace,  grace,  and  everlasting  peace 
be  upon  you."  It  is  my  prayer  for  you,  that  your  carriage  may 
grace  and  adorn  the  Gospel  of  that  Lord  who  hath  graced  you. 
I  hear  that  your  husband  also  was  sick,  but  I  beseech  you,  in  the 
bowels  of  Jesus,  to  welcome  every  rod  of  God ;  for  I  find  not,  in 
the  whole  book  of  God,  a  greater  note  of  the  child  of  God,  than  to 
fall  down  and  kiss  the  feet  of  an  angry  God  ;  and  when  he  seem- 
eth to  put  you  away  from  him,  and  to  loose  your  hands  that  grip' 

1  Indictments.  2  Examined.  3  Grasp. 


46  Rutherford's  letters. 

him,  to  look  up  in  faith,  and  say,  "  I  shall  not,  I  will  not  be  put 
away  from  thee  :  howbeit  thy  Majesty  draw  to  free  thyself  of  me, 
yet.  Lord  !  give  me  leave  to  hold  and  cleave  uuto  thyself"  I 
shall  pray  that  your  husband  may  return  in  peace.  Your  de- 
creet'  Cometh  from  Heaven,  look  up  thither;  for  many  (saith 
Solomon)  seek  the  face  of  the  ruler,  but  every  man's  judgment 
Cometh  of  the  Lord ;  and  be  glad  that  it  is  so,  for  Christ  is  the 
clerk  of  your  process,  and  will  see  that  all  go  right :  and  I  per- 
suade myself,  that  he  is  saying,  "Yonder  servants  of  mine  are 
wronged  ;  for  my  blood.  Father,  give  them  justice."  Think  you 
not,  dear  sister,  but  our  High  Priest,  our  Jesus,  the  Master  of  re- 
quests, presenteth  our  bills  of  complaint  to  the  great  Lord  Justice  ? 
Yea,  I  believe  it,  since  he  is  our  Advocate,  and  Daniel  calleth  him 
the  Spokesman,  whose  hand  presenteth  all  to  the  Father. 

For  other  businesses,  I  say  nothing,  whill^  the  Lord  give  me  to 
see  your  face.  I  am  credibly  informed,  that  multitudes  of  Eng- 
land, and  especially  worthy  preachers,  and  silenced  preachers  of 
London,  are  gone  to  New  England  ;  and  I  know  one  learned  holy 
preacher,  Avho  hath  written  against  the  Arminians,  who  is  gone 
thither.  Oar  blessed  Lord  Jesus,  who  cannot  get  leave  to  sleep 
with  his  Spouse  in  this  Land,  is  going  to  seek  an  inn  where  he 
will  be  better  entertained ;  and  what  marvel  ?  Wearied  Jesus, 
after  he  had  travelled  from  Geneva,  by  the  ministry  of  Avorthy  Mr. 
Knox,  and  was  laid  down  in  his  bed,  and  reformation  begun,  and 
the  curtains  drawn,  had  not  gotten  his  dear  eyes  well  together, 
when  irreverent  bishops  came  in,  and,  with  the  din  and  noise  of 
ceremonies,  holy-days,  and  other  Romish  corruptions,  awoke  our 
Beloved.  Others  came  to  his  bed-side,  and  drew  the  curtains,  and 
put  hands  on  his  servants,  banished,  deprived  and  confined  them ; 
and  for  the  pulpit,  they  got  a  stool  and  a  cold  fire  in  the  Black- 
ness :^  and  the  nobility  drew  the  covering  off  him,  and  have  made 
him  a  poor  naked  Christ,  in  spoiling  his  servants  of  the  tithes  and 
Mvirk-rents :  and  now  there  is  such  a  noise  of  crying  sins  in  the 
land,  as  the  want  of  a  knowledge  of  God,  of  mercy  and  truth, 
such  swearing,  whoring,  lying,  and  blood  touching  blood,  that 
Christ  is  putting  on  his  clothes,  and  making  him,  like  an  ill-han- 
dled stranger,  to  go  to  other  lands.  Pray  him,  dear  sister,  to  iy 
down  again  with  his  Beloved. 

Remember  my  dearest  love  to  John  Gordon,  to  whom  I  shall 
write  when  I  am  strong ;  and  to  John  Brown,  Grizzel,  Samuel, 
and  WiUiam  —  Grace  upon  them.  As  you  love  Christ,  keep 
Christ's  favor;  and  put  not  upon ^  him  when  he  sleepeth,  to 
awake  him  before  he  please. 

The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 

Your  Brother  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

Anwoth,  July  21,  1630. 

1  Sentence.  2  Till.  3  Blackness  Castle,  on  the  Firth  of  Forth. 

*  Church.  5  To  put  upon,  to  importune. 


Rutherford's  letters.  47 


LETTER  XI. 

'  i  FOR      MARION      MACK  NAUGHT. 

Well-beloved  Sister, — I  have  been  thinking,  since  my  de- 
parture from  you,  of  the  pride  and  malice  of  your  adversaries : 
and  ye  may  not  (since  ye  have  lieard  the  Book  of  the  Psahns  so 
often)  take  hardly  with  this ;  for  David's  enemies  snufied  at  him, 
and  through  the  pride  of  their  hearts  said,  "The  Lord  will  not 
require  it,"  (Psalm  x.  13.)  I  beseech  you,  therefore,  in  the  bowels 
of  Christ,  to  set  before  your  eyes  the  patience  of  your  ^'ore-rimrier, 
Jesus,  "  Who,  when  he  was  reviled,  reviled  not  again  ;  when  he 
suffered  he  threatened  not,  but  committed  himself  to  Hijn  that 
judgeth  righteously."  (1  Pet.  ii.  23.)  And,  since  our  Lord  and 
Redeemer  with  patience  received  many  a  black  stroke  on  his  glo- 
rious body,  and  many  a  buffet  of  the  unbelieving  world,  and  saith 
of  himself.  (Isaiah  1.  6,)  "  I  gave  my  back  to  the  smiters,  and  my 
cheeks  to  them  that  plucked  off  the  hair ;  I  hid  not  my  face  from 
shame  and  spitting,"  follow  him,  and  think  it  not  hard  that  you 
receive  a  blow  with  your  Lord  :  take  part  with  Jesus  of  his  suffer- 
ings, and  glory  in  the  marks  of  Christ.  If  this  storm  were  over, 
you  must  prepare  yourself  for  a  new  wound.  For,  five  thousand 
years  ago,  our  Lord  proclaimed  deadly  war  betwixt  the  Seed  of 
the  Woman  and  the  seed  of  the  Serpent.  And  marvel  not  that 
one  toAvn  cannot  keep  the  children  of  God  and  the  children  of  the 
Devil ;  for  one  belly  could  not  keep  Jacob  and  Esau  ;  one  house 
could  not  keep  peaceably  together  Isaac  the  Son  of  the  Promise, 
and  Ishmael  the  Son  of  the  Hand-maid.  Be  you  upon  Christ's 
side  of  it,  and  care  not  what  flesh  can  do.  Hold  yourself  fast  by 
your  Saviour,  howbeit  ye  be  buffeted,  and  those  that  follow  him. 
"Yet  a  little  while,  and  the  wicked  shall  not  be."  See  2  Cor.  iv. 
8,  "  We  are  troubled  on  every  side,  yet  not  distressed  ;  we  are  per- 
plexed, but  not  in  despair  ;"  (ver.  9,)  "  persecuted,  but  not  forsaken; 
cast  down,  but  not  destroyed."  If  you  can  possess  yovu'  soul  in 
patience,  their  day  is  coming. 

Worthy  and  Dear  Sister,  know  how  to  carry  yourself  in  trouble  : 
and  when  ye  are  hated  and  reproached,  the  Lord  showeth  it  to 
you.  (Psahii  xliv.  17.)  "  All  this  is  come  upon  us,  yet  have  we 
not  forgotten  thee,  neither  have  we  dealt  falsely  in  thy  covenant." 
(Psalm  cxix.  92.)  "Unless  thy  law  had  been  my  delights,  I  had 
perished  in  mine  affliction."  Keep  God's  covenant  in  your  trials. 
Hold  you  by  his  blessed  word,  and  sin  not.  Flee  anger,  wrath, 
grudging,  envying,  fretting.  P^orgive  an  hundred  pence  to  your 
fellow-servant,  because  your  Lord  hath  forgiven  you  ten  thou- 
sand talents.  For,  I  assure  you  by  the  Lord,  that  your  adversa- 
ries shall  get  no  advantage  against  you  except  ye  sin,  and  offend 
your  Lord  in  your  sufferings.  But  the  way  to  overcome  is,  by 
patience,   forgiving,   and    praying  for  your    enemies,   in   doing 


48  Rutherford's  letters. 

whereof  you  heap  coals  upon  their  heads,  and  your  Lord  will 
open  a  door  to  you  in  your  trouble.  Wait  upon  him,  as  the  night- 
watch  waiteth  for  the  morning.  He  will  not  tarry  ;  go  up  to  your 
watch-tower,  and  come  not  down,  but  by  prayer,  and  faith,  and 
hope,  wait  on.  When  the  sea  is  full,  it  will  ebb  again ;  and,  so 
soon  as  the  wicked  are  come  to  the  top  of  their  pride,  and  are 
waxed  high  and  mighty,  then  is  their  change  approaching — They 
that  believe  make  not  haste. 

Remember  Zion,  forget  her  not ;  for  her  enemies  are  many,  for 
the  nations  are  gathered  together  against  her ;  "  But  they  know 
not  the  thoughts  of  the  Lord,  neither  understand  they  his  coun- 
sel ;  for  he  shall  gather  them  as  the  sheaves  into  the  floor.  Arise 
and  thresh,  O  Daughter  of  Zion."  (Micah  iv.  12,  13.)  Behold, 
God  hath  gathered  his  enemies  together  as  sheaves  to  the  thresh- 
ing— let  us  stay  and  rest  upon  these  promises.  Now  again,  I 
trust  in  our  Lord,  that  ye  shall  by  faith  sustain  yourself,  and  com- 
fort yourself  in  your  Lord,  and  be  strong  in  his  power  ;  for  you 
are  in  the  beaten,  and  common  way  to  Heaven,  when  you  are 
under  our  Lord's  crosses.  Ye  have  reason  to  rejoice  in  it  more 
than  in  a  crown  of  gold,  and  to  rejoice,  and  be  glad  to  bear  the 
reproaches  of  Christ. 

I  rest — recommending  you,  and  yours,  forever,  to  the  grace  and 
mercy  of  God. 

Yours,  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

Anwoth,  Feb.  11,  1631. 


LETTER  Xn. 

FOR    MARION     MACKNAUGHT. 

Well-beloved  in  the  Lord, — Ye  are  not  unacquainted 
with  the  day  of  our  Communion.  I  entreat,  therefore,  the  aid  of 
your  prayers  for  that  great  work,  which  is  one  of  our  feast-days, 
wherein  our  Well-beloved,  Jesus,  rejoiceth,  and  is  merry  with  his 
friends.  Good  cause  have  we  to  wonder  at  his  love,  since  the  day 
of  his  death  was  such  a  sorrowful  day  to  him,  even  the  day  when 
his  mother,  the  Kirk'  crowned  him  with  thorns,  and  he  had  many 
against  him,  and  compeared  ^  his  lone^  in  the  open  fields  against 
them  all — yet  he  delighteth  with  us  to  remember  that  day.  Let 
us  love  him,  and  be  glad  and  rejoice  in  his  salvation.  I  am  con- 
fident that  you  shall  see  the  Son  of  God  that  day ;  and  I  dare,  in 
his  name,  invite  you  to  his  banquet.  Many  a  time  you  have  been 
well  entertained  in  his  house,  and  he  changeth  not  upon  his 
friends,  nor  chideth  them  for  too  great  kindness.  Yet  I  speak  not 
this  to  make  you  leave  off  to  pray  for  me,  who  have  nothing  of 
myself,  but  in  so  far  as  daily  I  receive  from  Him,  who  is  made  of 
his  Father  a  running-over  fountain,  at  which  I  and  others  may 

1  Church.  2  Appeared.  3  By  himself  alone. 


Rutherford's  letters.  49 

come  with  thirsty  souls,  and  fill  our  vessels.  Long  hath  this  well 
been  standing  open  to  us.  Lord  Jesus,  lock  it  not  up  again  upon 
us.  I  am  sorry  for  our  desolate  Kirk  ;i  yet  I  dare  not  but  trust, 
that  so  long  as  there  be  any  of  God's  lost  money  here,  he  will  not 
blow  out  the  candle.  The  Lord  make  fair  candlesticks  in  his 
house,  and  remove  the  blind  lights  ! 

I  have  been,  this  time  by-passed,  thinking  much  of  the  incoming 
of  the  Kirk'  of  the  Jews.  Pray  for  them.  When  they  were 
in  their  Lord's  house,  at  their  Father's  elbow,  they  were  long- 
ing for  the  coming  of  their  Little  Sister,  the  Kirk'  of  the  Gen- 
tiles. They  said  to  their  Lord,  (Cant.  viii.  ver.  8,)  "  We  have  a 
little  Sister,  and  she  hath  no  breasts ;  what  shall  we  do  for  our 
Sister  in  the  day  when  she  shall  be  spoken  for  ?"  Let  us  give 
them  a  meeting.  What  shall  we  do  for  our  elder  Sister,  the 
Jews?  Lord  Jesus  give  them  breasts!  That  were  a  glad  day, 
to  see  us  and  them  both  set  down  at  one  table,  and  Christ  at  the 
head  of  the  table.  Then  would  our  Lord  come  shortly  with  his 
fair  guard,  to  hold  his  great  court. 

Dear  sister,  be  patient  for  the  Lord's  sake,  under  the  wrongs 
that  you  suffer  of  the  wicked.  Your  Lord  shall  make  ye  see  your 
desire  on  your  enemies  ;  some  of  them  shall  be  cut  off.  (Job  xv. 
ver.  33,)  They  shall  shake  off  their  unripe  grapes  as  the  vine,  and 
cast  off  their  flower  as  the  olive  :  God  will  make  them  like  unripe 
sour  grapes,  shaken  off  the  tree  with  the  blast  of  God's  wrath  ; 
and,  therefore,  pity  them,  and  pray  for  them.  Others  of  them 
nuist  remain  to  exercise  you  ;  God  hath  said  of  them,  Let  the  tares 
grow  up  whilP  harvest.  (Matt,  xiii.)  It  proveth  you  to  be  your 
Lord's  wheat.  Be  patient,  Christ  went  to  Heaven  with  many  a 
wrong.  His  visage  and  countenance  were  all  marred  more  than 
the  sons  of  men.  Ye  may  not  be  above  your  Master.  Many  a 
black  stroke  received  innocent  Jesus,  and  he  received  no  mends,* 
but  referred  them  all  to  the  great  Court-day,  when  all  things  shall 
be  righted. 

I  desire  to  hear  from  you  within  a  day  or  two,  if  Mr.  Robert  re- 
main in  his  purpose  to  come  and  help  us.  God  will  give  you  joy 
of  your  children.  I  pray  for  them,  by  their  names.  I  bless  you, 
from  the  Lord,  your  husband  and  children. — Grace,  grace  and 
mercy  be  multiplied  upon  you. 

Yours,  in  the  Lord,  forever,  S.  R. 

Anwoth,  May  7,  1631. 


LETTER  Xm. 

FOR  MARION  MACK NAUGHT. 

Well-beloved  Sister, — My  love  in  Christ  remembered — I 
have  received  a  letter  from  Edinburgh,  certainly  informing  me, 

'  Church.  2  Till.  3  Reparation. 

4 


50  Rutherford's  letters. 

that  the  English  service,  and  the  organs,  and  King  James's  Psalms, 
are  to  be  imposed  upon  our  Kirk,'  and  that  the  Bishops  are  deal- 
ing for  a  General  Assembly.  A.  R.  hath  confirmed  the  news  also, 
and  saith,  he  spoke  with  Sir  William  Alexander,  who  is  to  come 
down  with  his  Prince's  warrant  to  that  effect.  I  am  desired,  in 
the  received  letter,  to  acquaint  the  best  affected  about  me  with 
that  storm  ;  therefore,  I  entreat  you,  and  charge  you,  in  tlie  Lord's 
name,  to  pray;  but  do  not  communicate  this  to  any  whilP  I  see 
you.  My  heart  is  broken  at  the  remembrance  of  it ;  and  it  was 
my  fear,  and  answereth  to  my  last  letter,  except  one,  that  I  wrote 
unto  you. 

Dearly  beloved,  be  not  casten'  down,  but  let  us,  as  the  Lord's 
doves,  take  us  to  our  wings,  for  other  armor  we  have  none,  and 
flee  into  the  hole  of  the  Rock.  It  is  true  that  A.  R.  saith  that  the 
wortiiiest  men  in  England  are  banished  and  silenced,  about  the 
number  of  sixteen  or  seventeen  choice  Gospel-preachers,  and  that 
the  persecution  is  already  begun.  Howbeit,  I  do  not  write  this 
unto  you  with  a  dry  face,  yet  I  am  confident  in  the  Lord's  strength, 
that  Christ  and  his  side  shall  overcome  ;  and  you  shall  be  assured 
that  the  Kirk'  were  not  a  Kirk,'  if  it  were  not  so.  As  our  dear 
husband,  in  wooing  his  Kirk,'  received  many  a  black  stroke,  so 
his  bride  in  wooing  him  getteth  many  blows  ;  and  in  this  wooing 
there  are  strokes  upon  both  sides.  Let  it  be  so.  The  Devil  shall 
not  make  the  marriage  go  back,  neither  can  he  tear  the  contract ; 
the  end  shall  be  mercy.  Yet,  notwithstanding  all  this,  we  have 
no  warrant  of  God  to  leave  off  all  lawful  means.  I  have  been 
writing  to  you  the  counsels  and  draughts  of  men  against  the  Kirk ;' 
but  they  know  not,  as  Micah  saith,  the  counsel  of  Jehovah.  The 
great  men  of  the  world  may  make  ready  the  fiery  furnace  for  Zion, 
but,  trow  ye  that  they  can  cause  the  fire  to  burn?  No.  He  that 
made  the  fire,  I  trust,  will  not  say  Amen  to  their  decreets.*  I  trust 
m  my  Lord,  that  God  hath  not  subscribed  their  bill,  and  that  their 
conclusions  have  not  yet  passed  our  Great  King's  seal.  There- 
fore, if  ye  think  good,  address  yourself  first  to  the  Lord,  and  then 
to  A.  R.,  anent*  the  business  that  you  know. 

I  am  most  unkindly  handled  by  the  Presbytery ;  and,  as  if  I 
had  been  a  stranger,  and  not  a  member  of  that  seat  to  sit  in  judg- 
ment with  them,  I  was  summoned,  by  their  order,  as  a  witness 
against  B.  A. ;  but  they  have  got  no  advantage  in  that  matter. 
Other  particulars  you  shall  hear,  God  willing,  at  meeting. 

Anent"  the  matter  betwixt  you  and  J.  E.,  I  remember  it  to  God. 
I  entreat  you  in  the  Lord,  to  be  submissive  to  his  will ;  for  the 
higher  that  their  pride  mount  up,  they  are  the  nearer  a  fall :  the 
Lord  will  more  and  more  discover  that  man.  Let  your  husband, 
in  all  matters  of  judgment,  take  Christ's  part  for  the  defence  of  the 
poor,  and  needy,  and  oppressed,  for  the  maintenance  of  equit\r  and 
justice  in  the  town.     And  take  you  no  fear  that  He  will  take  your 

1  Church.  8  Till.  3  Cast.  *  Sentences. 

5  Concernins. 


Rutherford's  letters.  51 

part,  and  then  you  are  strong  enough.  What?  Howbeit  ye  re- 
ceive indignities,  for  your  Lord's  sake  let  it  be  so.  When  he  will 
put  His  holy  hand  up  to  your  face  in  Heaven,  and  dry  your  face, 
and  wipe  the  tears  from  your  eyes,  judge  ye  if  ye  will  not  have 
cause  then  to  rejoice  ? 

Anent*  other  particulars,  if  ye  would  speak  wdth  me,  appoint 
any  of  the  first  three  days  of  the  next  week,  in  Carlton,  when 
Carlton  is  at  home,  and  acquaint  me  with  your  desires. 

Remember  me  to  God,  and  my  dearest  affection  to  your  husband : 
and,  for  Zion's  sake,  hold  not  your  peace. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  be  with  you,  and  your  husband, 
and  children. 

Yours,  in  the  Lord,  S.  R. 

Anwoth,  June  2,  1631. 


LETTER  XIV. 

FOR      MARION      MACKNAUGHT. 

Dear  Mistress, — I  have  not  time,  this  day,  to  write  to  you  ; 
but  God,  knowing  my  present  state,  and  the  necessities  of  my  call- 
ing, will,  I  hope,  spare  my  mother's  life  for  a  time — for  the  which 
I  have  cause  to  thank  my  Lord.  I  entreat  you  not  to  be  cast 
down,  for  that  which  I  wrote  before  to  you,  anent'  the  planting 
of  a  minister  in  your  town.  Believe,  and  you  shall  see  the  sal- 
vation of  God.  I  write  this  because,  when  you  suffer,  my  heart 
suffereth  with  you.  I  do  believe  that  your  soul  shall  have  joy 
in  your  labors  and  holy  desires  for  that  work. 

Grace  upon  you,  and  your  husband,  and  your  children. 

Yours  ever,  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

Anwoth. 


LETTER  XV. 

TO      MY      LADY      KENMURE. 

Madam, — Having  saluted  you  in  the  Lord  Jesus — I  thought 
it  my  duty,  having  the  occasion  of  this  bearer,  to  write  again 
unto  your  Ladyship.  Though  I  have  no  new  purpose,  but  what 
I  wrote  of  before,  yet  ye  cannot  be  too  often  awakened  to  go 
forward  toward  your  city,  since  your  way  is  long,  and,  (for  any- 
thing ye  know,)  your  day  is  short ;  and  ydiu-  Lord  requireth  of 
you,  as  ye  advance  in  years,  and  steal  forward  insensibly  towards 
eternity,  that  your  faith  may  grow  and  ripen  for  the  Lord's 
harvest.  For  the  great  Husbandman  giveth  a  season  to  his 
fruits,  that  they  may  come  to  maturity  ;  and  having  got  their 

1  Concerning. 


52  Rutherford's  letters. 

fill  of  the  tree,  that  they  may  be  then  shaken,  and  gathered  in 
for  his  use;  whereas  the  wicked  rot  upon  the  tree,  and  their 
branch  shall  not  be  green ;  (Job  xv.  33,)  "  He  shall  shake  off 
his  unripe  grapes  as  the  vine,  and  shall  cast  off  his  flower  as 
the  olive."  It  is  God's  mercy  to  you,  madam,  that  he  giveth  you 
your  fill,  even  to  loathing,  of  this  bitter  world,  that  ye  may 
willingly  leave  it,  and,  like  a  full  and  satisfied  banqueter,  long 
for  the  drawing  of  the  table ;  and  at  last,  having  trampled  under 
your  feet  all  the  rotten  pleasures  that  are  under  sun  and  moon, 
and  having,  '-rejoiced  as  though  ye  rejoiced  not,  and  having 
bought  as  though  ye  possessed  not,"  (1  Cor.  vii.  30,)  ye  may, 
like  an  old  crazy  ship,  arrive  at  your  Lord's  harbor,  and  be  made 
welcome,  as  one  of  those  who  have  ever  had  one  foot  loose  from 
this  earth,  longing  for  that  place  where  your  soul  shall  feast 
and  banquet  forever  and  ever  upon  a  glorious  sight  of  the  in- 
comprehensible Trinity,  and  where  ye  shall  see  the  fair  face  of 
the  Man,  Christ,  even  the  beautiful  face,  that  was  once,  for  your 
cause,  more  marred  than  any  of  the  visages  of  the  sons  of  men, 
(Isa.  lii.  14,)  and  was  all  covered  with  spitting  and  blood.  Be 
content  to  wade  through  the  waters  betwixt  you  and  glory  with 
him,  holding  his  right  hand  fast ;  for  he  knoweth  all  the  fords. 
Howbeit  ye  may  be  ducked,  yet  ye  cannot  drown,  being  in  his 
company  ;  and  ye  may,  all  the  way  to  glory,  see  the  way  bedewed 
with  His  blood,  who  is  the  Forerunner.  Be  not  afraid,  therefore, 
when  ye  come  even  to  the  black  and  swelling  river  of  death,  to 
put  in  your  foot,  and  wade  after  hiin.  The  current,  how  strong 
soever,  cannot  carry  you  down  the  water  to  Hell :  the  death  and 
resurrection  of  the  Son  of  God  are  stepping-stones,  and  a  stay  to 
you ;  set  down  your  feet  by  faith  upon  these  stones,  and  go  through 
as  on  dry  land.  If  ye  knew  wliat  he  is  preparing  for  you,  ye 
would  be  too  glad.  He  will  not,  (it  may  be,)  give  you  a  full 
draught  till  ye  come  up  to  the  well-head,  and  drink,  yea,  drink 
abundantly,  of  the  pure  river  of  the  water  of  life,  "  that  proceedeth 
out  from  the  throne  of  God,  and  from  the  Lamb."  (Rev.  xxii.  1.) 
Madam,  tire  not,  weary  not.  I  dare  find  you  the  Son  of  God 
caution*  that  when  ye  are  got  up  thither,  and  have  casten^  your 
eyes  to  view  the  golden  city,  and  the  fair  and  never  withering 
Tree  of  Life,  which  beareth  twelve  manner  of  fruits  every  month, 
ye  will  then  say,  "  Four-and-twenty  hours'  abode  in  that  place  is 
worth  threescore  and  ten  years'  sorrow  upon  earth."  If  ye  can 
but  say  that  ye  long  earnestly  to  be  carried  up  thither,  (as  I  hope 
ye  cannot  for  shame  deny  him  the  honor  of  having  wrought  that 
desire  in  your  soul,)  then  hath  your  Lord  given  you  an  earnest : 
and,  madam,  do  ye  believe  that  our  Lord  will  lose  his  earnest,  and 
rue  of  the  bargain,  and  change  his  mind,  as  if  he  were  a  man, 
that  can  lie,  or  the  son  of  man  that  can  repent  ?  Nay,  he  is  un- 
changeable, and  the  same  this  year  that  he  was  the  former  year. 
And  his  Son,  Jesus,  who  upon  earth  ate  and  drank  with  publicans 
and  sinners,  and  spake  and  conferred  with  whores  and  harlots, 
1  Surety.  2  Cast. 


Rutherford's  letters.  53 

and  put  out  his  holy  hand  and  touched  the  leper's  filthy  skin,  and 
came  evermore  nigh  sinners,  even  now,  in  glory,  is  yet  that  same 
Lord:  his  honor  and  liis  great  court' in  Heaven  have  not  made 
him  forget  his  poor  friends  on  earth  ;  in  him  honors  change  not 
manners,  and  he  doth  yet  desire  your  company.  Take  him  for 
the  old  Christ,  and  claim  still  kindness  to  him,  and  say,  "Oh,  it 
is  so !  he  is  not  changed,  but  I  am  changed  :"  nay,  it  is  a  part  of 
his  unchangeable  love,  and  an  article  of  the  New  Covenant,  to 
keep  you  that  ye  cannot  dispone"  him  nor  sell  him.  He  hath 
not  played  fast  and  loose  with  us,  in  the  Covenant  of  grace,  so 
that  we  may  run  from  him  at  our  pleasure.  His  love  hath  made 
the  bargain  surer  than  so ;  for  Jesus,  as  the  cautioner,^  is  bound 
for  us,  (Heb.  vii.  22,)  and  it  cannot  stand  with  his  honor  to  die  in 
the  borrows,^  (as  we  use  to  say,)  and  lose  thee,  whom  he  must 
render  again  to  the  Father,  when  he  shall  give  up  the  kingdom 
to  him.  Consent,  and  say  "Amen"  to  the  promises,  and  ye 
have  sealed  that  God  is  true,  and  Christ  is  yours.  This  is  an 
easy  market :  ye  but  look  on  with  faith ;  for  Christ  suffered  all, 
and  paid  all. 

Madam,  fearing  lest  I  be  tedious  to  your  Ladyship,  I  must  stop 
here,  desiring  always  to  hear  that  your  Ladyship  is  well,  and  that 
ye  have  still  your  face  up  the  mountain.  Pray  for  us,  madam, 
and  for  Zion,  whereof  ye  are  a  part.  We  expect  a  trial.  God's 
wheat  in  this  land  must  go  through  Satan's  sieve,  but  their  faith 
shall  not  fail.  I  am  still  wrestling  in  our  Lord's  work,  and  have 
been  tried  and  tempted  by  brethren,  who  look  aAvry  to  the  gospel. 

Now  He,  that  is  able  to  keep  you  until  that  day,  preserve  your 
soul,  body  and  spirit,  and  present  you  before  his  face  with  his  own 
Bride,  spotless  and  blameless. 
Your  Ladyship's, 

To  be  commanded  always  in  the  Lord  Jesus,       S.  R. 

Anwoth,  Nov.  2G,  1631. 


LETTER  XVL 

TO      MY      LADY      KENMURE. 

Madam, — I  am  grieved  exceedingly  that  your  Ladyship  should 
think,  or  have  cause  to  think,  that  such  as  love  you  in  God,  in 
this  country,  are  forgetful  of  you.  For  myself,  madam,  I  owe  to 
your  Ladyship  all  evidences  of  my  high  respect  (in  the  sight  of 
my  Lord,  whose  truth  I  preach,  I  am  bold  to  say  it,)  for  his  rich 
grace  in  you. 

My  communion,  put  off  till  the  end  of  a  longsome  and  rainy 
harvest,  and  the  presbyterial  exercise  (as  the  bearer  can  inform 
your  Ladyship)  hindered  me  to  see  you.     And  for  my  people's 

1  Favor,  influence.  *  Dispose.  3  Surety. 

*   To  die  in  the  borrows,  to  fail  wrhile  the  borrow,  or  pledge,  or  surety,  for  another. 


54  Rutherford's  letters. 

sake  (finding  them  like  hot  iron,  that  cooleth  being  out  of  the  fire, 
and  that  is  phable  to  no  work,)  I  do  not  stir  abroad,  neither  have 
I  left  them  at  all  since  your  Ladyship  was  in  the  country,  save  at 
one  time  only,  about  two  years  ago ;  yet  I  dare  not  say  but  it  is  a 
fault,  howbeit  no  defect  in  my  affection ;  and  I  trust  to  make  it 
up  again  so  soon  as  possibly  I  am  able  to  wait  upon  you. 

Madam,  I  have  no  new  purpose  to  Avrite  unto  you,  but  of  that 
which  I  think,  nay,  which  our  Lord  thinketh,  needful,  that  one 
thing,  Mary's  good  part,  which  ye  have  chosen.  (Luke  x.  42.) 
Madam,  all  that  God  hath,  both  himself  and  the  creatures,  he  is 
dealing  and  parting  amongst  the  sons  of  Adam.  There  are  none 
so  poor  as  that  they  can  say  in  his  face  that  he  hath  given  them 
nothing ;  but  there  is  no  small  odds  betwixt  the  gifts  given  to 
lawful  bairns'  and  to  bastards ;  and  the  more  greedy  ye  are  in 
suiting,'^  the  more  willing  is  he  to  give,  delighting  to  be  called 
open-handed. 

I  hope  that  your  Ladyship  laboreth  to  get  assurance  of  the 
surest  patrimony,  even  God  himself.  Ye  will  find  in  Christianity 
that  God  aimeth,  in  all  his  dealings  with  his  children,  to  bring 
them  to  a  high  contempt  of,  and  deadly  feud  with  the  world  ;  and 
to  set  a  high  price  upon  Christ,  and  to  think  iiim  one  who  cannot 
be  bought  for  gold,  and  well  worthy  the  fighting  for.  And  for  no 
other  cause,  madam,  doth  the  Lord  withdraw  from  you  the  child- 
ish toys  and  the  earthly  delights  that  he  giveth  unto  others,  but 
that  he  may  have  you  wholly  to  himself.  Think,  therefore,  of 
the  Lord,  as  of  one  who  cometh  to  woo  you  in  marriage,  when  ye 
are  in  the  furnace  ;  he  seeketh  his  answer  of  you  in  affliction,  to 
see  if  ye  will  say,  "Even  so  I  take  him."  Madam,  give  him  this 
answer  presently,  and  in  your  mind  do  not  secretly  grudge  nor 
murmur.  When  he  is  striking  you  in  love,  beware  to  strike 
again ;  that  is  dangerous,  for  those  who  strike  again  shall  get  the 
last  blow. 

If  I  hit  not  upon  the  right  string,  it  is  because  I  am  not  ac- 
quainted with  your  Ladyship's  present  condition  ;  but  I  believe 
that  your  Ladyship  goeth  on  foot  laughing,  and  putting  on  a 
good  countenance  before  the  world,  and  yet  ye  carry  heaviness 
about  with  you.  Ye  do  well,  madam,  not  to  make  them  witnesses 
of  yovu"  grief  who  cannot  be  carers  of  it ;  but  be  exceedingly  chari- 
table of  your  dear  Lord.  As  there  be  some  friends  worldly,  of 
whom  ye  will  not  entertain  an  ill  thought,  far  more  ought  ye  to 
believe  good  evermore  of  your  dear  Friend,  that  lovely  fair  person, 
Jesus  Christ.  The  thorn  is  one  of  the  most  cursed,  and  angry, 
and  crabbed  weeds  that  the  earth  yieldeth,  and  yet  out  of  it 
springeth  the  rose,  one  of  the  most  sweetly  smelled  flowers,  and 
most  delightful  to  the  eye,  that  the  earth  hath.  Your  Lord  will 
make  joy  and  gladness  out  of  your  afflictions ;  for  all  his  roses 
have  a  fragrant  smell.  Wait  for  the  time  when  his  own  holy 
hand  shall  hold  them  to  your  nose  ;  and,  if  ye  would  have  present 
comfort  under  the  cross,  be  much  in  prayer ;  for  at  that  time  your 
1  Children.  s  Urging  a  suit. 


Rutherford's  letters.  55 

faith  kisseth  Christ,  and  he  kisselh  the  soul — and  oh  !  if  the 
breath  of  his  holy  mouth  be  sweet!  I  dare  be  caution,'  out  of 
some  small  experience,  that  ye  shall  not  be  beguiled;  for  the 
world  (yea  not  a  few*^  number  of  God's  children,)  know  not  well 
what  that  is  which  they  call  a  godhead.  But,  madam,  come  near 
to  the  Godhead,  and  look  down  to  the  bottom  of  the  well:  there 
is  much  in  him,  and  sweet  were  that  death  to  drown  in  such  a 
well.  Your  grief  taketh  liberty  to  work  upon  your  mind,  when 
ye  are  not  busied  in  the  meditation  of  the  ever-delighting  and  all- 
blessed  Godhead.  If  ye  would  lay  the  price  ye  give  out  (which  is 
but  some  few  years'  pain  and  trouble,)  beside  the  commodities  ye 
are  to  receive,  ye  would  see  that  they  were  not  worthy  to  be  laid 
in  the  balance  together ;  but  it  is  nature  that  maketh  you  look  to 
what  ye  give  out,  and  weakness  of  faith  that  hindereth  you  to 
see  what  ye  shall  take  in.  Amend  your  hope,  and  frist^  your 
faithful  Lord  awhile.  He  maketh  himself  your  debtor  in  the  New 
Covenant:  lie  is  honest — take  his  word.  (Nahum  i.  9,)  "Afflic- 
tion shall  not  spring  up  the  second  time."  (Rev.  xxi.  7,)  "  He 
that  overcometh  shall  inherit  all  things."  Of  all  things,  then, 
which  ye  want  in  this  life,  madam,  1  am  able  to  say  nothing,  if 
that  be  not  believed  which  ye  have.  (Rev.  ii.  7,  and  Rev.  iii.  5,) 
"  The  overcomer  shall  be  clothed  in  Avhite  raiment,"  &c. ;  and, 
(ver.  21.)  '-  To  the  overcomer  I  will  give  to  sit  with  me  on  my 
throne,  as  I  overcame  and  am  set  down  with  my  Father  in  his 
throne."  Consider,  madam,  if  ye  are  not  high  up  now,  and  far 
ben*  in  the  palace  of  our  Lord,  when  ye  are  upon  a  throne,  in 
white  raiment,  at  lovely  Christ's  elbow.  Oh,  thrice  fools  are  we, 
who,  like  new-born  princes  weeping  in  the  cradle,  know  not  that 
there  is  a  kingdom  before  them!  Then  let  our  Lord's  sweet  hand 
square  us,  and  hammer  us,  and  strike  off  the  knots  of  pride,  self- 
love,  and  world-worship,  and  infidelity,  that  he  may  make  us 
stones  and  pillars  in  his  Father's  house.  (Rev.  iii.  12.)  Madam, 
what  think  ye  to  take  binding  with  the  fair  Corner-stone,  Jesus? 
The  Lord  give  you  wisdom  to  believe  and  hope  that  your  day  is 
coming.  1  hope  to  be  a  witness  of  your  joy,  as  I  have  been  a 
hearer  and  beholder  of  your  grief  Think  ye  it  much  to  follow 
the  Heir  of  the  crown,  who  hath  experience  of  sorrows,  and  was 
acquainted  with  grief?  (Isaiah  liii.)  It  were  pride  to  aim  to  be 
above  the  King's  Sou  :  it  is  more  than  we  deserve  that  we  are 
equals  in  glory,  in  a  manner. 

Now,  commending  you  to  the  dearest  grace,  and  mercy  of  God, 
I  rest, 

Your  Ladyship's,  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,         S.  R. 

Anwoth,  Jan.  4,  1G42. 

1  Surety,  2  Small.  3  Credit. 

<  Admitted  to  great  familiarity. 


56  Rutherford's  letters. 

LETTER  XVII. 

TO      MY      LADY      KENMURE. 

Madam, — Understanding-,  a  little  after  the  writing  of  my  last 
letter,  of  the  going-  of  this  bearer,  I  would  not  omit  the  opportu- 
nity of  remembering  your  Ladyship,  still  harping  upon  that  string 
which,  in  our  whole  lifetime,  is  never  too  often  touched  upon,  nor 
is  our  lesson  well  enough  learned,  that  there  is  a  necessity  of  ad- 
vancing in  the  way  to  the  Kingdom  of  God,  of  the  contempt  of 
the  world,  of  denying  ourself,  and  of  bearing  of  our  Lord's  cross ; 
which  is  no  less  needful  for  us  than  daily  food.  And  among  many 
marks  that  we  are  on  this  journey,  and  under  sail  toward  Heaven, 
this  is  one,  when  the  love  of  God  so  filleth  our  hearts  that  we  for- 
get to  love  and  care  too  much  for  the  having  or  wanting  of  other 
things ;  as  one  extreme  heat  burnetii  out  another.  By  this, 
madam,  ye  know  that  ye  have  betrothed  your  soul  in  marriage  to 
Christ,  when  ye  do  make  but  small  reckoning  of  all  other  suitors 
or  wooers,  and  when  ye  can,  (having  little  in  hand,  but  much  in 
hope)  live  as  a  young  heir  during  the  time  of  his  non-age  and 
minority,  being  content  to  be  as  hardly  handled,  and  under  as 
precise  a  reckoning  as  servants,  because  his  hope  is  upon  the  in- 
heritance. For  this  cause,  God's  bairns'  take  well  with  the  spoil- 
ing of  their  goods,  (Heb.  x.  34,)  knowing  in  themselves  that  they 
have  in  Heaven  a  better  and  an  enduring  substance.  That  day 
that  the  earth  and  the  works  therein  shall  be  burned  with  fire, 
(2  Pet.  iii.  10,)  your  hidden  hope  and  your  hidden  life  shall  ap- 
pear. And,  therefore,  since  ye  have  not  now  many  years  of  your 
endless  eternity,  and  know  not  how  soon  the  sky  above  your  head 
shall  rive,  and  the  Son  of  Man  be  seen  in  the  clouds  of  Heaven, 
what  better  and  wiser  course  can  ye  take  than  to  think  that  your 
one  foot  is  here,  and  your  other  foot  in  the  life  to  come,  and  to 
leave  off  loving,  desiring,  or  grieving  for  the  wants  that  shall  be 
made  up,  when  your  Lord  and  ye  shall  meet,  and  when  ye  shall 
give  in  your  bill  that  day  of  all  your  wants  here  ?  If  your  losses 
be  not  made  up,  ye  have  place  to  challenge  the  Almighty;  but  it 
shall  not  be  so.  Ye  shall  then  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and 
full  of  glory,  and  your  joy  shall  none  take  from  you,  (1  Pet.  i.  8; 
John  xvi.  22.) 

It  is  enough,  that  the  Lord  hath  promised  you  great  things  ; 
only  let  the  time  of  bestowing  them  be  in  his  own  carving.  It  is 
not  for  us  to  set  an  hour-glass  to  the  Creator  of  time,  since  he  and 
we  differ  only  in  the  term  of  payment.  Since  he  hath  promised 
payment,  and  we  believe  it,  it  is  no  great  matter,  we  will  put  that 
in  his  own  will ;  as  the  frank  buyer,  who  cometh  near  to  what 
the  seller  seeketh,  useth  at  last  to  refer  the  difference  to  his  will, 
and  so  cutteth  off  the  course  of  nuitual  prigging.*     Madam,  do  not 

»  Children.  2  Chafferinir. 


Rutherford's  letters.  57 

prig'  with  your  frank-hearted  and  gracious  Lord  about  the  time 
of  the  fulfiUing  of  your  joys.  It  shall  be — God  hath  said  it.  Bide 
his  harvest,  wait  upon  his  whitsunday.^  His  day  is  better  than 
your  day.  He  putteth  not  the  hooi^^  into  the  corn  till  it  be  ripe 
and  full-eared.  The  great  Angel  of  the  Covenant  bear  you  com- 
pany, till  the  trumpet  shall  sound  and  the  voice  of  the  Archangel 
awaken  the  dead.  Ye  shall  find  it  your  only  happiness,  under 
whatever  thing  disturbeth  and  crosseth  the  peace  of  your  mind  in 
this  life,  to  love  nothing  for  itself,  but  only  God  for  himself  It  is 
the  crooked  love  of  some  harlots,  that  they  love  bracelets,  ear- 
rinofs,  and  riagrs,  better  than  the  lover  that  sendeth  them :  but 
God  will  not  be  so  loved  :  for  that  were  to  behave  as  harlots,  and 
not  as  the  chaste  spouse,  to  abate  from  our  love  wdien  these  things 
are  pulled  away.  Our  love  to  him  should  begin  on  earth,  as  it 
shall  be  in  Heaven.  For,  as  the  bride  taketh  not  by  a  thousand 
degrees  so  much  delight  in  her  wedding-garment  as  she  doth  in 
her  bridegroom,  so  we,  in  the  life  to  come,  howbeit  clothed  with 
glory  as  with  a  robe,  shall  not  be  so  much  affected  with  the  glory 
that  goeth  about  us  as  with  the  Bridegroom's  joyful  face  and  pres- 
ence. Madam,  if  ye  can  win*  to  this  here,  the  field  is  won  ;  and 
your  mind,  for  anything  ye  want,  or  for  anything  your  Lord  can 
take  from  you,  shall  soon  be  calmed  and  quieted.  Get  himself  as 
a  pawn,  and  keep  him,  till  your  dear  Lord  come  and  loose  the 
pawn,  rue  upon  you,  and  give  you  all  again  that  he  took  from 
you,  even  a  thousand  talents  for  one  penny.  It  is  not  ill  to  lend 
God  willingly,  who  otherwise  both  will  and  may  take  from  you 
against  your  will.  It  is  good  to  play  the  usurer  with  him,  and 
take  in,  instead  of  ten  of  the  hundred,  an  hundred  of  ten,  often  an 
hundred  of  one. 

Madam,  fearing  to  be  tedious  to  you,  I  break  off  here,  commend- 
ing you,  as  I  trust  to  do  while  I  live,  your  person,  ways,  burdens, 
and  all  that  concerneth  you,  to  that  Almighty,  who  is  able  to  bear 
you  and  your  burdens.  I  still  remember  you  to  Him,  who  will 
cause  you  one  day  to  laugh.  I  expect  that  whatever  ye  can  do 
by  word  or  deed,  for  the  Lord's  friendless  Zion,  ye  will  do  it.  She 
is  your  Mother,  forget  her  not,  for  the  Lord  intendeth  to  melt  and 
try  this  land  ;  and  it  is  high  time  that  we  were  all  upon  our  feet, 
and  falling  about ^  to  try  what  claim  we  have  to  Christ.  It  is  like 
that  the  Bridegroom  will  be  taken  from  us,  and  then  we  shall 
mourn.     Dear  Jesus,  remove  not,  else  take  us  with  thee  ! 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you  forever. 

Your  Ladyship's,  at  all  dutiful  obedience,  S.  R. 

Anwoth,  Jan.  14,  1632. 

I  Higgle.  2  Termday.  3  Sickle,  *  Attain. 

*  Searching  about. 


I 
58  Rutherford's  letters. 

LETTER  XVIII. 

\  TO     MY     LADY     K  E  N  M  U  R  E  . 

Madam, — Your  Ladyship  will  not,  I  know,  weary  nor  be  of- 
fended, though  I  trouble  you  with  many  letters:  the  memory  of^ 
w^hat  obligations  I  am  under  to  your  Ladyship  is  the  cause  of  it, 

I  am  possibly  impertinent  in  what  I  write,  because  of  my  igno- 
rance of  your  present  estate ;  but,  for  all  that  is  said,  I  have 
learned  of  Mr.  William  Dalgleish  that  ye  have  not  changed  upon, 
nor  wearied  of  your  sweet  Master,  Christ,  and  his  service  ;  neither 
were  it  your  part  to  change  upon  Him,  who  resteth  in  his  love. 
Ye  are  among  honorable  company,  and  such  as  affect  grandeur 
and  court.  But,  madam,  thinking  upon  your  estate,  I  think  that 
I  see  an  improvident  wooer,  coming  too  late  to  seek  a  bride,  be- 
cause she  is  contracted  already,  and  promised  away  to  another; 
and  so  the  wooer's  busking'  and  bravery  (who  cometh  to  you  as, 
who  but  he !)  is  in  vain.  The  outward  pomp  of  this  busy  wooer, 
a  beguiling  world,  is  now  coming  in  to  suit^  your  soul  too  late, 
when  ye  have  promised  away  your  soul  to  Christ  many  years  ago. 
And  I  know,  madam,  what  answer  ye  may  justly  make  to  the 
late  suitor ;  even  this,  "  Ye  are  too  long  in  coming.  My  soul,  the 
bride,  is  away  already,  and  the  contract  with  Christ  subscribed; 
and  I  cannot  choose  but  I  must  be  honest  and  faithful  to  him." 
Honorable  Lady,  keep  your  first  love,  and  hold  the  first  match 
with  that  soul-delighting,  lovely  Bridegroom,  our  sweet,  sweet 
.  Lord,  Jesus,  fairer  than  all  the  children  of  men,  the  Rose  of  Sha- 
ron, and  the  fairest  and  sweetest-smelled  rose  in  all  his  Father's 
garden.  There  is  none  like  him.  I  would  not  exchange  one 
smile  of  his  lovely  face  with  kingdoms.  Madam,  let  others  take 
their  silly-  feckless^  heaven  in  this  hfe.  Envy  them  not ;  but  let 
your  soul,  like  a  tarrowing^  and  mislearned^  child,  take  the  dorts, '^ 
as  we  use  to  speak,  or  cast  at^  all  things,  and  disdain  them,  ex- 
cept one  only — either  Christ  or  nothing.  Your  Well-beloved, 
Jesus,  will  be  content,  that  ye  be  here  devoutly  proud,  and  ill-*  to 
please,  as  one  that  contenmeth  all  husbands  but  himself.  Either 
the  King's  Son  or  no  husband  at  all — -this  is  humble  and  worthy 
ambition.  What  have  ye  to  do  to  dally  with  a  whorish  and  fool- 
ish world  ?  Your  jealous  husband  will  not  be  content  that  ye 
look  by  '"  him  to  another  :  he  will  be  jealous  indeed,  and  offended, 
if  ye  kiss  another  than  himself. 

What  weights  do  burden  you,  madam,  I  know  not,  but  think  it 
great  mercy  that  your  Lord  from  your  youth  hath  been  hedging-in 
your  out-straying  affections,  that  they  may  not  go  a-whoring  from 
himself     If  ye  were  his  bastard,  he  would  not  nurture  you  so  :  if 

1  Decking.  2  Court.  3  Contemptible.  *  Poor,  unreal. 

5   To  /arrow,  to  feel  reluctance,  especially  to  lake  one's  food,  arisincr  from  some 
pettisli  humor.                  «  Illbred.               T  Pe't.  8  Object  to 

9  Hard.  10  Past. 


Rutherford's  letters.  59 

ye  were  for  the  slaughter,  ye  would  be  fattened ;  but  be  content, 
ye  are  his  wheat  growing  in  our  Lord's  field,  (Matt.  xiii.  25,  38.) 
And  if  wheat,  ye  must  go  under  our  Lord's  threshing  instrument, 
in  his  barn-tioor,  and  go  through  his  sieve,  (Amos  ix.  9,)  and 
through  his  mill  to  be  bruised,  as  the  Prince  of  our  salvation, 
Jesus,  was,  (Isa.  liii.  10,)  that  ye  may  be  found  good  bread  in  your 
Lord's  house.  Lord  Jesus,  bless  the  sjDiritual  husbandry,  and 
separate  you  from  the  chaff  that  dow  not  bide*  the  wind.  I  am 
persuaded  that  your  glass  is  spending  itself  by  little  and  little,  and 
that  if  3'e  knew  who  is  before  you,  ye  would  rejoice  in  your  tribu- 
lation. Think  ye  it  a  small  honor  to  stand  beibre  the  throne  of 
God  and  the  Lamb,  and  to  be  clothed  in  white,  and  to  be  called 
to  tlie  marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb,  and  to  be  led  to  the  Fountain 
of  living  waters,  and  to  come  to  the  well-head,  even  God  himself, 
and  get  your  fill  of  the  clear,  cold,  sweet,  refreshing  Water  of  life, 
the  King's  own  well,  and  to  put  up  your  own  sinful  hand  to  the 
Tree  of  Life,  and  take  down  and  eat  the  sweetest  apple  in  all 
God's  heavenly  paradise,  Jesus  Christ,  your  Life  and  your  Lord? 
Up  your  heart !  shout  for  joy  !  your  King  is  coming  to  fetch  you 
to  his  Father's  house. 

Madam,  I  am  in  exceeding  great  heaviness ;  God  thinking  it 
best  for  my  own  soul  thus  to  exercise  me,  thereby,  it  may  be,  to 
fit  me  to  be  his  mouth  to  others ;  I  see  and  hear,  at  home  and 
abroad,  nothing  but  matter  of  grief  and  discouragement,  which 
indeed  maketh  my  life  bitter — and  I  hope  in  God  never  to  get  my 
will  in  this  world.  And  I  expect  ere  long  a  fiery  trial  upon  the 
Church  ;  for  as  many  men  almost  in  England  and  Scotland,  as 
many  false  friends  to  Christ,  and  as  many  pulling  and  drawing  to 
pull  the  crown  off  his  holy  head  ;  and  for  fear  that  our  Beloved 
stay  amongst  us,  (as  if  his  room  were  more  desirable  than  himself,) 
men  are  bidding  him  go  seek  his  lodging.  Madam,  if  ye  have  a 
part  in  silly°  friendless  Zion,  as  I  know  ye  have,  speak  a  word  on 
her  behalf  to  God  and  man.  If  ye  can  do  nothing  else,  speak  for 
Jesus,  and  ye  shall  thereby  be  a  witness  against  this  declining  age. 
Now,  from  my  very  soul,  laying  and  leavflig  you  on  the  Lord,  and 
desiring  a  part  in  your  prayers,  (as  my  Lord  knoweth  tiiat  I  re- 
member you,)  I  deliver  over  your  body,  spirit,  and  all  your  neces- 
sities, to  the  hands  of  our  Lord,  and  remain  forever, 

Your  Ladyship's,  in  your  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  and  mine,      S.  R. 

Anwoth,  Feb.  13,  1632. 


LETTER  XIX. 

for      MARION      MACKNAUGHT. 

Beloved  Mistress, — My  dearest  love  in  Christ  remembered 
to  you — know  that  Mr.  Abraham  showed  me  that  there  is  to  be  a 

*  la  not  able  to  stand.  *  Poor,  in  the  sense  of  exciting  compassion. 


60  Rutherford's  letters. 

meeting  of  the  Bishops  at  Edinburgh  shortly.  The  causes  are 
known  to  themselves  ;  it  is  our  part  to  hold  up  our  hands  for  Zion. 
Howbeit  it  is  reported  that  they  came  sad  from  court.  It  is  our 
Lord's  wisdom  that  his  Kirk  should  ever  hing'  by  a  thread  ;  and 
yet  the  thread  breaketh  not,  being  hung  upon  Him,  who  is  the 
sure  Nail  in  David's  house,  (Isaiah  xxii.  ver.  23,)  upon  whom  all 
the  vessels,  great  and  small,  do  hang :  and  the  Nail  (God  be 
thanked)  neither  crooketh,  nor  can  be  broken.  Jesus,  that  Flower 
of  Jesse,  set  without  hands,  getteth  many  a  blast,  and  yet  wither- 
eth  not,  because  he  is  his  Father's  noble  Rose,  casting  a  sweet 
smell  through  Heaven  and  earth,  and  must  grow ;  and  in  the 
same  garden  with  him  grow  the  saints,  God's  fair  and  beautiful 
lilies,  vmder  wind  and  rain,  and  all  sun-burned,  and  yet  life  re- 
maineth  at  the  root.  Keep  within  his  garden,  and  ye  shall  grow 
with  them,  till  the  great  Husbandman,  our  dear  Master-gardener, 
come,  and  transplant  you  from  the  lower  part  of  his  vineyard  up 
to  the  higher,  to  the  very  heart  of  his  garden,  above  the  wrongs 
of  the  rain,  sun,  or  wind  ;  and  then  wait  upon  the  times  of  the  blow- 
ing of  the  sweet  south  and  north  wind  of  his  gracious  Spirit,  that 
may  make  you  cast  a  sweet  smell  in  your  Beloved's  nostrils ;  and 
bid  your  Beloved  come  down  to  his  garden,  and  eat  of  his  pleasant 
fruits.  (Cant.  iv.  ver.  16.)  And  he  will  come.  Ye  will  get  no 
more  than  this,  until  ye  come  up  to  the  Well-head,  where  he  shall 
put  up  your  hand,  and  take  down  the  apples  of  the  Tree  of  Life, 
and  eat  luider  the  shadow  of  that  Tree — these  apples  are  sweeter 
up  beside  the  Tree,  than  they  are  down  here,  in  this  piece  of  a 
clay  prison-liouse.  I  have  no  joy  but  in  the  thoughts  of  these 
times.  Doubt  not  of  your  Lord's  part,  and  the  Spouse's  part — she 
shall  be  in  good  case.  That  word  shall  stand,  (Hosea  xiv.  5,)  "I 
will  be  as  tlie  dew  to  Israel,  he  shall  grow  up  as  the  lily  ;  and  cast 
out  his  roots  as  Lebanon."  (Ver.  6,)  "His  branches  shall  spread, 
his  beaut}'"  shall  be  as  the  olive-tree,  and  his  smell  as  Lebanon." 
(Isaiah  xi.  ver.  12,)  Christ  shall  set  up  his  colors,  and  his  ensign 
for  the  nations,  and  shall  gather  together  the  outcasts  of  Israel. 
(Ezek.  xxxvii.  11,)  "Then  the  Lord  said  to  me.  Son  of  man,  these 
dead  bones  are  the  whole  House  of  Israel;  behold,  they  say.  Our 
bones  are  dried,  our  hope  is  lost,  we  are  cut  off  for  our  parts."  (Ver. 
12,)  "  Therefore  prophesy  unto  them,  and  say.  Thus  saith  the 
Lord  God,  Behold,  O  my  people,  I  will  open  your  graves,  and 
cause  you  come  up  out  of  your  graves,  and  bring  you  unto  the 
land  of  Israel."  These  promises  are  not  wind,  but  the  breast  of 
our  Beloved,  Christ,  which  we  nuist  suck,  and  draw  comfort  out  of. 
We  have  cause  to  pity  those  poor  creatures,  that  stand  out 
against  Christ,  and  the  building  of  his  house.  Silly  men,  they 
have  but  a  feckless"  and  silly'  heaven,  nothing  but  meat  and 
clothes  ;  and  they  laugh  a  day  or  two  in  the  world,  and  then  in  a 
moment  go  down  to  the  grave.     And  they  shall  not  be  able  to 

1  Hang.  2  Unsubstantial  '  Despicable. 


Rutherford's  letters.  61 

hinder  Christ's  building ;  he  that  is  Master  of  the  work,  will 
lead  stones '  to  tlie  wall  over  their  belly. 

And  for  that  present  tumult,  that  the  children  of  this  world 
raise  anent"  the  planting  of  your  town  with  a  pastor,  believe  and 
stay  upon  God  (as  ye  still  shame  us  all  in  believing;)  go  forward 
in  the  strength  of  the  Lord,  and  from  my  Lord  I  say,  before 
whom  I  stand,  have  your  eyes  upon  none  but  the  Lord  of  armies; 
and  the  Lord  will  either  let  ye  see  what  ye  long  to  see,  or  then 
fulfil  your  joy  more  abundantly  another  way.  Ye  and  yours, 
and  the  children  of  God  whom  ye  care  for,  in  that  town,  shall 
have  as  much  of  the  Son  of  God's  supper,  cut  and  laid  down  upon 
your  trenchers,  be  he  who  he  will  that  carveth,  as  shall  feed  you 
to  eternal  life.  And  be  not  cast  down  for  all  that  is  done,  your 
reward  is  laid  up  with  God.  I  hope  to  see  ye  laugh  and  leap 
for  joy.  Will  the  temple  be  built  without  din  and  tumult?  No  ! 
God's  stones  of  his  house  in  Germany  are  laid  with  blood  ;  and 
the  Son  of  God  no  sooner  beginneth  to  chop  and  hew  stones  with 
his  hammer,  but  as  soon  the  sword  is  drawn.  If  the  work  were 
of  men,  the  world  would  set  their  shoulders  to  yours;  but  in 
Christ's  work,  two  or  three  must  fight  against  a  presbytery, 
(though  his  own  court,)  and  a  city.  This  proveth  that  it  is 
Christ's  errand,  and,  therefore,  that  it  shall  thrive.  Let  them  lay 
iron  chains  cross  over  the  door, — stay,  and  believe,  and  wait,  whill* 
the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  come.  And  He,  that  cometh  from 
Heaven  clothed  with  the  rainbow,  and  hath  the  little  book  in  his 
hand,  when  he  taketh  a  grip*  of  their  chains,  will  lay  the  door 
upon  the  broad-side,*  and  come  in,  and  go  up  to  the  pulpit,  and 
take  the  man  with  him  whom  he  hath  chosen  for  his  work.  There- 
fore, let  me  hear  from  you,  whether  you  be  in  heaviness,  or  re- 
joicing under  hope,  that  I  may  take  part  of  your  grief,  and  bear 
it  with  you,  and  get  part  of  your  joy,  which  is  to  me  also  as  my 
own  joy. 

And  as  to  what  are  your  fears  anent  ^  the  health  or  life  of  your 
dear  children,  lay  it  upon  Christ's  shoulders ;  let  him  bear  all. 
Loose  your  grips*  of  them  all ;  and,  when  your  dear  Lord  pulleth, 
let  them  go  with  faith  and  joy ;  it  is  a  tried  faith,  to  kiss  a  Lord 
that  is  taking  from  you.  Let  them  be  careful,  during  the  short 
time  that  they  are  here,  to  run,  and  get  a  grip'  of  the  prize.  Christ 
is  standing  in  the  end  of  their  way,  holding  up  the  garland  of  end- 
less glory  to  their  eyes,  and  is  crying,  "  Run  fast,  and  come,  and 
receive  :"  happy  are  they,  if  their  breath  serve  them  to  run,  and 
not  to  weary,  vvhilP  their  Lord,  with  his  own  dear  hand,  put  the 
crown  upon  their  head.  It  is  not  long  days,  but  good  days,  that 
make  the  life  glorious  and  happy  ;  and  our  dear  Lord  is  gracious 
to  us,  who  shorteneth,  and  hath  made  the  way  to  glory  shorter 
than  it  was :  so  that  the  crown  that  Noah  did  fight  for  five  hun- 
dred years,  children  may  now  obtain  in  fifteen  years.  And  Heaven 
is  in  some  sort  better  for  us  now  than  it  was  to  Noah  :  for  the 

1  To  had  stones,  to  cany  stones  in  a  cart  from  one  place  to  another. 

«  Concerning.  3  Till.  *  Gripe,  hold.  5  Flat  on  the  side. 


62  Rutherford's  letters. 

Man,  Christ,  is  there  now,  who  was  not  come  in  the  flesh  in 
Noah's  days. 

You  will  show  this  to  your  children,  whom  my  soul  in  Christ 
blesseth  ;  and  entreat  them,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  and  the  bowels 
of  Jesus  Christ,  to  covenant  with  Jesus  Christ  to  be  his,  and  to 
make  up  the  bond  of  friendship  betwixt  their  souls  and  their  Christ, 
that  they  may  have  acquaintance  in  Heaven,  and  a  friend  at  God's 
right  hand — such  a  friend  at  court  is  much  worth. 

Now  I  take  my  leave  of  you,  praying  my  Christ,  and  your 
Christ,  to  fulfil  our  joy,  and  moe  graces  and  blessings  from  our 
sweet  Lord  Jesus  to  your  soul,  your  husband's,  and  children,  than 
ever  I  wrote  of  letters  of  A,  B,  C,  to  you. 

Grace,  grace,  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  my  sweet  Master,  Jesus  Christ,  S.  R. 

Anwoth,  March  9,  1632. 


LETTER  XX. 

FOR     MARION     MACKNAUGHT. 

Dearly  beloved  Mistress, — My  love  in  Christ  remembered 
— Ye  are  not  ignorant  what  our  Lord,  in  his  love-visitation,  hath 
been  doing  with  your  soul,  even  letting  you  see  a  little  sight  of 
that  dark  trance  which  ye  must  go  through  ere  you  come  to  glory. 
Your  life  hath  been  near  the  grave,  and  ye  were  at  the  door,  and 
ye  found  the  door  shut  fast ;  your  dear  Christ  thinking  it  not  time 
to  open  these  gates  to  you,  whill '  ye  have  fought  some  longer  in 
his  camp.  And,  therefore,  he  willeth  you  to  put  on  your  armor 
again,  and  to  take  no  truce  with  the  Devil,  or  this  present  world. 
Y^e  are  little  obliged  to  any  of  the  two  :  but  I  rejoice  in  this,  that 
when  any  of  the  two  cometh  to  suit^  your  soul  in  marriage,  ye 
have  an  answer  in  readiness  to  tell  them — "Ye  are  too  long 
a-comitig :  I  have  many  a  year  since  promised  my  soul  to  another, 
even  to  my  dearest  Lord  Jesus,  to  whom  I  must  be  true."  And, 
therefore,  ye  are  come  back  to  us  again,  to  help  us  to  pray  for 
Christ's  fair  Bride— a  marrow^  dear  to  him. 

Be  not  cast  down  in  heart,  to  hear  that  the  world  barketh  at 
Christ's  strangers,  both  in  Ireland  and  in  this  land.  They  do  it 
because  their  Lord  hath  chosen  them  out  of  this  world;  and  this 
is  one  of  our  Lord's  reproaches,  to  be  hated  and  ill-entreated  by 
men:  the  silly*  stranger  in  an  unco^  country,  must  take  with 
smoky  inn,  and  coarse  cheer,  and  a  hard  bed,  and  a  barking  ill- 
tongued  host.  It  is  not  long  to-day,  and  he  will  to  his  journey 
upon  the  morrow,  and  leave  them  all.  Indeed  our  fair  morning 
is  at  hand,  the  day-star  is  near  the  rising,  and  we  are  not  many 
miles  from  home  ;  what  matter  of  ill  entertainment  in  the  smoky 

1  Till.  2  Court.  3  Partner.  *  Poor.  s  Strange. 


Rutherford's  letters.  63 

inn  of  this  miserable  life  ?  We  are  not  to  stay  here,  and  we  shall 
be  dearly  welcome  to  Him  whom  we  go  to.  And  I  hope,  that 
when  I  shall  see  you  clothed  in  white  raiment,  washen  '  in  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  shall  see  you  even  at  the  elbow  of  your 
dearest  Lord  and  Redeemer,  and  a  crown  upon  your  head,  and 
following  our  Lamb,  and  lovely  Lord  whithersoever  he  goeth,  ye 
will  think  nothing  of  all  these  days,  and  ye  will  then  rejoice,  and 
no  man  shall  take  your  joy  from  you.  And  it  is  certain  there  is 
not  much  sand  to  run  in  your  Lord's  sand-glass,  and  that  day  is 
at  hand,  and,  till  then,  your  Lord  in  this  life  is  giving  you  some 
little  feasts.  It  is  true  that  ye  see  him  not  now,  as  ye  shall  see 
him  then.  Your  Well-beloved  standeth  now  behind  the  wall, 
looking  out  at  the  window,  (Cant.  ii.  9,)  and  ye  see  but  a  little  of 
his  face;  then  ye  shall  see  all  his  face,  and  all  the  Saviour, — a. 
long,  and  high,  and  broad  Lord  Jesus,  the  most  lovely  person 
among  the  ciiildren  of  men.  O  joy  of  joys  !  that  our  souls  know 
there  is  such  a  great  supper  preparing  for  us ;  even  howbeit  we  be 
but  half-hungered'  of  Christ  here,  and  many  a  time  dine  behind 
noon,'  yet  the  supper  of  the  Lamb  shall  come  in  Xime,  and  will  be 
set  before  us,  before  we  famish,  and  lose  our  stomachs.  Ye  have 
cause  to  hold  up  your  heart  in  remembrance,  and  hope  of  that  fair, 
long,  summer-day;  for  in  this  night  of  your  life,  wherein  ye  are 
in  the  body,  absent  from  the  Lord,  Christ's  fair  moon-light,  in  his 
word  and  sacraments,  in  prayer,  feeling,  and  holy  conference, 
hath  shined  upon  you,  to  let  you  see  the  way  to  the  city. 

I  confess  that  our  diet  here  is  but  sparing  ;  we  get  but  tastings 
of  our  Lord's  comforts ;  but  the  cause  of  that  is  not  because  our 
Steward,  Jesus,  is  a  niggard,  and  narrow-hearted,  but  because  our 
stomachs  are  weak,  and  we  are  narrow-hearted  :  but  the  great 
feast  is  coming,  when  our  hearts  shall  be  enlarged,  and  the  cham- 
bers of  them  made  fair  and  wide,  to  take  in  the  great  Lord  Jesus 
— come  in,  then.  Lord  Jesus,  to  hungry  souls,  gaping  for  thee ! 
In  this  journey  take  the  Bridegroom,  as  ye  may  have  him,  and  be 
greedy  of  his  smallest  crumbs :  but,  dear  mistress,  buy  none  of 
Christ's  delicates  spiritual  with  sin,  or  fasting  against  your  weak 
body.  Remember  that  ye  are  in  the  bod}^,  and  it  is  the  lodging- 
house,  and  ye  may  not,  without  offending  the  Lord,  suffer  the  old 
walls  of  that  house  to  fall  down,  through  want  of  necessary  food. 
Your  body  is  the  dwelling-house  of  the  Spirit ;  and.  therefore,  for 
the  love  ye  carry  to  the  sweet  Guest,  give  a  due  regard  to  his 
house  of  clay.  When  he  looseth  the  wall,  why  not?  welcome, 
Lord  Jesus !  but  it  is  a  fearful  sin  in  us,  by  hurting  the  body  by 
fasting,  to  loose  one  stone,  or  the  least  piece  of  timber  in  it ;  for 
the  house  is  not  our  own,  the  Bridegroom  is  with  you  yet ;  so  fast, 
as  that,  also,  ye  may  feast  and  rejoice  in  him. 

I  think  upon  your  magistrates  ;  but  He,  that  is  clothed  in  linen, 
and  hath  the  writer's  in.k-horn  by  his  side,  hath  written  up  their 
names  in  Heaven  already— pray,  and  be  content  with  his  will. 

1  Washed.  2  Half- fed. 

3  Dinner,  in  the  days  of  Rutherford,  was  never  later  than  noon. 


64  Rutherford's  letters. 

God  hath  a  council-house  in  Heaven,  and  the  end  will  be  mercy 
unto  you.  For  the  planting  of  your  town  with  a  godly  minister, 
have  your  eye  upon  the  Lord  of  the  harvest.  I  dare  promise  you 
that  God,  in  this  life,  will  fill  your  soul  with  the  fatness  of  his 
house,  for  your  care  to  see  Christ's  bairns  fed  ;  and  your  posterity 
shall  know  it,  to  whom  I  pray  for  mercy,  and  that  they  may  get 
a  name  among  the  living  in  Jerusalem ;  and  if  God  portion  them 
with  his  bairns,  their  rent  is  fair,  and  I  hope  it  shall  be  so. 

The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 

Yours,  ever  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

Anwoth,  Sept.  19,  1632. 


LETTER  XXL 

FOR      MARION      MACKNAUGHT. 

Well-beloved  Sister  in  Christ, — Ye  shall  understand 
that  I  have  received  a  letter  from  Edinburgh,  that  it  is  suspected 
that  there  will  be  a  General  Assembly,  or  then  '■  some  meeting  of 
the  Bishops  ;  and  that  at  this  Synod  there  will  be  some  commis- 
sioners chosen  by  the  Bishop ;  which  news  have  so  taken  up  my 
mind,  that  I  am  not  so  settled  for  studies  as  I  have  been  before ; 
and,  therefore,  was  never  in  such  fear  for  the  work.  But,  because 
it  is  written  to  me  as  a  secret,  I  dare  not  reveal  it  to  any,  but  to 
yourself  whom  I  know  :  and,  therefore,  I  entreat  you,  not  for  any 
comfort  of  mine,  who  am  but  one  man,  but  for  the  glory  and 
honor  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Master  of  the  banquet,  be  more  earnest 
with  God,  and,  in  general,  show  others  of  your  Christian  acquaint- 
ance my  fears  for  myself.  I  can  be  content  of  shame  in  that  work, 
if  my  Lord  and  Master  be  honored :  and,  therefore,  petition  our 
Lord,  especially  to  see  to  his  own  glory,  and  to  give  bread  to  his 
hungry  bairns,  howbeit  I  go  hungry  away  from  the  feast. 

Request  Mr.  Robert  from  me,  if  he  come  not,  to  remember  us  to 
our  Lord. 

I  have  neither  time,  nor  a  free  disposed  mind,  to  write  to  you 
anent''^  your  own  case.  Send  me  word  if  all  your  children  and 
your  husband  be  well.  Seeing  they  are  not  yours,  but  your  dear 
Lord's,  esteem  them  but  as  borrowed,  and  lay  them  down  at  God's 
feet — your  Christ  to  you  is  better  than  they  all. 

You  will  pardon  my  unaccustomed  short  letter ;  and  remember 
me,  and  that  honorable  feast,  to  our  Lord  Jesus.  He  was  with  us 
before :  I  hope  he  will  not  change  upon  us,  but  I  fear  that  I  have 
changed  upon  him — but,  Lord  !  let  old  kindness  stand. 

Jesus  Christ  be  with  your  spirit. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord,  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Anwoth. 

I  Otherwise.  *  Concerning. 


Rutherford's  letters.  65 

LETTER  XXIT. 

FOR      MARION      MACKNAUGHT. 

Well-beloved,  and  Dear  Sister, — My  tender  affection  in 
Christ  remembered — I  left  you  in  as  great  heaviness  as  I  was  in 
since  I  came  to  tliis  country ;  but  I  know  that  ye  doubt  not  that 
(as  the  truth  in  Christ  is)  my  soul  is  knit  to  your  soul,  and  to  the 
souls  of  all  yours,  and  would,  if  I  could,  send  you  the  largest  part 
of  my  heart  inclosed  in  this  letter.  But  by  fervent  calling  upon 
my  Lord,  I  have  attained  some  victory  over  my  heart,  which  run- 
neth often  not  knowing  whither,  and  of  my  beguiling  hopes,  which 
I  know  now  better  than  I  did.  And  I  trust  in  my  Lord  to  hold 
aloof  from  the  enticings  of  a  seducing  heart,  by  which  I  am  daily 
cozened  ;  and  I  mind  not,  by  His  grace,  who  hath  called  me  ac- 
cording to  his  eternal  purpose,  to  come  so  far  within  the  grips '  of 
my  foolish  mind,  gripping  about ^  any  folly  coming  its  way,  as  the 
woodbine  or  ivy  goeth  about  the  tree. 

I  adore  and  kiss  the  providence  of  my  Lord,  who  knoweth  well 
what  is  most  expedient  for  me,  and  for  you,  and  your  children: 
and  I  think  of  you,  as  of  myself,  that  the  Lord,  who  turneth  about, 
in  his  deep  wisdom,  all  the  v*'heels  and  turnings  of  such  changes, 
will  also  dispose  of  that  for  tlie  best  to  you  and  yours.  In  the  pres- 
ence of  my  Lord,  I  am  not  able,  howbeit  I  would,  to  conceive 
amiss  of  you  in  that  matter.  Grace,  grace  forever  upon  you  and 
your  seed  ;  and  it  shall  be  your  portion,  in  despite  of  all  the  powers 
of  darkness:  do  not  make  more  cpiestion  of  this.  But  the  Lord 
saw  a  nail  in  my  heart  loose,  and  he  hath  now  fastened  it — honor 
be  to  his  Majesty. 

I  hear  that  your  son  is  entered  to  the  school.  If  I  had  known 
of  the  day,  I  would  have  begged  from  our  Lord,  that  he  would 
have  put  the  book  in  his  hand,  with  his  own  hand.  I  trust  in 
my  Lord  it  is  so,  and  I  conceive  a  hope  to  see  him  a  star  to 
give  light  in  some  room  of  our  Lord's  house  ;  and  purpose,  by 
the  Lord's  grace,  as  I  am  able,  (if  our  Lord  call  you  to  rest  be- 
fore me,)  when  you  are  at  your  home,  to  do  the  uttermost  of  my 
power  to  help  him  every  way,  in  grace  and  learning,  and  his 
brother,  and  all  your  children— and  I  hope  that  ye  would  expect 
that  of  me. 

Further,  ye  shall  know  that  Mr.  William  Dalgleish  is  come 
home ;  who  saith  it  is  a  miracle  that  your  husband,  in  this  pro- 
cess before  the  Council,  escaped  both  discredit  and  damage.  Let 
it  not  be  forgotten  that  he  was,  in  our  apprehension,  to  our  grief, 
cast  down  and  humbled  in  the  Lord's  work,  in  that  matter  betwixt 
him  and  the  baillie;^  now  the  Lord  hath  Jionored  him,  and  made 
him  famous  for  virtue,  honesty,  and  integrity,  two  several  times, 

•  Grasp.  2  Clasping  about. 

'  A  magistrate  in  a  Scottish  borough,  similar  to  an  alderman  in  England. 

5 


66  Rutherford's  letters. 

before  the  nobles   of  this  kingdom.     Your  Lord  hveth ;  we  will 
go  to  his  throne  of  grace  again ;  his  arm  is  not  shortened. 

The  King  is  certainly  expected.  Ill  is  feared.  We  have  cause, 
for  our  sins,  to  fear  that  the  Bridegroom  shall  be  taken  from  us ; 
by  our  sins,  we  have  rent  his  fair  garments,  and  we  have  stirred 
up  and  awakened  our  Beloved.  Pray  him  to  tarry,  or  then'  to  take 
us  with  him.  It  were  good  that  we  should  knock  and  rap  at  the 
Lord's  door :  we  may  not  tire  to  knock  oftener  than  twice  or  thrice 
— he  knoweth  the  knock  of  his  friends. 

I  am  still  what  I  was  ever  to  your  dear  children,  tendering 
their  souls'  happiness,  and  praying  that  grace,  grace,  grace,  mercy 
and  peace  from  God,  even  God  our  Father,  and  our  Lord  Jesus, 
may  be  their  portion  ;  and  that  now,  while  they  are  green  and 
young,  their  hearts  may  take  band'^  with  Jesus,  the  Corner-stone, 
and  win^  once  in,  into  our  Lord  and  Saviour's  house,  and  then 
they  will  not  get  leave  to  flit. 

Pray  for  me,  and  especially  for  humility  and  thankfulness.  I 
have  always  remembrance  of  you  and  your  husband,  and  dear 
children.     The  Lord,  Jesus,  be  with  your  spirit. 

Yours  evermore,  in  my  dear  Lord  Jesus,  and  yours,     S.  R. 

Anwoth. 


LETTER  XXIII. 

TO      MARION      MACKNAUGHT. 

Well-beloved,  and  Dear  Sister, — My  love  in  Christ  re- 
membered— God  hath  brought  me  home  from  a  place,  where  I 
have  been  exercised  with  great  heaviness  ;  and  I  have  found  at 
home  a  new  matter  of  heaviness,  yet  dare  not  but  in  all  things 
give  thanks. 

In  my  business  in  Edinburgh,  I  have  not  sinned,  nor  wronged 
my  party,  by  his  own  confession,  and  by  the  confession  of  his 
friends.  I  have  given  of  my  goods  for  peace,  and  the  saving  of 
my  Lord's  truth  from  reproaches,  which  is  dearer  to  me  than  all  I 
have.  My  mother  is  weak,  and  I  think  shall  leave  me  alone  ;  but 
I  am  not  alone,  because  Christ's  Father  is  with  me. 

For  your  business  anent^  your  town,  I  see  great  evidences  ;  but 
Satan  and  his  instruments  are  against  it,  and  few  set  their  should- 
ers to  Christ's  shoulder  to  help  him.  But  he  will  do  all  his  lone  ;" 
and  I  dare  not  but  exhort  you  to  believe,  and  persuade  you,  that 
the  hungry  in  your  city  shall  be  fed;  and  as  for  the  rest,  that 
want  a  stomach,  the  parings  of  God's  loaf  will  suffice  them — and, 
therefore,  believe  it  shall  be  well.  I  may  not  leave  iriy  mother 
to  come  and  confer  with  you  of  all  particulars  :  I  have  given  such 

'  OQierwise. 

2  To  take  band,  to  unite.  Liine  is  said  to  take  band  with  the  stones  in  a  building 
when  it  unites  with  them. 

J  Get.  <  Concerning.  s  By  himself  alone. 


Rutherford's  letters.  67 

directions  to  our  dear  friend  as  I  can,  but  the  event  is  in  our 
Lord's  hand. 

God's  Zion  abroad  flourisheth ;  and  his  arm  is  not  shortened 
with  us,  if  we  could  beheve.  There  is  a  scarcity  and  famine  of 
the  word  of  God,  in  Edinburgh. 

Your  sister  Jean  laboreth  mightily  in  our  business  ;  but  hath 
not  as  yet  gotten  an  answer  from  J.  P.  Mr.  A.  C.  will  work  what 
he  can.  My  Lady  saith  she  can  do  little,  and  that  it  suiteth  not 
her  nor  her  husband  well  to  speak  in  such  an  affair.  I  told  her 
my  mind  plainly. 

I  long  to  know  of  your  estate.  Remember  me  heartily  to  your 
dear  husband  :  grace  be  the  portion  of  your  bairns.  I  know  that 
you  are  mindful  of  the  green  wound  of  our  sister  kirk  in  Ireland. 
Bid  our  Lord  lay  a  plaister  to  it ;  he  hath  good  skill  to  do  so,  and 
set  others  to  work. 

Grace,  grace,  upon  your  soul  and  body,  and  all  yours. 

Yours,  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

Anwoth. 


LETTER  XXIV. 

TO      MY      LADY      KENMURE, 


Madam, — The  cause  of  my  not  writing  to  your  Ladyship,  is 
not  my  forgetfulness  of  )^ou,  but  the  want  of  the  opportunity  of  a 
convenient  bearer;  for  I  am  under  more  than  a  simple  obligation 
to  be  kind  (on  paper  at  least)  to  your  Ladyship. 

I  bless  our  Lord,  through  Christ,  who  halh  brought  you  home 
again  to  your  country,  from  that  place,  where  ye  have  seen  with 
your  eyes  that  which  our  Lord's  truth  taught  you  before,  to  wit, 
that  worldly  glory  is  nothing  but  a  vapor,  a  shadow,  the  foam  of 
the  water,  or  something  less  and  lighter, — even  nothing  ;  and  that 
our  Lord  hath  not  without  cause  said  in  his  word,  (I  Cor.  vii.  31,) 
"The  countenance  or  fashion  of  this  world  passeth  away."  In 
which  place  our  Lord  compareth  it  to  an  image  in  a  looking-glass, 
for  it  is  the  looking-glass  of  Adam's  sons.  Some  come  to  the  glass, 
and  see  in  it  the  pictme  of  honor,  and  but  a  picture  indeed,  for 
true  honor  is  to  be  great  in  the  sight  of  God ;  and  others  see  in  it 
the  shadow  of  riches,  and  but  a  shadow  indeed,  for  durable  riches 
stand,  as  one  of  the  maids  of  Wisdom,  upon  her  left  hand,  (Prov. 
iii.  16  ;)  and  a  third  sort  see  in  it  the  face  of  painted  pleasures,  and 
the  beholders  will  not  believe,  but  the  image  which  they  see  in 
this  glass  is  a  living  man,  till  the  Lord  come  and  break  tlie  glass 
in  pieces,  and  remove  the  face  ;  and  then,  like  Pharaoh  awakened, 
they  say,  "And,  behold,  it  was  a  dream." 

I  know  that  your  Ladyship  thinketh  yourself  little  in  the  com- 
mon of  this  world,  for  the  favorable  aspect  of  any  of  these  three 

*  Under  obligation  to. 


68  Rutherford's  letters. 

painted  faces ;  and  blessed  be  our  Lord  that  it  is  so ;  the  better 
for  you,  madam;  they  are  not  worthy  to  be  wooers  to  suit'  in 
marriage  your  soul, — that  looketh  to  an  higher  match  than  to  be 
married  upon  painted  clay.  Know,  therefore,  madam,  that  the 
place  whither  our  Lord  Jesus  cometh  to  woo  a  bride,  it  is  even  in 
the  furnace:  for  if  ye  be  one  of  Zion's  daughters,  (which  I  ever 
put  beyond  all  question,  since  I  first  had  occasion  to  see  in  your 
Ladyship  such  pregnant  evidences  of  the  grace  of  God,)  the  Lord, 
who  hath  his  fire  in  Zion,  and  his  furnace  in  Jerusalem,  (Isa.  xxxi. 
9,)  is  purifving  you  in  the  furnace.  And,  therefore,  be  content  to 
live  in  it ;  and  every  day  to  be  adding  and  sewing  a  passment^  to 
your  wedding  garment,  that  ye  may  be  at  last  decored-  and  trim- 
med as  a  bride  for  Christ,  a  bride  of  his  own  busking,^  beautified 
in  the  hidden  man  of  the  heart,  forgetting  your  father's  house,  so 
shall  the  King  greatly  desire  your  beauty,  (Psalm  xlv.  IL) 

If  your  Ladyship  be  not  changed,  as  I  hope  that  ye  are  not,  I 
believe  that  ye  esteem  yourself  to  be  of  those  whom  God  hath 
tried  these  many  years,  and  refined  as  silver.  But,  madam,  I 
shall  show  your  Ladyship  a  privilege  that  others  want,  and  which 
ye  have,  in  this  case.  Such  as  are  in  prosperity,  and  are  fatted 
with  earthly  joys,  and  increased  with  children  and  friends,  though 
the  word  of  God  is,  indeed,  written  to  such,  for  their  instruction; 
yet  to  you,  who  are  in  trouble,  (spare  me,  madam,  to  say  this,) 
from  whom  the  Lord  hath  taken  many  children,  and  whom  he 
hath  exercised  otherwise,  there  are  some  chapters,  some  particular 
promises  in  the  word  of  God,  made  in  a  most  especial  manner, 
which  should  never  have  been  yours,  so  as  they  now  are,  if  ye 
had  had  your  portion  in  this  life  as  others  have:  and,  therefore, 
all  the  comforts,  promises,  and  mercies,  which  God  oifereth  to  the 
afllicted,  are  as  so  many  love-letters  written  to  you  :  take  them  to 
you,  madam,  and  claim  your  right,  and  be  not  robbed.  It  is  no 
small  comfort,  that  God  hath  written  some  scriptures  to  you  which 
he  hath  not  written  to  others  ;  ye  seem  rather,  in  this,  to  be  envied 
than  pitied  ;  and  ye  are,  indeed,  in  this,  like  people  of  another 
world,  and  those  that  are  above  the  ordinary  rank  of  inankind, 
whom  our  King  and  Lord,  our  Bridegroom,  Jesus,  in  his  love-let- 
ter to  his  well-beloved  Spouse,  hath  named,  beside  all  the  rest,  and 
hath  written  comforts  and  his  hearty  commendations,  in  the  Ivi. 
of  Isa.,  ver.  4,  5,  and  Ps.  cxlvii.  2,  3,  to  you.  Read  these,  and  the 
like,  and  think  that  your  God  is  like  a  friend,  who  sendeth  a  letter 
to  a  whole  house  and  family,  but  speaketh  in  his  letter  to  some, 
by  name,  that  are  dearest  to  him  in  the  house^ye  are  then, 
madam,  of  the  dearest  friends  of  the  Bridegroom.  If  it  were  law- 
ful, I  would  envy  you,  tliat  God  honored  you  so  above  many  of 
his  dear  children.  Therefore,  madam,  your  part  is,  in  this  case, 
(seeing  God  taketh  nothing  from  you  but  that  which  he  is  to  sup- 
ply with  his  own  presence,)  to  desire  your  Lord  to  know  his  own 

1  To  urge  a  suit. 

2  An  ornament.     Passments  are  strips  of  lace  sewed  upon  clothes. 

3  Decorated.  ♦  Decking. 


Rutherford's  letters.  69 

room,  and  to  take  it  even  upon  biin  to  come  in,  in  the  room  of 
dead  children.  "Jehovah,  know  thy  own  place,  and  take  it  to 
thee  !"  is  all  ye  have  to  say. 

Madam,  I  persuade  myself,  that  this  world  is  to  you  an  unco' 
inn:  and  that  ye  are  like  a  traveller,  who  hath  his  bundle  upon 
his  back,  and  his  staff  in  his  hand,  and  his  feet  upon  the  door- 
threshold.  Go  forward,  honorable  and  elect  Lady,  in  the  strength 
of  your  Lord,  (let  the  world  bide  at  home  and  keep  the  house,) 
with  your  face  toward  him,  who  longeth  more  for  a  sight  of  you 
than  ye  can  do  for  him.  Ere  it  be  long  he  will  see  us.  I  hope  to 
see  you  laugh  as  cheerfully  after  noon, "as  ye  have  mourned  before 
noon.  The  hand  of  the  Lord,  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  be  with  you 
in  your  journey !  What  have  ye  to  do  here  7  this  is  not  your 
mountain  of  rest.  Arise  then,  and  set  your  foot  up  the  mountain  ; 
go  up  out  of  the  wilderness  leaning  upon  the  shoulder  of  your  Be- 
loved, (Cant.  viii.  5.)  If  ye  knew  the  welcome  that  abideth  you 
when  ye  come  home,  ye  would  hasten  your  pace  ;  for  ye  shall  see 
your  Lord  put  up  his  own  holy  hand  to  your  face,  and  wipe  all 
tears  from  your  eyes ;  and  I  trov/  tliat  then  ye  shall  have  some 
joy  of  heart. 

Madam,  paper  willeth  me  to  end,  before  affection.  Remember 
the  estate  of  Zion.  Pray  that  Jerusalem  may  be,  as  Zechariah 
prophesied,  (chap.  xii.  3.)  a  burdensome  stone  for  all ;  that  who- 
soever boweth  down  to  roll  the  stone  out  of  the  way,  may  hurt 
and  break  the  joints  of  their  back,  and  strain'^  their  arms,  and  dis- 
joint their  shoulder-blades  :  and  pray  Jehovah,  that  the  stone  may 
lie  still  in  its  own  place,  and  keep  band'  with  the  Corner-stone. 
I  hope  it  will  be  so  ;  He  is  a  skilled  master-builder  who  laid  it.  I 
should,  madam,  under  great  heaviness,  be  refreshed  with  two  lines 
from  your  Ladyship,  which  I  refer  to  your  own  wisdom. 

Madam,  I  should  seem  undutiful  not  to  show  you,  that  great 
solicitation  is  made  by  the  town  of  Kirkcudbright  to  have  the  use 
of  my  poor  labors  amongst  them.  If  the  Lord  will  call,  and  his 
people  cry,  who  am  I  to  resist?  But,  without  his  seen  calling, 
and  till  the  flock,  whom  I  now  oversee,  be  planted  with  one  to 
whom  I  dare  intrust  Christ's  Spouse,  gold  nor  silver,  nor  favor  of 
men,  I  hope,  shall  loose  me. 

I  leave  your  Ladyship,  praying  more  earnestly  for  grace  and 
mercy  to  be  with  you,  and  multiplied  upon  you,  here  and  here- 
after, than  my  pen  can  express. 

The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 

Your  Ladyship's,  at  all  obedience  in  the  Lord,         S.  R. 

Kirkcudbright. 

1  Strange.  2  Sprain.  3  Continue  united. 


70  Rutherford's  letters. 

LETTER  XXV. 

TO     MY     LADY     KENMURE. 

Madam, — Having  saluted  you  with  grace  and  mercy  from 
God,  our  Father,  and  from  our  Lord,  Jesus  Christ — I  long  both  to 
see  your  Ladysliip,  and  to  hear  how  it  goeth  with  you. 

I  do  remember  you,  and  present  you  and  your  necessities  to 
Him,  who  is  able  to  keep  you,  and  to  present  you  blameless  before 
his  face  with  joy  :  and  my  prayer  to  our  Lord  is,  that  ye  may  be 
sick  of  love  for  Him,  who  died  of  love  for  you,  I  mean  your  Sa- 
viour, Jesus: — And,  oh!  sweet  were  that  sickness,  to  be  soul-sick 
for  him  !  and  a  living  death  it  were  to  die  in  the  fire  of  the  love  of 
that  Soul-lover,  Jesus  !  And,  madam,  if  ye  love  him,  ye  will  keep 
his  commandments ;  and  this  is  not  one  of  the  least,  to  lay  your 
neck  cheerfully  and  willingly  under  the  yoke  of  Jesus  Christ :  for 
I  trust  that  your  Ladyship  did  first  contract  and  bargain  with  the 
Son  of  God,  to  follow  him  upon  these  terms,  that  by  his  grace  ye 
should  endure  hardship,  and  suffer  afiliction  as  the  soldier  of 
Christ.  They  are  not  worthy  of  Jesus,  who  will  not  take  a  blow 
for  their  Master's  sake.  As  for  our  glorious  Peace-maker,  when 
he  came  to  make  up  the  friendship  betwixt  God  and  us,  God 
bruised  him,  and  struck  him,  the  sinful  world,  also,  did  beat  him, 
and  crucify  him  ;  yet  he  took  buffets  of  both  the  parties :  and — 
honor  to  our  Lord,  Jesus! — he  would  not  leave  the  field  for  all 
that,  till  he  had  made  peace  betwixt  the  parties.  I  persuade  my- 
self that  your  sufferings  are  but  like  your  Saviour's,  (yea,  incom- 
parably less  and  lighter,)  which  are  called  but  a  bruising  of  his 
heel,  (Gen.  iii.  L5,)  a  v/ound  far  from  the  heart.  Your  life  is  hid 
with  Christ,  in  God,  (Col.  iii.  3,)  and,  therefore,  ye  cannot  be  rob- 
bed of  it.  Our  Lord  handleth  us  as  fathers  do  their  young  chil- 
dren. They  lay  up  jewels  in  a  place  above  the  reach  of  the  short 
arms  of  bairns,  else  bairns  would  put  up  their  hands,  and  take 
them  down,  and  lose  them  soon.  So  hath  our  Lord  done  with  our 
spiritual  life.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  high  coffer,  in  the  which  our 
Lord  hath  hid  our  life ;  we,  children,  are  not  able  to  reach  up  our 
arm  so  high  as  to  take  down  that  life  and  lose  it;  it  is  in  our 
Christ's  hand.  Oh  long,  long  may  Jesus  be  lord-keeper  of  our 
life !  and  happy  are  they  that  can,  with  the  Apostle,  (2  Tim.  i.) 
lay  their  soul  in  pawn  in  the  hand  of  Jesus ;  for  he  is  able  to  keep 
that  which  is  committed  in  pawn  to  him  against  that  day.  Then, 
madam,  so  long  as  this  life  is  not  hurt,  all  other  troubles  are  but 
touches  in  the  heel.     I  trust  that  ye  shall  soon  be  cured. 

Ye  know,  madam,  that  kings  have  some  servants  in  their  courts 
who  receive  not  present  wages  in  their  hand,  but  live  upon  their 
hopes :  the  King  of  kings,  also,  hath  servants  in  liis  court,  that, 
for  the  present,  get  little  or  nothing,  but  the  heavy  cross  of  Christ, 
troubles  without,  and  terrors  within  ;  but  they  live  upon  hope,  and 


Rutherford's  letters.  71 

when  it  cometh  to  the  parting  of  the  inheritance,  they  remain  in 
the  house  as  heirs :  it  is  better  to  be  so  than  to  get  present  pay- 
ment, and  a  portion  in  this  hfe,  an  inheritance  in  this  world,  (God 
forgive  me,  that  I  should  honor  it  with  the  name  of  an  inheri- 
tance, it  is  rather  a  farm-room,')  and  then  in  the  end  to  be  casten* 
out  of  God's  house,  with  this  word,  "  Ye  have  received  your  con- 
solation, ye  shall  get  no  more."  Alas  !  what  get  they?  The  rich 
glutton's  heaven.  Oh,  but  our  Lord,  (Luke  xvi.)  maketh  it  a  silly' 
heaven  !  He  fared  well,  (saith  our  Lord.)  and  delicately  every 
day.  Oh,  no  more?  a  silly  heaven  !  Truly  no  more,  except  that 
he  was  clothed  in  purple,  and  that  is  all.  I  persuade  myself,  ma- 
dam, that  ye  have  joy  when  ye  think  that  our  Lord  hath  dealt 
more  graciously  with  your  soul.  Ye  have  gotten  little  in  this  life, 
it  is  true,  indeed :  ye  have,  then,  the  more  to  crave ;  yea,  ye  have 
all  to  crave  ;  for,  except  some  tastings  of  the  first  fruits,  and  some 
kisses  of  His  mouth,  whom  your  soul  lovetb,  ye  get  no  more.  But 
I  cannot  tell  you  what  is  to  come ;  yet  I  may  speak  as  our  Lord 
doth  of  it.  The  foundation  of  the  City  is  pure  gold,  clear  as  crys- 
tal :  the  twelve  ports  are  set  with  precious  stones  :  if  orchards  and 
rivers  commend  a  soil  upon  earth,  there  is  a  paradise  there, 
wherein  groweth  the  Tree  of  Life  that  beareth  twelve  manner  of 
fruits  every  month,  which  is  seven-score  and  four  harvests  in  the 
year :  and  there  is  there  a  pure  river  of  water  of  life,  proceeding 
out  of  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb :  and  the  city  hath  no 
need  of  the  light  of  the  sun,  or  inoon,  or  of  a  candle ;  for  tire  Lord 
God  Almighty  and  the  Lamb  are  the  light  thereof.  Madam,  be- 
lieve and  hope  for  this,  till  ye  see  and  enjoy.  Jesus  is  saying  in 
the  Gospel,  "  Come  and  see ;  and  he  is  come  down  in  the  chariot 
of  truth,  wherein  he  rideth  through  the  world,  to  conquer  men's 
souls,  (Ps.  xlv.  4,)  and  is  now  in  the  world,  saying,  "Who  will  go 
with  me?  Will  ye  go?  My  Father  will  make  you  welcome,  and 
give  you  house-room ;  for  in  my  Father's  house  are  many  dwell- 
ing-places."    Madam,  consent  to  go  with  him. 

Thus  I  rest,  commending  you  to  God's  dearest  mercy. 

Yours,  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Anwoth. 


LETTER  XXVL 

TO      MY      LADY      KEN  MURE. 


Madam, — I  am  afraid  now,  (as  many  others  are,)  that  at  the 
sitting  down  of  our  Parliament,  the  Spouse  of  our  Lord  Jesus  shall 
be  roughly  handled;  and  it  iiuist  be  so.  since  false  and  declining 
Scotland,  whom  our  Lord  took  off  the  dunghill,  and  out  of  hell, 
and  made  a  fair  bride  to  himself,  hath  broken  her  faith  to  her 
sweet  Husband,  and  hath  put  on  the  forehead  of  a  whore ;  and, 

1  A  rented  room.  2  Cast.  3  Poor,  contemptible. 


72  Rutherford's  letters. 

therefore,  he  saith  that  he  will  remove.  Would  to  God,  we  could  stir 
up  ourselves  to  lay  hold  upon  Him,  who,  bein<j  highly  provoked  with 
the  haiidling  he  hath  met  with,  is  ready  to  depart !  Alas,  we  do 
not  importune  him,  by  prayer  and  supplication,  to  abide  amongst 
us  !  If  we  could  but  weep  upon  him,  and,  in  the  holy  pertinacy ' 
of  faith,  wrestle  with  him,  and  say,  "We  wnll  not  let  thee  go;"  it 
might  be  (hat  then  He,  who  is  easy  to  be  entreated,  would  )'et, 
notwithstanding  our  high  provocations,  condescend  to  stay,  and 
feed  among  the  lilies,  till  that  feir  and  desirable  day  break,  and 
the  shadows  flee  away.  Ah  !  what  cause  of  mourning  is  there, 
when  our  gold  is  become  dim,  and  the  visage  of  our  Nazarites, 
sometimes 2  whiter  than  snow,  is  become  blacker  than  a  coal ;  and 
Levi's  house,  once  comparable  to  fine  gold,  is  now  changed,  and 
become  like  vessels  in  wdiich  he  hath  no  pleasure  !  Madam,  think 
upon  this,  that  when  our  Lord,  who  hath  his  handkerchief  to 
wipe  the  face  of  the  mourners  in  Zion,  shall  come  to  wipe  away 
all  tears  from  their  eyes,  he  may  wipe  yours  also,  in  passing, 
amongst  others.  I  am  confident,  madam,  that  our  Lord  will  yet 
build  a  new  house  to  himself  of  our  rejected  and  scattered  stones ; 
for  our  Bridegroom  cannot  want  a  wife.  Can  he  live  a  widower? 
Nay  he  will  embrace  both  us,  the  Little  young  Sister,  and  the 
Elder  Sister,  the  Church  of  the  Jews;  and  there  will  yet  be  a  day 
of  it :  and,  therefore,  we  have  cause  to  rejoice,  yea,  to  sing  and 
shout  for  joy.  The  Church  hath  been,  since  the  world  began, 
ever  hanging  by  a  small  thread,  and  all  the  hands  of  Hell  and  of 
the  wicked  have  been  drawing  at  the  thread  ;  but,  God  be  thanked, 
they  only  break  their  arms  by  pulling,  but  the  thread  is  not  broken, 
for  the  sweet  fingers  of  Christ  our  Lord  have  spun  and  twisted  it. 
— Lord,  hold  the  thread  whole  ! 

Madam,  stir  up  your  husband,  to  lay  hold  upon  the  covenant, 
and  to  do  good.  What  hath  he  to  do  with  the  world  ?  It  is  not 
his  inheritance :  desire  him  to  make  home-over,^  and  put-to  his 
hand  to  lay  one  stone  or  two  upon  the  wall  of  God's  house,  before 
he  go  hence.  I  have  heard  also,  madam,  that  your  child  is  re- 
moved ;  but  to  have  or  want  is  best,  as  He  pleaseth.  Whether 
she  be  with  you,  or  in  God's  keeping,  think  it  all  one  ;  nay,  think 
it  the  better  of  the  two  by  far,  that  she  is  with  him.  I  trust  in 
our  Lord,  that  there  is  something  laid  up  and  kept  for  you ;  for 
our  kind  Lord,  who  hath  wounded  you,  will  not  be  so  ciiiel,  as 
not  to  allay  the  pain  of  your  green  wound;  and,  therefore,  claim 
Christ  still  as  your  own,  and  own  him  as  your  One  thing. 

So  resting,  I  commend  your  Ladyship,  your  soul  and  spirit,  in 
pawn  to  Him,  who  keepeth  his  Father's  pawns,  and  will  make  an 
account  of  them  faithfully,  even  to  that  Fairest  amongst  the  sons 
of  men,  otn-  sweet  Lord,  Jesus,  the  fairest,  the  sweetest,  the  most 
delicious  Rose  in  all  his  Father's  great  field.  The  smell  of  that 
Rose  perfume  your  soul ! 

Your  Ladyship's,  in  his  sweetest  Lord,  Jesus,       S.  R. 

Anwoth,  April  1,  1G33. 
'  Pertinacity.  2  Formerly.  3  Homewards. 


Rutherford's  letters.  73 

LETTER  XXVII. 

FOR     MARION     MACKNAUGHT. 

Dear  Sister, — I  longed  much  to  have  conferred  with  you  at 
this  time.  I  am  grieved  at  anything  in  your  house  that  grievetli 
you,  and  shall,  by  my  Lord's  grace,  suit^  my  Lord  to  help  you  to 
bear  your  burden,  and  to  come  in  behind  you,  and  give  you  and 
your  burdens  a  putt-  up  the  mountain.  Know  you  not  that  Christ 
wooeth  his  wife  in  the  furnace,  (Isa.  xlviii.  10,)  "Behold,  I  have 
refined  thee,  but  not  with  silver ;  I  have  chosen  thee  in  the  fur- 
nace of  aliliction.  He  casteth  his  love  on  you  when  ye  are  in  the 
furnace  of  affliction :  ye  might,  indeed,  be  casten  down,  if  he 
brought  you  in  and  left  you  there ;  but  when  he  leadeth  you 
through  the  waters,  think  ye  not  that  he  has  a  sweet  soft  hand? 
You  know  his  love  grip  ^  already :  you  shall  be  delivered;  wait 
on  :  Jesus  will  make  a  road,  and  come  and  fetch  home  the  cap- 
tive :  ye  shall  not  die  in  prison,  but  your  strokes  are  such  as  were 
your  Husband's,  who  was  wounded  in  the  house  of  his  friends — 
strokes  were  not  ne  wings  ^  to  him,  and  neither  are  they  to  you. 
But  your  winter-night  is  near  spent;  it  is  near-hand^  the  dawn- 
ing. I  shall  see  you  leap  for  joy.  The  Kirk  shall  be  delivered; 
this  wilderness  shall  bud  and  grow  up  like  a  rose  ;  Christ  got  a 
charter  of  Scotland  from  his  Father,  and  who  will  bereave  him  of 
his  heritage,  or  put  our  Redeemer  out  of  his  mailing,^  until  his 
tack''  be  run  out? 

I  must  have  j^ou  praying  for  me;  I  am  black-shamed ^  for  ever- 
more with  Christ's  goodness;  and  in  private,  on  the  17th  and  18th 
of  August,  I  got  a  full  answer  of  my  Lord,  to  be  a  graced  minister, 
and  a  chosen  arrow  hidden  in  his  own  quiver.  But  know  that 
this  assurance  is  not  kept  but  by  watching  and  prayer ;  and, 
therefore,  dear  mistress,  help  me.  I  have  gotten  now — honor  to 
my  Lord  ! — the  gate^  to  open  the  slot,'"  and  shute'*  the  bar  of  his 
door ;  and  I  think  it  easy  to  get  anything  from  the  King  by 
prayer,  and  to  use  holy  violence  with  him.  Christ  was  in  Carsp- 
hairn  Kirk,  and  opened  the  people's  hearts  wonderfully  :  .Tesus  is 
looking  up  that  water, '"^  and  minting  '^  to  dwell  amongst  them.  I 
would  that  we  could  give  him  his  welcome-home  to  the  Muirs.'* 
Now  peace  and  grace  be  upon  you,  and  all  yours. 

Yours,  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

Anwoth,  August  20,  1G33. 

I  Ur<Te.  2  A  strong  push.  3  Grasp. 

■•  Novelties.  ^  Near.  ^  Farm. 

T  Lease.  ^  Utterly  ashamed.  9  Way. 

•0  A  bar  running  from  one  siJe  of  a  door  to  the  other,  and  let,  at  both  ends,  into 
the  wall.  ''  Push  aside.  '2  River. 

13  Intimating  by  signs,  an  intention.  i^  A  district  of  healthy  uplands. 


74  Rutherford's  letters. 

LETTER  XXVIII. 

TO      MY      LADY      KENMURE. 

Madam, — I  determined,  and  was  desirous,  also,  to  have  seen 
your  Ladyship,  but,  because  of  a  pain  in  my  arm,  I  could  not.  I J 
know  that  ye  will  not  impute  it  to  any  unsuitable  forgetfulness  of 
your  Ladyship,  from  whom,  at  my  first  entry  to  my  calling  in  this 
country,  and  since  also,  I  received  such  comfort  in  my  affliction  as 
I  trust  in  God  never  to  forget,  and  shall  labor,  by  his  grace,  to 
recompense  in  the  only  way  possible  to  me,  and  that  is,  by  pre- 
senting your  soul,  person,  house,  and  all  your  necessities,  in 
prayer  to  Him,  whose  I  hope  you  are,  and  who  is  able  to  keep  you 
till  that  day  of  appearance,  and  to  present  you  before  his  face  with 

joy- 

I  am  confident  that  your  Ladyship  is  going  forward  in  the  be- 
gun journey  to  your  Lord  and  Father's  home  and  Kingdom ; 
howbeit,  ye  want  not  temptations  within  and  without.  And  who, 
among  the  saints,  hath  ever  taken  that  castle  without  stroke  of 
sword  ?  the  Chief  of  the  house,  our  Elder  Brother,  our  Lord  Jesus, 
not  being  excepted,  who  won  his  own  house  at  home,  due  to  him 
by  birth,  with  much  blood  and  many  blows.  Your  Ladyship  hath 
the  more  need  to  look  to  yourself,  because  our  Lord  hath  placed 
you  higher  than  the  rest,  and  your  way  to  Heaven  lieth  through 
a  more  wild  and  waste  wilderness  than  the  way  of  many  of  your 
fellow-travellers,  not  only  through  the  midst  of  this  wood  of  thorns, 
the  cumbersome  world,  but  also  through  these  dangerous  paths, 
the  vain-glory  of  it — the  consideration  whereof  hath  often  moved 
me  to  pity  your  soul,  and  the  soul  of  your  worthy  and  noble  hus- 
band. And  it  is  more  to  you  to  win'  Heaven,  being  ships  of  greater 
burden,  and  in  the  main  sea,  than  for  little  vessels,  that  are  not 
so  much  in  the  mercy  and  reverence  of  the  storms,  because  they 
may  come  quietly  to  their  port  by  launching  along  the  coast ;  for 
the  which  cause  ye  do  much,  if,  in  the  midst  of  such  a  tumult  of 
business  and  crowd  of  temptations,  ye  shall  give  Christ  Jesus  his 
own  court, 2  and  his  own  due  place  in  your  soul.  I  know  and  am 
persuaded  that  that  lovely  One,  Jesus,  is  dearer  to  you  than  many 
kingdoms ;  and  that  ye  esteem  him  your  Well-beloved,  and  the 
Standard-bearer  among  ten  thousand.  (Cant.  v.  10.)  And  it  be- 
comcth  him  full  well  to  take  the  place,  and  the  board-head  in  your 
soul,  before  all  the  world.  I  knew  and  saw  him  with  you  in  the 
furnace  of  affliction ^ — for  there  he  wooed  you  to  himself,  and  chose 
you  to  be  his ;  and  now  he  craveth  no  other  hire  of  you  but  your 
love,  and  that  he  get  no  cause  to  be  jealous  of  you.  And,  there- 
fore, dear  and  worthy  Lady,  be  like  to  the  fresh  river,  that  keepeth 
its  own  fresh  taste  in  the  salt  sea.  This  world  is  not  worthy  of 
your   soul;    give    it   not   a   good-day,  when  Christ  cometh  into 

1  Reach.  a  Influence. 


Rutherford's  letters.  75 

competition  with  it.  Be  like  one  of  another  country.  Home  !  and 
stay  not;  for  the  sun  is  fallen  low,  and  nigh  the  tops  of  the  moun- 
tains, and  the  shadows  are  stretched  out  in  great  length.  Linger 
not  by  the  way.  The  world  and  sin  would  train  you  on,  and 
make  you  turn  aside  :  leave  not  the  way  for  them, — and  the  Lord 
Jesus  be  at  the  voyage ! 

Madam,  many  eyes  are  upon  you,  and  many  would  be  glad  that 
your  Ladyship  should  spill'  a  Christian,  and  mar  a  good  professor. 
Lord  Jesus,  mar  their  godless  desires,  and  keep  the  conscience 
whole  without  a  crack  !  If  there  be  a  hole  in  it,  so  that  it  take 
in  water  at  a  leck,^  it  will  with  difficulty  mend  again.  It  is  a 
dainty  delicate  creature,  and  a  rare  piece  of  the  workmanship  of 
your  Maker  ;  and,  therefore,  deal  gently  with  it,  and  keep  it  en- 
tire, that,  amidst  this  world's  glory,  your  Ladyship  may  learn 
to  entertain  Christ;  and  that  whatsoever  creature  your  Ladyship 
findeth  not  to  smell  of  him  may  have  no  better  relish  to  you 
than  the  white  of  an  egg. 

Madam,  it  is  a  part  of  the  truth  of  your  profession  to  drop 
words  into  the  ears  of  your  noble  husband  continually  of  eternity, 
judgment,  death.  Hell,  Heaven,  the  honorable  profession,  the  sins 
of  his  father's  house.  He  must  reckon  with  God  for  his  father's 
debt ;  forgetting  of  accounts  payeth  not  debt ;  nay,  the  interest 
of  a  forgotten  bond  runneth  up  with  God  to  interest  upon  in- 
terest. I  know  that  he  looketh  homeward,  and  loveth  the  truth ; 
but  I  pity  him  with  my  soul,  because  of  his  many  temptations.  Sa- 
tan layeth  upon  men  a  burden  of  cares  above  a  load,  and  maketh 
a  pack-horse  of  men's  souls,  when  they  are  wholly  set  upon  this 
world.  We  owe  the  Devil  no  such  service.  It  were  wisdom  to 
throw  off  that  load  into  a  mire,  and  cast  all  our  cares  over  upon 
God. 

Madam,  think  that  ye  have  no  child.  Subscribe  a  bond  to 
your  Lord,  that  she  shall  be  his,  if  he  take  her ;  and  thanks, 
and  praise,  and  glory  to  his  holy  name  shall  be  the  interest  for 
a  year's  loan  of  her.  Look  for  crosses ;  and,  while  it  is  fair 
weather,  mend  the  sails  of  the  ship. 

Now,  hoping  that  your  Ladyship  will  pardon  my  tediousness, 
I  commend  your  soul  and  person  to  the  grace  and  mercy  of  our 
sweet  Lord,  Jesus,  in  whom  I  am 

Your  Ladyship's,  at  all  dutiful  obedience  in  Christ,     S.  R. 

Anwoth,  Nov  15,  1633. 


LETTER    XXIX. 


TO      MY      LADY      KENMURE. 


Madam, — Having  received  a  letter  from  some  of  the  worthiest 
of  the  ministry  in  this  kingdom,  the  contents  whereof  I  am  de- 

1  Spoil.  2  Leak. 


76  Rutherford's  letters. 

sired  to  communicate  to  such  professors,  in  these  parts,  as,  I 
know,  love  the  beauty  of  Zion,  and  are  afflicted  to  see  the  Lord's 
vineyard  trodden  under  foot  by  the  wild  boars  out  of  the  wood, 
wliicii  lay  it  waste,  I  could  not  but  also  desire  your  Ladyship's 
help  to  join  with  the  rest,  desiring  you  to  impart  it  to  my  Lord, 
your  husband  ;  and,  if  ye  think  it  needful,  I  shall  write  to  his 
Lordship,  as  Mr.  G.  G.  shall  advertise  me. 

Know,  therefore,  that  the  best  affected  of  the  ministry  have 
thought  it  convenient  and  necessary,  at  such  a  time  as  this,  that 
all  who  love  the  truth  should  join  their  prayers  together,  and  cry 
to  God  with  humiliation  and  fasting.  The  times,  which  are 
agreed  upon,  are  the  first  two  sabbaths  of  February  next,  and 
the  six  days  intervening  betw^ixt  these  sabbaths,  as  they  may 
conveniently  be  had,  and  the  first  sabbath  of  every  quarter : — and 
the  causes,  as  they  are  written  to  me,  are  these^ 

L  Besides  the  distresses  of  the  reformed  churches  abroad,  the 
many  reigning  sins  of  uncleanness,  ungodliness,  and  unrighteous- 
ness in  this  land:  the  present  judgments  on  the  land,  and  many 
more  hanging  over  us,  whereof  few  are  sensible,  or  yet  know  the 
right  and  true  cause  of  them. 

IL  The  lamentable  and  pitiful  estate  of  a  glorious  Church,  (in  so 
short  a  time,  and  against  so  many  bonds.)  in  doctrine,  sacrament, 
and  discipline,  so  sore  persecuted,  in  the  persons  of  faithful  pas- 
tors and  professors,  and  the  door  of  God's  house  kept  so  strait,  by 
bastard  porters,  in  so  much  that  worthy  instruments,  able  for  the 
work,  are  held  at  the  door :  tlie  rulers  having  turned  over  religion 
into  policy,  and  the  multitude  ready  to  receive  any  religion  that 
shall  be  enjoined  by  authority. 

IH.  In  our  humiliation,  besides  that  we  are  under  a  necessity 
of  deprecating  God's  wrath,  and  vowing  to  God  sincerely  new 
obedience,  the  weakness,  coldness,  silence,  and  lukewarmness  of 
some  of  the  best  of  the  ministry,  and  the  deadness  of  professors, 
who  have  sulfered  the  truth  both  secretly  to  be  stolen  away,  and 
openly  to  be  plucked  from  us,  should  be  confessed. 

IV.  Atheism,  idolatry,  profanity,  and  vanity  should  be  confessed; 
our  King's  heart  recommended  to  God;  and  God  entreated  that 
he  would  stir  up  the  nobles,  and  the  people  to  turn  from  their  evil 
ways. 

Thus,  madau),  hoping  that  your  Ladyship  will  join  with  others, 
that  such  a  work  be  not  slighted  at  such  a  necessary  time,  wdien 
our  Kirk  is  at  the  overturning,  I  shall  promise  to  myself  your 
help,  as  the  Lord,  in  secrecy  and  prudence  will  enable  you,  that 
your  Ladyship  may  rejoice  with  the  Lord's  people  when  de- 
liverance shall  come ;  for  true  and  sincere  humiliation  cometh 
always  speed'  with  God  : — and  when  authority.  King,  court,  and 
churchmen  oppose  the  truth,  what  other  armor  have  we  than 
prayer  and  faith  ?  whereby,  if  we  wrestle  with  him,  there  is  ground 
to  hope  that  those  who  would  re-move  the  burdensome  Stone  out 

1  Is  successful. 


Rutherford's  letters.  117 

of  its  place,  shall  but  hurt  their  back,  and  the  Stone  shall  not  be 
moved,  at  least,  not  removed,  (Zech.  xii.  3.) 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you  from  Him,  who  hath  called  you  to  the 
inheritance  of  the  saints  in  lig-ht. 

Your  Ladyship's, 
At  all  submissive  obedience  in  his  sweet  Lord,  Jesus,       S.  R. 
Anwoth,  Jan.  23,  1634. 


LETTER  XXX. 

FOR     MARION     MACKNAUGHT. 

Mistress, — My  love  in  Christ  remembered— I  am  in  care,  and 
fear  for  this  work  of  our  Lord's,  now  near  approaching,  because 
of  the  danger  of  the  time,  and  I  dare  not  for  my  soul  be  silent 
to  see  my  Lord's  house  burning  and  not  cry,  "Fire  !  fire  !"  there- 
fore, seek  from  our  Lord  wisdom  spiritual,  and  not  black  policy, 
to  speak  with  liberty  our  Lord's  truth.  I  am  cast  down,  and 
would  fain  have  access  and  presence  to  the  King  that  day,  even 
howbeit  I  should  break  up  iron  doors.  I  believe  that  you  will 
not  forget  me  ;  and  you  will  desire  Jean  Brown,  Thomas  Carson, 
and  Marion  Carson,  to  help  me.  Pray  for  well-cooked  meat,  and 
a  heartsome^  Saviour,  with  joy  crying,  "Welcome,  in  my  Father's 
name  !" 

I  am  confident  that  Zion  shall  be  well :  the  bush  shall  burn 
and  not  consume,  for  the  good-will  of  Him  that  dwelleth  in  the 
bush.  But  the  Lord  is  making  on  a  fire^  in  Jerusalem,  and  pur- 
poseth  to  blov/  the  bellows,  and  to  melt  the  tin  and  brass,  and  to 
bring  out  a  fair  beautiful  bride  of  the  furnace,  that  will  be  married 
over  again  upon  the  new  Husband,  and  sing  as  in  the  days  of  her 
youth,  when  the  contract  of  marriage  is  w^ritten  over  again.  But 
I  fear  that  the  Bride  be  hidden  for  a  time  from  the  Dragon,  that 
pursueth  the  woman  with  child  ;  but  what,  howbeit  we  go  lurk  in 
the  wilderness  for  a  time  ?  for  the  Lord  will  take  his  Kirk  to  the 
wilderness  and  speak  to  her  heart. 

Nothing  casteth  me  down,  but  only  that  I  fear  the  Lord  will 
cast  down  the  shepherds'  tents,  and  feed  his  own  in  a  secret  place  ; 
but  let  us,  however  matters  frame,  cast  over  the  affairs  of  the 
Bride  upon  the  Bridegroom  ;  the  government  is  upon  his  shoulders, 
and  he  dow^  bear  us  all  well  enough.  That  fallen  star,  the  Prince 
of  the  Bottomless  Pit,  knoweth  it  is  near  the  time  when  he  shall 
be  tormented ;  and  now  in  his  evening  he  hath  gathered  his 
armies  to  win  one  battle  or  two,  in  the  edge  of  the  evening^  at  the 
sun's  going  down.  And  when  our  Lord  has  been  watering  his 
vineyards  in  France,  and  Germany,  and  Bohemia,  how  can  we 
think  ourselves  Christ's  Sister,  if  we  be  not  like  him,  and  our  other 

'  Cheerful.  2  X'o  make  on  ajire,  put  the  fuel  in  order. 

3  Is  able.  *  Twilight. 


78  Rutherford's  letters. 

great  sisters  1  I  cannot  but  think,  seeing  the  ends  of  the  earth  are 
given  to  Christ,  Ps.  ii.  8,  and  Scotland  is  the  end  of  the  earth, 
(and  so  we  are  in  Christ's  charter-tailzie,')  that  our  Lord  will  keep 
his  possession.  We  fall  by  promise  and  law  to  Christ :  he  wan  us 
with  the  sweat  of  his  brows,  (if  1  may  say  so,)  his  Father  promised 
him  his  life-rent  of  Scotland.  Glory,  glory  to  our  King ;  long 
may  he  wear  his  Crown  !  O  Lord,  let  us  never  see  another 
King !  ^  Oh,  let  him  come  down  hke  rain  upon  the  new-mown 
grass  ! 

I  had  you  in  remembrance  on  Saturday  last,  in  the  morning,  in 
a  great  measure,  and  was  brought  thrice  on  end,  in  remembrance 
of  you  in  my  prayer  to  God. 

Grace,  grace  be  your  portion. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord,  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Anwoth,  March  2,  1634. 


LETTER  XXXL 

FOR      MARION      MACKNAUGHT. 

Mistress, — My  love  in  Christ  remembered — please  you  to  un- 
derstand that,  to  my  grief,  our  communion  is  delayed  till  Sabbath 
come  eight  days ;  for  the  Laird  and  Lady  have  earnestly  desired 
me  to  delay  it,  because  the  Laird  is  sick,  and  he  feareth  he  be  not 
able  to  travel,  because  he  hath  lately  taken  physic.  The  Lord 
bless  that  work.  Commend  it  to  God,  as  you  love  me  :  for  I  love 
not  Satan's  thorns  cast  in  the  Lord's  way.  The  Lord  rebuke  him. 
I  trust  in  God's  mercy  that  Satan  has  gotten  but  a  delay,  but  no 
free  discharge  that  his  Kingdom  sliall  not  be  hurt.  Commend  the 
Laird  to  your  God.  I  pray  you  to  advertise  your  people,  that  they 
be  not  disappointed  in  coming  hither.  Show  such  of  them  as  you 
love  in  Christ,  from  me,  that  Jesus  Christ  will  be  welcoraer  when 
he  coraeth,  in  that  he  has  sharpened  their  desires  for  eight  days' 
space.  Your  daughter  is  well,  I  hope,  every  way.  Forget  not 
God's  Kirk;  they  are  but  bastards,  and  not  sons  and  daughters, 
that  mourn  not  for  Zion.     Lord,  hear  us  ! 

No  further.  Jesus  Christ  be  with  your  spirit.  I  shall  remem- 
ber you.  and  your  new  house. 

Lord  Jesus,  go  from  the  one  house  to  the  other  ! 

Yours,  at  all  power  in  the  Lord,         S.  R. 

Anwoth. 

1  Charter  of  entail. 

2  That  is,  in  spiritual  matters,  for  Rutherford,  as  appears  from  these  Letters,  was  a 
most  loyul  subject  to  his  earthly  king. 


Rutherford's  letters.  79 

LETTER  XXXII. 

for      MARION      MACKNAUGHT. 

Well-beloved  Sister, — My  old  and  dearest  love  in  Christ 
remembered — Know  that  I  have  been  visiting  my  Lady  Kenmure. 
Her  child  is  with  the  Lord.  I  entreat  you  to  visit  her,  and  desire 
the  Good-wife'  of  Barcapple  to  visit  her,  and  Knockbrex,  if  you 
see  him  in  the  town.  My  Lord,  her  husband,  is  absent,  and  I 
think  that  she  will  be  heavy. 

You  know  what  Mr.  W.  Dalgleish  and  I  desired  you  to  deal  for, 
at  my  Lord  Kirkcudbright's  hand.  Send  me  word  if  you  obtained 
anything  at  my  Lord's  hands,  anent  the  giving  up  of  our  names  to 
the  High  Commission  ;  for  I  hear  it  is  not  for  nothing  that  the 
Bishop  hath  taken  that  course.  Our  Lord  knoweth  best  what  is 
good  for  an  old  Kirk,  that  is  fallen  from  her  first  love,  and  hath 
forgotten  her  Husband,  days  without  number.  A  trial  is  like  to 
come  on ;  but  I  am  sure,  that  our  Husbandman,  Christ,  shall  lose 
chaff,  but  no  corn  at  all.  Yet  there  is  a  dry  wind  coming,  but 
neither  to  fan  nor  to  purge.  Happy  are  they  who  are  not  blown 
away  with  the  chaff:  for  we  shall  but  suffer  temptation  for  ten 
days :  but  those  who  are  faithful  to  the  death  shall  receive  the 
crown  of  life.  I  hear  daily  what  hath  been  spoken  of  myself  most 
unjustly  and  falsely ;  and  no  marvel,  the  Dragon,  with  the  swing 
of  his  tail,  hath  made  the  third  part  of  the  stars  to  fall  from  Hea- 
ven, and  the  fallen  would  have  many  to  fall  with  them.  If  ever 
Satan  was  busy,  now,  when  he  knoweth  that  his  time  is  but 
short,  he  is  busy.  Yet  a  little  while,  and  He  that  shall  come,  will 
come,  and  will  not  tarry.  I  know,  that,  ere  it  be  long,  the  Lord 
will  come,  and  red  all  pleas ^  betwixt  us  and  his  enemies.  Now, 
welcome  Lord  Jesus,  go  fast ! 

Send  me  word  about  Grizzel,  your  daughter,  whom  I  remember 
in  Christ;  and  desire  her  to  cast  herself  into  His  arms,  who  was 
born  of  a  woman,  and,  being  the  Ancient  of  days,  was  made  a 
young  weeping  Child.  It  was  not  for  nothing  that  our  Brother, 
Jesus,  was  an  infant.  It  was,  that  he  might  pity  infant  believers, 
who  were  to  come  out  of  the  womb  into  the  world.  I  believe  that 
our  Lord  Jesus  will  be  waiting  on  with  mercy,  mercy,  mercy  to 
the  end  of  that  battle,  and  bring  her  through  with  life  and  peace, 
and  a  sign  of  God's  favor.  I  shall  expect  advertisement  from  )ou, 
and  especially  if  you  fear  her. 

Mistress,  you  remember  that  I  said  to  you,  anent  ^  your  love  to 
me  and  my  brother,  begun  in  Christ;  ye  know  that  we  are  here 
but  strangers,  and  you  have  not  yet  found  us  a  dry  well,  as  others 

1  Good-man,  and  good-wife  were  species  of  titles  in  former  times  in  Scotland,  indi- 
cating that  the  persons  thus  designated  were  among  the  most  respectable  of  the  smaller 
proprietors  ofland.  or  of  the  yeomanry,  both  for  wealth  and  worth. 

2  Settle  all  disputes,  by  deciding  wliich  party  is  in  the  wrong.  3  Touching. 


80  Rutherford's  letters. 

have  been.  Be  not  overcome  of  any  suspicion  ;  I  trust  in  God 
that  the  Lord,  wl)o  knit  us  together,  will  keep  us  together.  It  is 
time  now  that  the  lambs  of  Jesus  should  all  run  togetlier,  when 
the  wolf  is  barking  at  them :  yet  I  know,  that,  ere  God's  bairns 
want  a  cross,  their  love  amongst  themselves  shall  be  a  cross  ;  but 
our  Lord  giveth  love  for  another  end.  I  know  that  ye  will  with 
love  cover  infirmities  ;  and  our  Lord  give  you  wisdom  in  all  tilings. 
I  think  love  hath  broad  shoulders,  and  v/ill  bear  many  things,  and 
yet  neither  faint,  nor  sweat,  nor  fall  under  the  burden. 

Commend  me  to  your  husband,  and  dear  Grizzel.  I  think  on 
her:  Lord  Jesus  be  in  the  furnace  with  her,  and  then  she  shall  but 
smoke,  and  not  burn.  Desire  Mr.  Robert  to  excuse  my  not  seeing 
of  him  at  his  house  ;  I  have  my  own  reasons  therefor.' 

Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord,  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Anwoth,  April  25,  1G34. 


LETTER  XXXIIL 

TO     MY     LADY     KENMURE 


Madam, — All  submissive  and  dutiful  obedience  in  our  Lord, 
Jesus,  remembered, — I  trust  that  I  need  not  much  entreat  your 
Ladyship  to  look  to  Him,  who  hath  stricken  you  at  this  time ;  but 
my  duty,  in  the  memory  of  that  comfort  which  I  found  in  your 
Ladyship's  kindness,  when  I  was  no  less  heav}?^,  in  a  case  not  un- 
like that,  speaketh  to  me,  to  say  something  now  ;  and  I  wish  I 
could  ease  your  Ladyship  at  least  with  words.  I  am  persuaded 
that  your  Physician  will  not  slay  you,  but  purge  you;  and  seeing 
he  calleth  himself  the  Chirurgeon,  who  maketh  the  wound  and 
bindeth  it  up  again,  (for  to  lance  a  wound  is  not  to  kill,  but  to 
cure  the  patient.)  (Deut.  xxxii.  39,  1  Sam.  v.  6,  Job  vi.  18,  Hos. 
vi.  1,)  I  believe  that  faith  will  teach  you  to  kiss  a  striking  Lord, 
and  so  to  acknowledge  the  sovereignty  of  God,  in  the  death  of  a 
child,  to  be  above  the  power  of  us  mortal  men,  who  may  pluck  up 
a  flower  in  the  bud,  and  not  be  blamed  for  it.  If  our  dear  Lord 
pluck  up  one  of  his  roses,  and  pull  down  sour  and  green  fruit  be- 
fore the  harvest,  who  can  challenge  him :  for  he  sendetii  us  to  his 
world,  as  men  to  a  market,  wherein  some  stay  many  hours,  and 
eat  and  drink,  and  buy  and  sell,  and  pass  through  the  fair,  till 
they  be  weary  ;  and  such  are  those  who  live  long,  and  get  a 
hearty  fill  of  this  life  :  and  others  again  come  slipping  in  to  the 
morning  market,  and  do  neither  sit  nor  stand,  nor  buy  nor  sell, 
but  look  about  them  a  little,  and  pass  presently  home  again;  and 
these  are  infants  and  young  ones,  who  end  their  short  market  in 
the  morning,  and  get  but  a  short  view  of  the  fair.  Our  Lord,  who 
hath  numbered  man's  months,  and  set  him  bounds  that  he  cannot 

1  For  it. 


Rutherford's  letters.  81 

pass,  (Job  xiv.  5,)  hath  written  the  length  of  our  market ;  and  it 
is  easier  to  complain  of  the  decree  than  to  change  it. 

I  verily  believe,  when  I  write  this,  that  your  Lord  hath  taught 
your  Ladyship  to  lay  your  hand  on  your  mouth:  but  I  shall  be 
far  from  desiring  your  Ladyship  or  any  others  to  cast  by'  a  cross, 
like  an  old  useless  bill,  that  is  only  for  the  fire  ;  but  would  rather 
wish  that  each  cross  were  looked  in  the  face  seven  times,  and 
were  read  over  and  over  again.  It  is  the  messenger  of  the  Lord, 
and  speaketh  something ;  and  the  man  of  understanding  will 
hear  the  rod.  and  Him  that  hath  appointed  it.  Try  what  is  the 
taste  of  the  Lord's  cup,  and  drink  with  God's  blessing,  that  ye 
may  grow  thereby.  I  trust  in  God  that  whatever  speech  it  utter 
to  your  soul,  this  is  one  word  in  it,  (Job  v.  17,)  "Behold,  blessed 
is  the  man  whom  God  correcteth  :"  and  that  it  saith  to  you,  "Ye 
are  from  home  while  here :  ye  are  not  of  this  world,  as  your  Re- 
deemer, Christ,  was  not  of  this  world."  There  is  something  keep- 
ing for  you,  which  is  worth  the  having.  All  that  is  here  is  con- 
demned to  die,  to  pass  away  like  a  snow-ball  before  a  summer- 
sun  ;  and  since  death  took  first  possession  of  yours,  it  hath  been 
and  daily  is  creeping  nearer  and  nearer  to  yourself,  howbeit  with  no 
noise  of  feet.  Your  Husbandman,  and  Lord,  hath  lopped  off  some 
branches  already ;  the  tree  itself  is  to  be  transplanted  to  the  high 
garden. — In  a  good  lime  be  it — our  Lord  ripen  your  Ladyship. 
All  these  crosses,  (and  indeed  when  I  remember  them,  they  are 
heavy  and  many— peace,  peace  be  the  end  of  them  !)  are  to  make 
you  white  and  ripe  for  the  Lord's  harvest  hook.'^  I  have  seen  the 
Lord  weaning  you  from  the  breasts  of  this  world.  It  was  never 
his  mind  that  it  should  be  your  patrimony,  and  God  be  thanked 
for  that ;  ye  look  the  liker  one  of  the  heirs.  Let  the  movables 
go, — why  not?  they  are  not  yours, — fasten  your  grips ^  upon -the 
heritage  ;  and  our  Lord,  Jesus,  njake  the  charters  sure, — and  give 
your  Ladyship  to  grow  as  a  palm  tree  on  God's  Mount  Zion  ; 
howbeit  shaken  with  winds,  yet  the  root  is  fast. 

This  is  all  I  can  do,  to  recommend  your  case  to  your  Lord,  who 
hath  you  written  upon  the  palms  of  his  hands.  If  I  were  able  to 
do  more,  your  Ladyship  may  believe  me,  that  gladly  I  would.  I 
trust  shortly  to  see  your  Ladyship.  Now  He,  who  hath  called  you, 
confirm  and  establish  your  heart  in  grace  unto  the  day  of  the 
liberty  of  the  sons  of  God. 

Your  Ladyship's, 

At  all  submissive  obedience  in  his  sweet  Lord,  Jesus,       S.  R. 

Anwoth,  April  29,  1C34. 

1  Aside.  *  Sickle.  3  Gripe. 

6 


82  Rutherford's  letters. 

LETTER  XXXIV. 

for     MARION      MACKNAUGHT. 

Well-beloved  Mistress, — My  love  in  Christ  remembered — 
I  hear  this  day  that  your  town  is  to  choose  a  commissioner  for  the 
Parliament,  and  I  was  written  to  from  Edinburgh,  to  see  that 
good  men  should  be  chosen  in  your  bounds :  and  I  have  heard, 
this  day,  that  Robert  Glendonning,  or  John  Ewart,  look  to  be 
chosen.  I  beseech  you  to  see  that  this  be  not.  The  Lord's  cause 
craveth  other  witnesses  to  speak  for  him  than  such  men ;  and, 
therefore,  let  it  not  be  said  that  Kirkcudbright,  which  is  spoken 
of  in  this  kingdom  for  their  religion,  hath  sent  a  man  to  be  their 
mouth  that  will  speak  against  Christ.  Such  a  time  as  this  will 
not  fall  out  once  in  half  an  age.  I  would  entreat  your  husband 
to  take  it  upon  him  ;  it  is  an  honorable  and  necessary  service  for 
Christ;  and  show  him  that  I  wrote  unto  you  for  that  effect.  I 
fear  that  William  Glendonning  hath  not  skill  and  authority.  I 
am  in  great  heaviness.  Pray  for  me  ;  for  we  must  take  our  life 
in  our  hand  in  this  ill  time.  Let  us  stir  up  ourselves  to  lay  our 
Lord's  Bride,  and  her  wrongs,  before  our  Husband  and  Lord. 

Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit ! 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord,  Jesus,     S.  R. 

Anwoth,  May  20. 


LETTER  XXXV. 

TO     MY      LADY      KENMURE. 

My  VERY  Noble  and  Worthy  Lady, — So  oft  as  I  call  to 
mind  the  comforts  that  I  myself,  a  poor  friendless  stranger,  re- 
ceived from  your  Ladyship  here  in  a  strange  part  of  the  country, 
when  my  Lord  took  from  me  the  Delight  of  mine  eyes,  as  the 
word  speaketh  in  Ezek.  xxiv.  16,  (which  wound  is  not  yet  fully 
healed  and  cured,)  I  trust  your  Lord  will  remember  that,  and  give 
you  comfort  now,  at  such  a  time  as  this,  wherein  your  dearest 
Lord  hath  made  you  a  widow,  that  ye  may  be  a  free  woman  for 
Christ,  who  is  now  suiting  for  marriage-love  of  you  ;  and,  there- 
fore, since  you  lye  alone  in  your  bed,  let  Christ  be  as  a  bundle  of 
myrrh,  to  sleep  and  lye  all  the  night  betwixt  your  breasts,  (Cant. 
i.  13,)  and  then  your  bed  is  better  filled  than  before.  And,  seeing 
that  among  all  crosses  spoken  of  in  our  Lord's  wdrd,  this  giveth 
you  a  particular  right  to  make  God  your  Husband,  (who  was  not 
so  yours  while  your  husband  was  alive,)  read  God's  mercy  out  of 
this  visitation.  And,  albeit  I  must  out  of  some  experience  say, 
that  the  mourning  for  the  husband  of  your  youth  be,  by  God's 
own  mouth,  the  heaviest  worldly  sorrow,  (Joel  i.  8,)  and,  though 


Rutherford's  letters.  83 

this  be  the  weightiest  burden  that  ever  lay  upon  your  back,  yet 
ye  know  when  the  fields  are  emptied,  and  your  husband  now 
asleep  in  the  Lord,  if  ye  will  wait  upon  Him,  who  hideth  his  face 
for  awhile,  that  it  lyeth  upon  God's  honor  and  truth  to  fill  the  field, 
and  to  be  a  husband  to  the  widow.  See,  and  consider,  then,  what 
ye  have  lost,  and  how  little  it  is.  Therefore,  madam,  let  me  en- 
treat you  in  the  bowels  of  Christ  Jesus,  and  by  the  comforts  of 
his  Spirit  and  your  appearance  before  him,  let  God,  and  men,  and 
angels,  now  see  what  is  in  you.  The  Lord  hath  pierced  the 
vessel,  it  will  be  known  whether  there  be  in  it  wine  or  water :  let 
your  faith  and  patience  be  seen,  that  it  may  be  known  that  your 
only  beloved,  first  and  last,  hath  been  Christ:  and,  therefore,  now, 
were  your  whole  love  upon  him,  that  he  alone  is  a  suitable  object 
for  your  love  and  all  the  affections  of  your  soul.  God  hath  dried 
up  one  channel  of  your  love,  by  the  removal  of  your  husband : 
let  now  that  spait^  run  upon  Christ.  Your  Lord  and  Lover  hath 
graciously  taken  out  your  husband's  name,  and  your  name,  out 
of  the  summonses,  that  are  raised  at  the  instance  of  the  terrible 
sin-revenging  Judge  of  the  world,  against  the  House  of  Kenmure. 

And  I  dare  say  that  God's  hammering  of  you  from  your  youth, 
is  only  to  make  you  a  fair  carved  stone,  in  the  high  upper  temple 
of  the  New  Jerusalem.  Your  Lord  never  thought  this  world's 
vain-painted  glory  a  gift  worthy  of  you  ;  and,  therefore,  would  not 
bestow  you,  because  he  is  to  propine^  you  with  a  better  portion. 
Let  the  movables  go,  the  inheritance  is  yours.  Ye  are  a  child 
of  the  house,  and  joy  is  laid  up  for  you.  It  is  long  in  coming, 
but  not  the  worse  for  that.  I  am  now  expecting  to  see,  and  that 
with  joy  and  comfort,  that  which  I  hoped  of  you,  since  I  knew 
you  fully ;  even  that  ye  have  laid  such  strength  upon  the  Holy 
One  of  Israel,  that  ye  defy  troubles  ;  and  that  your  soul  is  a  castle 
that  may  be  besieged,  but  cannot  be  taken.  What  have  you  to 
do  here  ?  This  world  never  looked  like  a  friend  upon  you.  Ye 
owe  it  little  love,  it  looked  ever  sour-like  upon  you  ;  howbeit  ye 
should  woo  it,  it  will  not  match  with  you;  and,  therefore,  never 
seek  warm  fire  under  cold  ice.  This  is  not  a  field  where  your 
happiness  groweth ;  it  is  up  above,  where  (Rev.  vii.  9,)  there  are 
a  great  multitude,  which  no  man  can  number,  of  all  nations,  and 
kindreds,  and  people,  and  tongues,  standing  before  the  throne  and 
before  the  Lamb,  clothed  with  white  robes,  and  palms  in  their 
hands  : — what  ye  could  never  get  here,  ye  shall  find  there.  And 
withal  consider,  how  in  all  these  trials  (and  truly  they  have  been 
many)  your  Lord  hath  been  loosing  you  at  the  root  from  perishing 
things,  and  hunting  after  you,  to  grip^  your  soul.  Madam,  for 
the  sake  of  the  Son  of  God,  let  him  not  miss  his  grip,^  but  stay 
and  abide  in  the  love  of  God,  as  Jude  saith,  (verse  21.) 

Now,  madam,  I  hope  that  your  Ladyship  will  take  these  lines 
in  good  part ;  and  wherein  I  have  fallen  short  and  failed  to  your 
Ladyship,  in  not  evidencing  what  I  was  obliged  to  your  more  than 

1  Flood.  2  Present.  3  Catch.  *  Grasp. 


84  RUTHERFORDS    LETTERS. 

(leserved  love  and  respect,  I  request  a  full  pardon  for  it.  Again, 
ray  dear  and  noble  Lady,  let  me  beseech  you  to  lift  up  your  head, 
for  the  day  of  your  redemption  draweth  near  ;  and  remember  that 
that  star  which  shined  in  Galloway  is  now  shining  in  another 
world.  Now  I  pray  that  God  may  answer  his  own  style  to  your 
soul  •  and  that  he  may  be  to  you  the  God  of  all  consolations. 
Thus  I  remain  your  Ladyship's, 

At  all  dutiful  obedience  in  the  Lord,  S.  R. 

Anwoth,  Sept.  14,  1634. 


LETTER  XXXVI. 

TO     MARION     MACK NAUGHT. 

Mistress, — My  dearest  love  in  Christ  remembered — I  entreat 
you  to  charge  your  soul  to  return  to  rest,  and  to  glorify  your 
dearest  Lord  in  believing:  and  know  that,  for  the  good-will  of 
Him,  that  dwelleth  in  the  bush,  the  burning  Kirk  shall  not  be 
consumed  to  ashes:  but,  (Deut.  xxxiii.  16,)  "Blessing  shall  come 
on  the  head  of  Joseph,  and  upon  the  top  of  the  head  of  him  who 
was  separated  from  his  brethren."  And  are  not  the  saints  sepa- 
rated from  their  brethren,  and  sold,  and  hated  ?  for,  (Gen.  xlix.  23,) 
"The  archers  have  sorely  grieved  Joseph,  and  shot  at  him,  and 
hated  him."  (Ver.  24,)  "  But  his  bow  abode  in  strength,  and  the 
arms  of  his  hands  were  made  strong  by  the  hands  of  the  mighty 
God  of  Jacob :  from  him  is  the  Shepherd  and  the  Stone  of  Israel." 
The  Stone  of  Israel  shall  not  be  broken  in  pieces.  It  is  hammered 
upon  by  the  children  of  this  world,  and  we  shall  live,  and  not  die. 
Our  Lord  hath  done  all  this,  to  see  if  we  will  believe,  and  not  give 
'over ;  and  I  am  persuaded  that  ye  must  of  necessity  stick  by  your 
work.  The  eye  of  Christ  hath  been  upon  all  this  business  ;  and 
he  taketh  good  heed,  too,  who  is  for  him  and  who  is  against  him. 
Let  us  do  our  part,  as  we  would  be  approved  of  Christ.  The  Son 
of  God  is  near  to  his  enemies;  if  they  were  not  deaf,  they  may 
hear  the  din  of  his  feet :  and  he  will  come  with  a  start,  upon  his 
weeping  bairns,  and  take  them  on  his  knee,  and  lay  their  head  in 
his  bosom,  and  dry  their  watery  eyes— and  this  day  is  fast  coming. 
Yet  a  little  time,  and  the  vision  will  speak,  it  will  not  tarry,  (Hab. 
ii.)  These  questions  betwixt  us  and  our  adversaries  shall  all  be 
decided  m  yonder  day,  when  the  Son  of  God  will  come  and  red  all 
pleas;'  and  it  shall  be  seen  whether  we  or  they  have  been  for 
Christ,  and  who  have  been  pleading  for  Baal.  It  is  not  known 
what  we  are  now :  but  when  our  Life  shall  appear  in  glory,  then 
we  shall  see  who  laugheth  fastest  that  day ;  therefore,  we  must 
possess  our  souls  in  patience,  and  go  into  our  chamber,  and  rest 
until  the  indignation  be  past.  We  shall  not  weep  long,  when  our 
Lord  will  take  us  up  in  the  day  that  he  gathereth  his  jewels :  and, 

1  Settle  all  disputes,  by  deciding  which  party  is  in  the  wrong. 


RUTHERFORD'S    LETTERS.  OO 

(Mai.  iii.  16,)  "  They  that  feared  the  Lord  spake  often  one  to  an- 
other; and  the  Lord  hearkened  and  heard  it,  and  a  book  of 
remembrance  was  written  before  him,  for  them  that  feared  the 
Lord,  and  that  thought  upon  his  name." 

And  I  shall  never  be  of  another  faith,  than  that  our  Lord  is 
heating  a  furnace  for  the  enemies  of  his  Kirk  in  Scotland.  It  is 
true  that  the  Spouse  of  Christ  hath  played  the  harlot,  and  liath 
left  her  first  Husband  ;  and  the  enemies  think  that  they  offend 
not,  for  we  have  sinned  against  the  Lord,  but  they  shall  get  the 
Devil  to  their  thanks.  The  rod  shall  be  cast  into  tlie  fire,  that  we 
may  sing  as  in  the  days  of  our  youth.  My  dear  friend,  therefore, 
lay  down  your  head  upon  Christ's  breast :  weep  not,  the  Lion  of 
the  tribe  of  Judah  will  arise.  The  sun  is  gone  down  on  the  pro- 
phets, and  our  gold  is  become  dim  ;  and  the  Lord  feedeth  his  peo- 
ple with  waters  of  gall  and  wormwood  ;  yet  Christ  standeth  but 
behind  the  wall,  his  bowels  are  moved  for  Scotland :  he  waiteth, 
(as  Isaiah  saith,)  that  he  may  show  mercy.  If  we  could  go  home, 
and  take  our  brethren  with  us,  weeping  with  our  faces  toward 
Zion,  asking  the  way  thitherward,  he  would  bring  back  our  cap- 
tivity. We  may  not  think  that  God  has  no  care  of  his  own  honor, 
while  men  tread  it  under  their  feet ;  he  will  clothe  himself  with 
vengeance,  as  with  a  cloak,  and  appear  against  our  enemies  for 
our  deliverance.  Ye  were  never  yet  beguiled,  and  God  will  not 
now  begin  with  you.  Wrestle  still  with  the  Angel  of  the  cove- 
nant, and  you  shall  get  the  blessing :  fight,  he  delighteth  to  be 
overcome  by  wrestling. 

Commend  me  to  Grizzel.  Desire  her  to  learn  to  know  the  ad- 
versaries of  the  Lord,  and  to  take  them  as  her  adversaries  ;  and  to 
learn  to  know  the  right  gate  '  in  to  the  Son  of  God !  Oh,  but  ac- 
quaintance with  the  Son  of  God,  to  say,  "My  Well-beloved  is 
mine,  and  I  am  his,"  is  a  sweet  and  glorious  course  of  life,  that 
none  know  but  those  who  are  sealed  and  marked  in  the  forehead 
with  Christ's  mark,  and  the  new  name  that  Christ  writeth  upon 
his  own. 

Grace,  grace  and  mercy  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

Anwoth,  Sept.  25,  1634. 


LETTER  XXXVIL 

TO      MY      LADY      KENMURE. 


Madam, — All  dutiful  obedience  in  our  Lord  remembered — I 
know  that  ye  are,  now,  near  one  of  those  straits  in  which  ye  have 
been  before  :  but,  because  your  outward  comforts  are  fewer,  I  pray 
Him,  whose  ye  are,  to  supply  what  ye  want,  another  way.  For, 
hovvbeit  we  cannot  win  "^  to  the  bottom  of  His  wise  providence, 

1  Way.  2  Reach. 


86  Rutherford's  letters. 

who  ruleth  all ;  yet  it  is  certain  that  this  is  not  only  good,  which 
the  Almighty  hath  done,  but  that  it  is  best :  and  he  hath  reckoned 
all  your  steps  to  Heaven  ;  and  if  your  Ladyship  were  through  this 
water,  there  are  the  fewer  behind  ;  and,  if  this  were  the  last,  I 
hope  that  your  Ladyship  hath  learned  by  on-waiting  to  make 
your  acquaintance  with  death,  which,  being  to  the  Lord,  the  wo- 
man's Seed,  Jesus,  only  a  bloody  heel,  and  not  a  broken  head, 
(Gen.  iii.  15,)  cannot  be  ill  to  his  friends,  who  get  far  less  of  death 
than  himself.  Therefore,  madam,  seeing  ye  know  not  but  that 
the  journey  is  ended,  and  that  ye  are  come  to  the  water-side,  in 
God's  wisdom,  look  all  your  papers  and  your  counts,  and  whether 
ye  be  ready  to  receive  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  as  a  little  child,  in 
whom  there  is  little  haughtiness,  and  much  humility.  I  would  be 
far  from  discouraging  your  Ladyship;  but  there  is  an  absolute  ne- 
cessity, that,  near  eternity,  we  look  ere  we  leap,  seeing  no  man 
winneth'  back  again  to  mend  his  leap.  I  am  confident  that  your 
Ladyship  thinketh  often  upon  it,  and  that  your  old  Guide  will  go 
before  you  and  take  your  hand — his  love  to  you  will  not  grow 
sour,  nor  wear  out  of  date,  as  the  love  of  men,  which  growelh  old 
and  gray-headed  often  before  themselves.  Ye  have  so  much  the 
more  reason  to  love  a  better  life  than  this,  because  this  world  hath 
been  to  you  a  cold  fire,  with  little  heat  to  the  body,  and  as  little 
light,  and  much  smoke  to  hurt  the  eyes.  But,  madam,  your  Lord 
would  have  you  thinking  it  but  dry  breasts,  full  of  wind,  and 
empty  of  food.  In  this  late  visitation  that  hath  befallen  your  La- 
dyship, ye  have  seen  God's  love  and  care,  in  such  a  measure,  that 
I  thought  our  Lord  brake  the  sharp  point  off  the  cross,  and  made 
us,  and  your  Ladyship  see  Christ  take  possession  and  infeftment 
upon  earth  of  Him,  who  is  now  reigning  and  triumphing  with  the 
hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand,  who  stand  with  the  Lamb 
on  Mount  Zion.  I  know  that  the  sweetest  of  it  is  bitter  to  you  ; 
but  your  Lord  will  not  give  you  painted  crosses.  He  pareth  not 
all  the  bitterness  from  the  cross,  neither  taketh  he  the  sharp  edge 
quite  from  it;  then'^  it  should  be  of  your  waling ^  and  not  of  his, 
which  would  have  as  little  reason  in  it,  as  it  would  have  profit  for 
us.  Only,  madam,  God  commandeth  you  now  to  believe,  and 
cast  anchor  in  the  dark  night,  and  climb  up  the  mountain.  He 
who  hath  called  you,  establish  you  an8  confirm  you  to  the  end. 

I  had  a  purpose  to  have  visited  your  Ladyship  ;  but  when  I 
thought  better  upon  it,  the  truth  is,  I  could  not  see  what  my  com- 
pany could  profit  you  :  and  this  hath  broken  oflT  my  purpose,  and 
no  other  thing.  I  know  that  many  honorable  friends  and  worthy 
professors  will  see  your  Ladyship  ;  and  that  the  Son  of  God  is  with 
you,  to  whose  love  and  mercy,  from  my  soul,  I  commend  your 
Ladyship,  and  remain.  Your  Ladyship's, 

At  all  dutiful  obedience,  in  his  sweet  Lord,  Jesus,        S.  R. 

Anwoth,  Nov.  29,  1634. 

>  Getteth.  s  For  in  that  case.  3  Selecting. 


Rutherford's  letters.  ST 


LETTER  XXXVIII. 

TO     MY     LADY     KENMURE. 

Madam, — My  humble  obedience  in  the  Lord  remembered — 
know  that  it  hath  pleased  the  Lord  to  let  me  see,  by  all  appear- 
ance, my  labors,  in  God's  house  here,  are  at  an  end ;  and  I  must 
now  learn  to  suffer,  in  the  which  I  am  a  dull  scholar.  By  a  strange 
providence,  some  of  my  papers  anent  the  corruptions  of  this  time 
are  come  to  our  King's  hand.  I  know  that  by  the  wise  and  well- 
affected  I  shall  be  censured,  as  not  wise  nor  circumspect  enough ; 
but  it  is  ordinary  that  that  should  be  a  part  of  the  cross  of  those 
who  suffer  for  Him.  Yet  I  love  and  pardon  the  instrument ;  I 
would  commit  my  life  to  him,  howbeit  by  him  this  hath  befallen 
me — but  I  look  higher  than  to  him. 

I  make  no  question  of  your  Ladyship's  love  and  care  to  do  what 
ye  can  for  my  help ;  and  I  am  persuaded  that  in  my  adversities 
your  Ladyship  will  wish  me  well.  I  seek  no  other  thing  than  that 
my  Lord  may  be  honored  by  me  in  giving  a  testimony.  I  was 
willing  to  do  him  more  service  ;  but  seeing  he  will  have  no  more 
of  my  labors,  and  this  Land  will  thrust  me  out,  I  pray  for  grace 
to  learn  to  be  acquainted  with  misery,  if  I  may  give  so  rough  a 
name  to  such  a  mark  of  those  who  shall  be  crowned  with  Christ. 
And,  howbeit  I  may  possibly  prove  a  faint-hearted,  unwise  man  in 
that,  yet  I  dare  to  say  that  I  intend  otherwise  :  and  I  desire  not  to 
go  on  the  lee-side,  or  sunny-side  of  religion,  to  put  truth  betwixt 
me  and  a  storm— my  Saviour  did  not  so  for  me,  who  in  his  suffer- 
ing took  the  windy  side  of  the  hill. 

No  further,  but  the  Son  of  God  be  with  you. 

Your  Ladyship's  in  the  Lord,  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Anwoth,  Dec.  5,  1634. 


LETTER  XXXIX. 

FOR     MARION     MACKNAUGHT. 

Well-beloved  and  Dear  Sister, — I  know  that  your  heart 
is  cast  down  for  the  desolation  like  to  come  upon  this  Kirk,  and 
the  appearance  that  a  hireling  sliall  be  thrust  in  upon  Christ's 
flock  in  that  town — but  send  a  heavy  heart  up  to  Christ;  it  will 
be  welcome.  Those  that  are  with  the  Beast  and  the  Dragon 
must  make  war  with  the  Lamb :  but  the  Lamb  shall  overcome 
tlffem  ;  for  he  is  the  Lord  of  lords,  and  King  of  kings  ;  and  they 
who  are  with  him  are  called,  and  chosen,  and  faithful,  (Rev.  xvii. 
14.)  Our  ten  days  shall  have  an  end  ;  all  the  former  things  will 
be  forgotten,  when  we  shall  be  up  before  the  throne.  Christ  hath 
been  ever  thus  in  the  world,  he  hath  always  the  defender's  part, 


88  Rutherford's  letters. 

and  hath  been  still  in  the  camp,  fighting  the  Church's  battles. 
The  enemies  of  the  Son  of  God  shall  be  fed  with  their  own  flesh, 
and  shall  drink  their  own  blood  :  and,  therefore,  their  part  of  it 
shall  at  last  be  found  hard  enough — so  that  we  may  look  forward 
and  pity  them.  Until  the  number  of  the  elect  be  fulfilled,  Christ's 
garments  must  be  rolled  in  blood  ;  he  cometh  from  Edom,  from  the 
slaughter  of  his  enemies,  (Isa.  Ixiii.  1,)  clothed  with  dyed  gar- 
ments, glorious  in  his  apparel,  travelling  in  the  greatness  of  his 
strength.  "  Who  is  this,  (saith  he,)  that  appeareth  in  this  glorious 
posture  ?"  Our  great  He,^  that  He,'  who  is  mighty  to  save ;  whose 
glory  shineth,  while  he  sprinkleth  the  blood  of  his  adversaries  upon 
his  garments,  and  staineth  all  his  raiment.  The  glory  of  his 
righteous  revenges  shineth  forth  in  these  stains.  But  seeing  that 
our  world  is  not  hereaway,"  we  poor  children,  far  from  home,  must 
steal  through  many  waters,  weeping  as  we  go,  and  withal  believ- 
ing that  we  do  the  Lord's  faithfulness  no  wrong,  seeing  he  hath 
said,  (Isaiah  li.  12,)  "  I,  even  I,  am  he  that  comforteth  you :  who 
art  thou  that  art  afraid  of  a  man  that  shall  die,  and  of  the  son  of 
man  who  shall  be  made  as  grass  ?"  (Isaiah  xliii.  2,)  "  When  thou 
passest  through  the  waters,  I  will  be  with  thee ;  and  through  the 
rivers,  they  shall  not  overflow  thee :  when  thou  walkest  through 
the  fire,  thou  shall  not  be  burnt,  neither  shall  the  flame  kindle 
upon  thee." 

There  is  a  cloud  gathering,  and  a  storm  coming.  This  Land 
shall  be  turned  upside  down  :  and,  if  ever  the  Lord  spake  to  me — 
think  on  it — Christ's  bride  shall  be  glad  of  a  hole  to  hide  her  head 
in ;  and  the  Dragon  may  so  far  prevail  as  to  chase  the  Woman 
and  her  Man-child  over  sea.  But  there  shall  be  a  gleaning,  two 
or  three  berries  left  in  the  top  of  the  olive  tree,  of  which  God  will 
say,  "  Destroy  them  not,  for  there  is  a  blessing  in  them."  There- 
after there  shall  be  a  fair  sun-blink*  on  Christ's  old  Spouse,  and  a 
clear  sky,  and  she  shall  sing  as  in  the  days  of  her  youth.  The 
Antichrist  and  the  great  red  Dragon  will  lop  Christ's  branches,  and 
bring  his  vine  to  a  low  stump,  under  the  feet  of  those  who  carry 
the  mark  of  the  beast ;  but  the  Plant  of  Renown,  the  Man,  whose 
name  is  the  Branch,  shall  bud  forth  again  and  blossom  as  the 
rose,  and  there  shall  be  fair  white  flourishes*  again,  with  most 
pleasant  fruits  upon  that  Tree  of  Life.  A  fair  season  may  he 
have !  Grace,  grace  be  upon  that  blessed  and  beautiful  Tree  ! 
under  whose  shadow  we  shall  sit,  and  his  fruit  shall  be  sweet  to 
our  taste.  But  Christ  will  woo  his  handful  in  the  fire,  and  choose 
his  own  in  the  furnace  of  afihction.  But,  be  it  so,  he  dow  not,^  he 
will  not  slay  his  children.  Love  will  not  let  him  make  a  full  end. 
The  Covenant  will  cause  him  to  hold  his  hand.  "  Fear  not, 
then,"  saith  the  First  and  the  Last,  He  who  was  dead,  and  is 
alive.  We  see  not  Christ  sharpening  and  furbishing  his  swffid 
for  his  enemies ;  and,  therefore,  our  faithless  hearts  say,  as  Zion 

*  He  is  often  used  in  the  Scottish  dialect,  as  WM  is  in  the  Hebrew,  as  a  name  of 
God.  2  In  this  present  life. 

3  Sun-gleam.  *  Blossoms.  s  Is  not  able. 


Rutherford's  letters.  89 

did,  "  The  Lord  hath  forsaken  me."  But  God  reproveth  her,  and 
saith,  "  Well,  well,  Zion,  is  that  well  said  1  Think  again  on  it ; 
ye  are  in  the  wrong  to  me."  (Isaiah  xlix.  15,)  "  Can  a  woman 
forget  her  sucking  child,  that  she  should  not  have  compassion  on 
the  fruit  of  her  womb?  Yea,  she  may  ;  yet  will  I  not  forget  thee. 
(Ver.  16,)  Behold,  I  have  engraven  thee  upon  the  palms  of  my 
hands."  Ye  break  your  heart,  and  grow  heavy,  and  forget  that 
Christ  hath  your  name  engraven  on  the  palms  of  his  hands,  in 
great  letters.  In  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God,  believe  that  buried 
Scotland,  dead  and  buried  in  her  dear  Bridegroom,  shall  rise  the 
third  day  again,  and  there  shall  be  a  new  growth  after  the  old 
timber  is  cut  down. 

I  commend  you,  and  your  burdens,  and  heavy  heart,  to  the  siip- 
portings  of  His  grace  and  good-will,  who  dwelt  in  the  bush,  to  Him, 
who  was  separated  from  his  brethren.  Try  your  husband  afar  off, 
to  see  if  he  can  be  induced  to  think  upon  going  to  America. 

Oh,  to  see  the  sight  next  to  Christ's  coming  in  the  clouds,  the 
most  joyful !  our  elder  brethren,  the  Jews,  and  Christ  fall  upon  one 
another's  necks,  and  kiss  each  other !  They  have  been  long 
asunder,  they  will  be  kind  to  one  another  when  they  meet :  O 
day  !  O  longed  for,  and  lovely  day,  dawn  !  O  sweet  Jesus,  let  me 
see  that  sight  that  will  be  as  life  from  the  dead,  thee  and  thy  an- 
cient people  in  mutual  embraces  ! 

Desire  your  daughter  to  close  with  Christ,  upon  terms  of  suffer- 
ing for  him  ;  for  the  cross  is  an  old  mailing'  and  plot  of  ground 
that  heth  to  Christ's  house:  our  dear  Chief  had  always  that  rent 
lying  to  his  inheritance.  But  tell  her,  that  the  day  is  near  the 
dawning ;  the  sky  is  riving,  our  Beloved  will  be  on  us  ere  ever 
we  be  aware.  The  Antichrist,  and  death  and  Hell,  and  Christ's 
enemies,  and  ours,  shall  be  bound,  and  cast  into  the  Bottomless 
Pit. 

The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord,  Jesus,       S.  R. 

Anwoth,  April  22,  1635. 


LETTER  XL. 

TO      MARION      MACKNAUGHT. 

Loving  and  Dear  Sister, — For  Zion's  sake  hold  not  your 
peace,  neither  be  discouraged  for  the  on-going  of  this  persecution  ; 
Jehovah  is  in  this  burning  bush.  The  floods  may  swell  and  roar, 
but  our  ark  shall  swim  above  the  water:  it  cannot  sink,  because 
a  Saviour  is  in  it.  Because  our  Beloved  was  ijot  let  in  by  his 
Spouse,  when  he  stood  at  the  door  with  his  wet  and  frozen  head; 
therefore,  he  will  have  us  to  seek  him  a  while ;  and,  while  we  are 
seeking,  the  watchmen,  that  go  about  the  walls,  have  stricken  the 

1  Farm. 


90  Rutherford's  letters. 

poor  woman,  and  have  taken  away  her  veil  from  her:  but'yet  a 
little  while,  and  our  Lord  will  come  again;  Scotland's  sky  shall 
clear  again  ;  her  moment  must  go  over.  I  dare,  in  faith,  say,  and 
write — I  am  not  now  dreaming — that  Christ  is  but  seeking,  (what 
he  will  have,  and  make,)  a  clean,  glistering  bride  out  of  the  fire: 
God  send  him  his  errand  ;  but  he  cannot  want  what  he  seeketh. 
In  the  mean  time,  one  way  or  other,  he  will  find,  or  make  a  nest  . 
for  his  mourning  dove.  What  is  this  that  we  are  doing,  breaking"^ 
the  neck  of  our  faith  1  We  are  not  come,  as  yet,  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Red  Sea ;  and  howbeit  we  were,  for  his  honor's  sake  he  must 
dry  it  up.  It  is  our  part  to  die  gripping'  and  holding  fast  his  faith- 
ful promise.  If  the  Beast  should  get  leave  to  ride  through  the 
land,  and  to  seal  such  as  are  his,  he  will  not  get  one  lamb  with 
him  ;  for  these  are  secured,  and  sealed  as  the  servants  of  God. 
In  God's  name,  let  Christ  take  his  barn-floor,  and  all  that  is  in  it, 
to  a  hill,  and  winnow  it ;  let  him  sift  his  corn,  and  sweep  his  house, 
and  seek  his  gold.  The  Lord  shall  cog^  the  rumbling  wheels,  or 
turn  them  ;  for  the  remainder  of  wrath  doth  he  restrain.  He  can 
loose  the  belt  of  kings;  to  God,  their  belt,  wherewith  they  are  girt, 
is  knit  with  a  single  draw-knot. ^ 

As  for  a  pastor  to  your  town,  your  conscience  can  bear  you 
witness  that  ye  have  done  your  part.  Let  the  Master  of  the 
vineyard  now  see  to  his  garden,  seeing  ye  have  gone  on  till  he 
hath  said  "Stand  still."  The  will  of  the  Lord  be  done.  But 
a  trial  is  not  to  give  up  with  God,  and  believe  no  more. 

I  thank  my  God,  in  Christ,  that  1  find  the  force  of  my  tempta- 
tion abated,  and  its  edge  blunted,  since  I  spoke  to  you  last.  I 
know  not  if  the  tempter  be  hovering*  until  he  find  the  dam 
gather  again,  and  me  more  secure ;  but  it  hath  been  my  burden ; 
and  I  am  yet  more  confident  that  the  Lord  will  succor  and  de- 
liver. 

1  intend,  God  willing,  that  our  communion  shall  be  celebrated 
the  first  sabbath  after  Pasch  ;*  our  Lord,  that  great  Master  of 
the  feast,  send  us  one  hearty  and  heartsome"  supper;  for  I  look 
that  it  sball  be  the  last.  But  we  expect  that  when  the  shadows 
shall  flee  away,  and  the  day  dawn,  and  our  Lord  come  to  his 
garden,  he  will  feed  us  in  green  pastures  without  fear; — the  dogs 
then  shall  not  be  hounded  out  amongst  the  sheep.  I  earnestly 
desire  your  prayers  for  assistance  at  our  work,  and  put  others 
with  you  to  do  the  same. 

Remember  me  to  your  husband  ;  and  desire  your  daughter  to 
be  kind  to  Christ,  and  seek  to  win  near  him.  He  will  give  her 
a  welcome  into  his  house-of-wine,  and  bring  her  into  the  King's 

'  Grasping. 

2  71)  cog  a  wheel,  is  to  place  a  stone  or  a  piece  of  wood  wedgewise  between  it  and 
the  ground,  to  prevent  it  from  moving. 

3  A  slip-knot,  which  can  be  loosened  by  simply  pulling  by  one  of  the  ends. 

*  Tarrying. 

5  Easter,  the  season  of  the  Passover,  from  n&3,  Pdsach,  be  passed  over. 

*  Gladsome.  '  ' 


Rutherford's  t.etters.  91 

chambers.     Oh  how  will  the  sight  of  his  face,  and  the  smell  of 
his  g-arinents  allure  and  ravish  her  heart ! 

Now  the  love  of  the  lovely  Son  of  God  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord,  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Anwoth,  1635. 


LETTER  XLI. 

FOR      MARION      M A C K N A U G H T . 

Mistress, — My  love  in  Christ  remembered — having  appointed 
a  meeting  with  Mr.  David  Dickson,  and  knowing  that  B.  will  not 
keep  the  presbytery,  I  cannot  see  you'now.  Coinmend  my  journey 
to  God.     My  soul  blesseth  you  for  your  last  letter. 

Be  not  discouraged ;  Christ  will  not  want  the  Isles-men  ;  the  Isles 
shall  wait  for  his  law :  we  are  his  inheritance,  and  he  will  sell  no 
part  of  his  inheritance.  For  the  sins  of  this  land,  and  our  breach 
of  the  Covenant,  contempt  of  the  Gospel,  and  our  defection  from 
the  truth,  he  hath  set  up  a  burning  furnace  in  Mount  Zion ;  but 
I  say  it,  and  will  abide  by  it,  "The  grass  shall  yet  grow  green  on 
our  Mount  Zion.  There  shall  be  dew  all  tlie  night  upon  the  lilies, 
amongst  which  Christ  feedeth,  until  the  day  break  and  tlie  shadows 
flee  away  :  and  the  moth  shall  eat  up  the  enemies  of  Christ,"  (Isa, 
1.  9.)  Let  them  make  a  fire  of  their  own,  and  walk  in  the  light 
thereof,  it  shall  not  let  them  see  to  go  to  their  bed  ;  but  they  shall 
lye  down  in  sorrow ;  therefore,  rejoice  and  believe. 

This  in  haste.     Grace,  grace  be  with  you  and  yours. 

Yours,  in  Christ,         S.  R. 

Anwoth. 


LETTER  XLIL 

FOR     MARION     MACK NAUGHT. 

Loving  and  Dear  Sister, — I  fear  that  ye  be  moved  and  cast 
down  because  of  the  late  wrong,  that  your  husband  received  in 
your  town-council.  But,  I  pray  you,  comfort  yourself  in  the  Lord: 
for  a  just  cause  bideth  under  the  water  only  as  long  as  wicked  men 
hold  their  hand  above  it;  their  arm  will  weary,  and  then  the  just 
cause  shall  swim  above,  and  the  light  that  is  sown  for  the  right- 
eous shall  spring  and  grow  up.  If  ye  were  not  strangers  here, 
the  dogs  of  the  world  would  not  bark  at  you,  (2  Cor.  vi.  8.)  Ye 
shall  see  all  the  windings  and  turnings  that  are  in  your  way  to 
Heaven,  out  of  God's  word :  for  he  will  not  lead  you  to  the  King- 
dom at  the  nearest ;  but  you  must  go  through  "honor  and  dis- 
honor, by  evil  report  and  good  report ;  as  deceivers,  and  yet  true  ; 


92  Rutherford's  letters. 

(ver.  9,)  as  unknown,  and  yet,  well  known  ;  as  dying,  and  behold 
we  live  ;  as  chastened,  and  not  killed;  (ver.  10,)  as  sorrowful,  and 
yet  always  rejoicing."  The  world  is  one  of  the  enemies  that  we 
have  to  fight  with,  but  a  vanquished  and  overcome  enemy,  and 
like  a  beaten  and  forlorn  soldier;  for  our  Jesus  hath  taken  the 
armor  from  it.  Let  me  then  speak  to  you  in  his  words  :  "Be  of 
good  courage,"  saith  the  Captain  of  our  salvation,  "for  I  have 
overcome  the  world."  Ye  shall  neither  be  free  of  the  scourge  of 
the  tongue,  nor  of  disgraces,  even  if  it  were  buffeting,  and  spittings 
upon  the  face,  as  was  our  Saviour's  case,  if  ye  follow  Jesus  Christ. 

I  beseech  you,  in  the  bowels  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  to  keep  a  good 
conscience,  as  I  trust  ye  do.  Ye  live  not  upon  men's  opinion ; 
gold  may  be  gold,  and  have  the  King's  stamp  upon  it,  wben  it  is 
trampled  upon  by  men.  Happy  are  ye  if,  when  the  world  tramp- 
leth  upon  you  in*  your  credit  and  good  name,  yet,  ye  are  the 
Lord's  gold,  stamped  with  the  King  of  Heaven's  image,  and  sealed 
by  his  Spirit  unto  the  day  of  your  redemption.  Pray  for  the  spirit 
of  love.  (1  Cor.  xiii.  7,)  Love  "beareth  all  things,  believeth  all 
things,  hopeth  all  things,  and  endureth  all  things." 

And  I  pray  you  and  your  husband,  yea,  I  charge  you  before 
God,  and  the  Lord,  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  elect  angels,  to  pray  for 
these  your  adversaries,  and  read  this  to  your  husband  from  me ; 
and  let  both  of  you  put  on,  as  the  elect  of  God,  bowels  of  mercies. 
And,  sister,  remember  how  many  thousands  of  talents  of  sins 
your  Master  hath  forgiven  you ;  forgive  ye,  therefore,  your  fellow- 
servants  one  talent.  Follow  God's  command  in  this,  and  seek  not 
after  your  own  heart,  and  after  your  own  eyes  in  this  matter,  as 
the  Spirit  speaketh,  (Numb.  xv.  39.)  Ask  never  the  counsel  of 
your  own  heart  here  ;  the  world  will  blow  up  your  heart  now, 
and  cause  it  to  swell,  except  the  grace  of  God  cause  it  to  fall. 
Jesus,  even  Jesus,  the  eternal  Wisdom  of  the  Father,  give  you 
wisdom.  I  trust  that  God  shall  be  glorified  in  you  ;  and  a  door 
shall  be  opened  unto  you,  as  the  Lord's  prisoners  of  hope,  as 
Zechariah  speaketh.  It  is  a  benefit  to  you  that  the  wicked  are 
God's  fan  to  purge  you  ;  and  I  hope  that  they  will  blow  away  no 
corn,  or  spiritual  graces,  but  only  your  chaff.  I  pray  you,  in  your 
pursuit,  to  have  so  recourse  to  the  law  of  men,  that  ye  wander  not 
from  the  law  of  God.  Be  not  cast  down  :  if  ye  saw  Him,  who  is 
standing  on  the  shore,  holding  out  his  arms  to  welcome  you  to 
land,  ye  would  wade,  not  only  through  a  sea  of  wrongs,  but  through 
Hell  itself,  to  be  at  him ;  and  I  trust  in  God,  that  ye  see  him 
sometimes. 

The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit,  and  all  yours. 

Your  Brother,  in  the  Lord,     S.  R. 

Anwoth. 


Rutherford's  letters.  93 

LETTER  XLIII. 

FOR      MARION      MACK  NAUGHT. 

Worthy  and  Dear  Sister, — My  dearest  love  in  Christ  re- 
membered— as  to  that  business,  which  I  know  you  would  so  fain 
have  to  take  effect,  my  earnest  desire  is,  that  you  stand  still.  Haste 
not,  and  you  shall  see  the  salvation  of  God.  The  great  Master-gard- 
ener, the  Father  of  our  Lord,  Jesus  Christ,  in  a  wonderful  provi- 
dence, with  his  own  hand — I  dare,  if  it  were  to  edification,  swear 
it, — planted  me  here,  where,  by  his  grace,  in  this  part  of  his  Vine- 
yard, I  grow — ^I  dare  not  say,  but  Satan  and  the  world  (one  of  his 
pages,  whom  he  sendeth  his  errands,)  have  said  otherwise — and 
here  I  will  abide,  till  the  great  Master  of  the  Vineyard  tliink  fit  to 
transplant  me.  But  when  he  seeth  meet  to  loose  me  at  the  root, 
and  to  plant  me  where  I  may  be  more  useful,  both  as  to  fruit  and 
shadow ;  and  when  he  who  planted  pulleth  up  that  he  may  trans- 
plant, who  dare  put-to  their  hand  and  hinder  ?  If  they  do,  God 
will  break  their  arm  at  the  shoulder-blade,  and  do  his  turn.  When 
our  Lord  is  going  west,  the  Devil  and  the  world  go  east :  and  do 
you  not  know,  that  it  hath  been  ever  this  way  betwixt  God  and 
the  world,  God  drawing  and  they  holding;  God,  "yea,"  and  the 
world,  "nay?" — but  they  fall  on  their  back  and  are  frustrated,  and 
our  Lord  holdeth  his  grip.' 

Wherefore  doth  the  word  say,  that  our  Christ,  the  Goodman 
of  this  house,  his  dear  Kirk,  hath  feet  like  fine  brass,  as  if  they 
burned  in  a  furnace?  (Rev.  i.  1.5.)  For  no  other  cause,  but  be- 
cause w^here  our  Lord  setteth  down  his  brazen  feet,  he  will  for- 
ward ;  and  whithersoever  he  looketh,  he  will  follow  his  look  ;  and 
his  feet  burn  all  under  them,  like  as  fire  doth  stubble  and  thorns. 
I  think  that  he  hath  now  given  the  world  a  proof  of  his  exceed- 
ing great  power,  when  he  is  doing  such  great  things,  wherein 
Zion  is  concerned,  by  the  sword  of  the  Swedish  king,^  as  of  a 
Gideon. 

As  you  love  the  glory  of  God,  pray  instantly,  yea,  engage  all 
your  praying  acquaintance,  and  take  their  faithful  promise  to  do 
the  like  for  this  king,  and  every  one  that  Zion's  King  armeth  to 
execute  the  written  vengeance  on  Babylon.  Our  Lord  hath  be- 
gun to  loose  some  of  Babylon's  corner  stones  :  pray  him  to  hold 
on;  for  that  city  must  fall,  and  the  birds  of  the  air  and  the  beasts 
of  the  earth  must  make  a  banquet  of  Babylon :  for  he  hath  invi- 
ted them  to  eat  the  flesh  of  that  whore,  and  to  drink  her  blood ; 
and  the  cup  of  the  Lord's  right-hand  shall  be  turned  unto  her, 
and  shameful  spuing  shnll  be  upon  her  glory.  He,  whose  word 
must  stand,  hath  said,  "Take  this  cup  at  the  hand  of  the  Lord, 
and  drink,  and  be  drunken,  and  spue  and  fall,  and  rise  no  more," 
(Jer.  XXV.  27.) 

I  Gripe,  '  Gustavus  Adolphus. 


94  Rutherford's  letters. 

Our  Jesus  is  setting  up  himself  as  his  Father's  ensign,  (Tsa.  xi. 
10,)  as  God's  fair  white  colors,  that  his  soldiers  may  flock  about 
him.  Long,  long  may  these  colors  stand  !  It  is  long  since,  he 
displayed  a  banner  against  Babylon,  in  the  sight  of  men  and 
angels.  Let  us  rejoice  and  triumph  in  our  God,  the  victory  is  cer- 
tain :  for  when  Christ  and  Babel  wrestle,  then  angels  and  saints 
may  prepare  themselves  to  sing,  "Babylon  the  great  is  fallen,  is 
fallen  !"  Howbeit  that  Prince  of  renown,  precious  Jesus,  be  now 
weeping  and  bleeding  in  his  members,  yet  Christ  will  laugh 
again  ;  and  it  is  time  enough  for  us  to  laugh  when  our  Lord 
Chript  laugheth — and  that  will  be  shortly.  For  when  we  hear  of 
wars  and  rumors  of  wars,  the  Judge's  feet  are  then  before  the 
door,  and  he  must  be  in  Heaven,  giving  order  to  the  angels  to 
make  themselves  ready,  and  prepare  their  hooks '  and  sickles  for 
that  great  harvest.  Christ  will  be  upon  us  in  haste.  Watch  but 
a  little,  and,  ere  long,  the  skies  shall  rend,  and  that  fair  lovely 
Person,  Jesus,  will  come  in  the  clouds,  fraughted^  and  loaded 
with  glory  ;  and  then  all  those  knaves  and  foxes,  that  destroyed 
the  vines,  shall  call  to  the  hills,  and  cry  to  the  mountains  to  cover 
them,  and  hide  them  from  the  face  of  Him,  who  sitteth  upon  the 
throne,  and  from  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb. 

Remember  me  to  your  husband :  and  desire  him  from  me  to 
help  Christ,  and  to  take  his  part,  and  in  judgment  to  side  ever 
with  him,  and  to  receive  a  blow  patiently  for  his  sake  ;  for  he  is 
worthy  to  be  suffered  for,  not  only  to  blows,  but  also  to  blood.  He 
will  find,  that  innocency  and  uprightness  in  judgment  shall  hold 
his  feet,  and  make  him  happy,  when  jouking"  will  not  do  it.  I 
speak  this,  because  a  person  said  to  me,  "I  pray  God  that  the 
country  be  not  in  worse  case  now,  when  the  provost  and  baillies* 
are  agreed,  than  formerly :"  to  whom  I  replied,  I  trust  the  provost 
is  agreed  with  the  man's  person,  l)ut  not  with  his  faults. 

I  pray  for  you  with  my  whole  soul,  and  desire  that  your  children 
may  walk  in  the  truth  :  and  that  the  Lord  may  shine  upon  them, 
and  make  their  faces  to  shine  when  the  faces  of  others  shall  blush. 
I  dare  promise  them,  in  His  name,  whose  truth  I  preach,  that  if 
they  will  but  try  God's  service,  they  shall  find  him  the  sweetest 
Master  that  ever  they  served.  Desire  them  from  me  but  to  try 
for  a  while  the  service  of  this  blessed  Master,  and  then  if  his  ser- 
vice be  not  sweet,  if  it  afford  not  what  is  pleasant  to  the  soul's 
taste,  change  him,  upon  trial,  and  seek  a  better.  Christ  is  an 
unknown  Christ  to  young  ones,  and,  therefore,  they  seek  him 
not,  because  they  know  him  not.  Bid  them  come  and  see,  and 
seek  a  kiss  of  his  mouth  ;  and  then  they  will  find  his  mouth  is  so 
sweet;  that  they  will  be  everlastingly  chained  unto  him,  by  their 

'  Implompnts  for  reapinir.  2  Fraught. 

^  To  joxik  sudilenly  to  inclinp  the  body  forwards  in  order  to  avoid  a  blow;  tneta- 
phorically  to  shift  ground  in  iiiMlters  of  principle  in  order  to  avoid  some  present  evil; 
hence  the  sarcnstic  proverbial  exhortation  addressed  to  one  who  acts  froai  expediency, 
"  Jotik.  an'  let  the  jaw  San";  ower." 

*  Magistrates  in  a  Scottish  burgh,  analogous  to  the  mayor  and  aldermen  in  an 
English  one. 


Rutherford's  letters.  95 

own  consent.  If  I  have  any  credit  with  your  children,  I  entreat 
them  in  Christ's  name  to  try  what  truth  and  reahty  is  in  what  I 
say,  and  not  to  leave  his  service  till  they  have  found  me  a  liar. 

I  give  you,  your  husband,  and  them,  to  His  keeping,  to  whom 
I  dare  venture  and  have  ventured  myself  and  soul,  even  to  our 
dear  Friend,  Jesus  Christ,  in  whom  I  am, 

Yours,  S.  R. 

Anwoth. 


LETTER  XLIV. 

FOR     MARION    MACKNAUGHT. 

Well-beloved  Sister, — My  dearest  love  in  Christ  remem- 
bered to  you — know  that  I  am  in  great  heaviness  for  the  pitiful 
case  of  our  Lord's  Kirk.  I  hear  that  the  cause,  why  Dr.  Burton 
is  committed  to  prison,  is  his  writing  and  preaching  against  the  Ar- 
minians ;  I,  therefore,  entreat  the  aid  of  your  prayers  for  myself, 
and  the  Lord's  captives  of  hope,  and  for  Zion.  The  Lord  hath 
let,  and  daily  lettetli,  me  see  clearly  how  deep  furrows  Arminian- 
ism,  and  the  followers  of  it  shall  draw  upon  the  back  of  God's 
Israel — but  our  Lord  cutteth  the  cords  of  the  wicked.  (Isa.  xlix. 
14.)  "  But  Zion  said.  The  Lord  hath  forsaken  me,  and  my  Lord 
hath  forgotten  me."  (Lam.  i.  2,)  Zion  "  weepeth  sore  in  the 
night,  and  her  tears  are  upon  her  cheeks  ;  amongst  her  lovers  she 
hath  none  to  comfort  her,  all  her  friends  have  dealt  treacherously 
with  her,  and  are  become  her  enemies."  (Isa.  i.  22,)  "  Our  silver 
is  become  dross,  our  wine  is  mixed  with  water."  (Lam.  iv.  1,) 
"How  is  the  gold  become  dim?  How  is  the  most  fine  gold 
changed?  the  stones  of  the  sanctuary  are  poured  out  in  the  top 
of  every  street."  (Ver.  2,)  "  The  precious  sons  of  Zion,  compara- 
ble to  fine  gold,  how  are  they  esteemed  as  earthen  pitchers,  the 
work  of  the  hands  of  the  potter !"  It  is  time  now  for  the  Lord's 
secret  ones,  who  favor  the  dust  of  Zion,  to  cry,  "How  long,  O 
Lord?"  and  to  go  up  to  their  watch-tower,  and  to  stay  there,  and 
not  to  come  down,  until  the  vision  speak ;  for  it  will  speak,  (Hab. 
ii.)  In  the  mean  time,  the  "just  shall  live  by  his  faith."  Let  us 
wait  on,  and  not  weary.  I  have  not  a  thread  to  hang  upon  and 
rest,  but  this  one,  (Isa.  xlix.  1.5,)  "  Can  a  woman  forget  her 
sucking  child,  that  she  should  not  have  compassion  on  the  son  of 
her  womb?  yea,  she  may  forget,  yet  will  I  not  forget  thee?" 
(Ver.  16,)  "Behold,  I  have  graven  thee  upon  the  palms  of  my 
hands,  thy  walls  are  continually  before  me:"  for  all  outward 
helps  do  fail.  It  is  time,  therefore,  for  us  to  hang  ourselves,  as 
our  Lord's  vessels,  upon  the  rail  that  is  fastened  in  a  sure  place. 
We  would  make  stakes  of  our  own  fastening,  but  ihey  will  break. 
Our  Lord  will  have  Sion  on  his  own  nail.  Edom  is  busy  within 
u.-,  and  Babel  without  us,  against  the  handful  of  Jacob's  seed.    It 


96  Rutherford's  letters. 

were  best  that  we  were  upon  Christ's  side  of  it,  for  his  enemies 
will  get  the  stakes  to  keep,  as  the  proverb  is.  Our  greatest  diffi- 
culty will  be,  to  win  on  upon  the  Rock  now,  when  the  wind  and 
waves  of  persecution  are  so  lofty  and  proud.  Let  sweet  Jesus 
take  us  by  the  hand;  neither  must  we  think  that  it  will  be  other- 
wise, for  it  is  told  to  the  souls  under  the  altar,  (Rev.  vi.,)  that 
their  fellow-servants  must  be  killed,  as  they  were.  Surely  it  can- 
not be  long  till  day.  Nay,  hear  him  say,  "  Behold,  I  come,  my 
dear  Bride  ;  think  not  long,'  I  shall  be  at  you  at  once ;  I  hear 
you,  and  am  coming."  Amen.  Even  so,  come,  Lord  Jesus,  come 
quickly ;  for  the  prisoners  of  hope  are  looking  out  at  the  prison- 
windows,  to  see  if  they  can  behold  the  King's  Ambassador  com- 
ing with  the  King's  warrant,  and  the  keys.  I  write  not  to  you  by 
guess  now,  because  I  have  a  warrant  to  say  unto  you  that  the 
garments  of  Christ's  Spouse  must  be  once  again  dyed  in  blood,  as 
long  ago  her  Husband's  was.  Biftt  our  Father  seeth  his  bleeding 
Son.     What  I  write  unto  you  show  to  I.  G. 

Grace,  grace,  grace  and  mercy  be  with  you,  your  husband,  and 
children.  Yours,  in  the  Lord,  S.  R. 

Anwoth. 


LETTER    XLV. 

FOR      MARION      MACKNAUGHT. 

Well-beloved  and  Dear  Sister  in  Christ, — I  could 
not  get  an  answer  written  to  your  letter  till  now,  in  respect  of  my 
wife's  disease,  and  she  is  yet  mightily  pained.  I  hope  that  all 
shall  end  in  God's  mercy.  I  know  that  an  afflicted  life  looketh 
very  like  the  way  that  leadeth  to  the  Kingdom ;  for  the  Apostle 
(Acts  xiv.  22,)  hath  drawn  the  line,  and  the  King's  market-way, 
through  much  tribulation,  to  the  Kingdom.  The  Lord  grant  us 
the  whole  armor  of  God. 

Ye  write  to  me  concerning  your  people's  disposition,  how  their 
hearts  are  inclined  toward  the  man  ye  know,  and  whom  ye  desire 
most  earnestly  yourself  He  would  most  gladly  have  the  Lord's 
call  for  transplantation,  for  he  knoweth  that  all  God's  plants,  set 
by  his  own  hand,  thrive  well ;  and  if  the  work  be  of  God,  he  can 
make  a  stepping-stone  of  the  Devil  himself,  for  setting  forward  the 
work.  For  yourself,  I  would  advise  you  to  ask  of  God  a  submis- 
sive heart.  Your  reward  shall  be  with  the  Lord.  Although  the 
people  be  not  gathered,  as  the  prophet  speaketh,  and  suppose  the 
word  do  not  prosper,  God  shall  account  you  a  repairer  of  the 
breaches.  And  take  Christ  caution  ^  that  ye  shall  not  lose  your 
reward.  Hold  your  grip^  fast.  If  ye  knew  the  mind  of  the  glori- 
fied in  Heaven — they  think  Heaven  came  to  their  hand  at  an 
easy  market,  when  they  have  got  it  for  threescore  or  fourscore  years' 

1  Long  not.  2  Security.  '  Gripe. 


Rutherford's  letters.  97 

wrestling-  with  God.  When  ye  are  come  thither,  ye  shall  think 
that  all  which  I  did  in  respect  of  my  rich  reward,  now  enjoyed  of 
free  grace,  was  too  little.  Now,  then,  for  the  love  of  the  Prince  of 
your  salvation,  who  is  standing  at  the  end  of  your  way,  holding 
up  in  his  liand  the  prize  and  the  garland  to  the  race-runners,  for- 
ward !  forward  !  faint  not !  Take  as  many  to  Heaven  with  you, 
as  ye  are  able  to  draw  ;  the  moe  ye  draw  with  you,  ye  shall  be 
the  welcomer  yourself  Be  no  niggard,  or  sparing  churl  of  the 
grace  of  God  ;  and  employ  all  your  endeavors  for  establishing  an 
honest  ministry  in  your  town,  now  when  ye  have  so  few  to  speak 
a  good  word  for  you.  I  have  many  a  grieved  heart  daily  in  my 
calling :  I  would  be  undone,  if  I  had  not  access  to  the  King's 
chamber-of-prescnce,  to  show  him  all  the  business.  The  Devil 
rageth,  and  is  mad  to  see  the  water  drawn  from  his  own  mill ; 
but  would  to  God  that  we  could  be  the  Lord's  instruments  to  build 
the  Son  of  God's  house  ! 

Pray  for  me.  If  the  Lord  furnish  not  new  timber  from  Leba- 
non, to  build  the  house,  the  work  will  cease.  I  look  to  Him,  who 
hath  begun  well  with  me  ;  I  have  His  hand-writ  that  He  will  not 
change. 

Your  daughter  is  well,  and  longeth  for  a  Bible.  The  Lord  es- 
tablish you  in  peace.     The  liord  Jesus  be  with  your  Spirit. 

Yours,  at  all  power  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

Anwoth. 


LETTER  XLVI. 

FOR      MARION      MACKNAUGHT. 

Mistress, — My  love  in  Christ  remembered — our  communion  is 
on  Sabbath  come  eight  days.  I  will  entreat  you  to  recommend  it 
to  God,  and  to  pray  for  me  in  that  work.  I  have  more  sins  upon 
me  now  than  the  last  time ;  therefore,  I  will  beseech  you,  in  Christ, 
seek  this  petition  to  me  from  God,  that  the  Lord  would  give  me 
grace  to  vow,  and  perform  new  obedience.  I  have  cause  to  suit  • 
this  of  you,  and  show  it  to  Thomas  Carson,  Fergus  and  Jean 
Brown,  for  I  have  been,  and  am  exceedingly  cast  down,  and  am 
fighting  against  a  malicious  Devil,  of  whom  I  can  win  little 
ground  ;  and  I  would  think  a  spoil  plucked  from  him  and  his 
trusty  servant,  sin,  a  lawful  and  just  conquest — and  it  were  no  sin 
to  take  from  him. 

In  the  name  of  the  Goodman  of  our  house,  King  Jesus,  I  invite 
you  to  the  banquet ;  He  saith  that  ye  shall  be  dearly  welcome  to 
Him.  And  I  desire  to  believe  (howbeit  not  without  great  fear) 
that  He  will  be  as  hearty  in  His  own  house  as  He  has  been  before. 
For  me  it  is  but  small  reckoning  ;  but  I  would  fain  have  our  Fa- 
ther and  Lord  to  break  the  great  fair  Loaf,  Christ,  and  to  distrib- 

'  To  urge  a  request. 
7 


98  Rutherford's  letters. 

ute  His  slain  Son  amongst  the  bairns  of  His  house ;  and  that,  if  any 
were  a  step-bairn  in  respect  of  comfort  and  sense,  it  were  rather 
myself  than  His  poor  bairns.  Therefore,  bid  our  Well-beloved 
come  to  His  garden,  and  feed  among  the  lilies. 

And  as  concerning  Zion,  I  hope  that  our  Lord,  who  (Zech.  ii.,) 
sent  His  angel  with  a  measuring-Hne  in  his  hand,  to  measure  the 
leno'th  and  breadth  of  Jerusalem,  in  token  that  He  would  not 
want  a  foot  length  or  inch  of  His  own  free  heritage,  will  take  order 
with  those  who  have  taken  away  many  acres  of  His  own  land 
from  Him;  and  that  God  will  build  Jerusalem  in  the  old  sted  '  and 
place  where  it  was  before.  In  this  hope,  rejoice,  and  be  glad. 
Christ's  garment  was  not  dipped  in  blood  for  nothing,  but  for  His 
Bride,  whom  he  bought  with  strokes.  I  will  desire  you  to  remem- 
ber my  old  suits  to  God,  God's  glory,  and  increase  of  light,  that  I 
dry  not  up.  For  your  town,  hope  and  believe  that  the  Lord  will 
gather  in  His  loose  sheaves  among  you  to  His  barn,  and  send  one 
with  a  well-toOthed,  sharp  hook,''  and  strong  gardies, ^  to  reap  His 
harvest.  And  the  Lord  Jesus,  be  Husbandman,  and  oversee  the 
growing  ! 

Remember  my  love  to  your  husband,  and  to  Samuel.  Grace 
upon  you,  and  your  children.  Lord  make  them  corner-stones  in 
Jerusalem,  and  give  them  grace  in  their  yoiUh  to  take  band'  with 
the  fair,  chief  Corner-stone,  who  was  hewed  out  of  the  mountain, 
without  hands,  and  got  many  a  knock  with  his  Father's  fore-ham- 
mer. *  and  endured  them  all,  and  the  Stone  did  neither  cleave  nor 
break. — Upon  that  Stone  your  soul  doth  well  to  lie. 

King  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 

Your  Friend,  in  his  well-beloved,  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Anwoth. 


LETTER  XLVH. 

FOR      MARION      MACKNAUGHT. 

Much  Honored  and  Dear  Mistress, — My  love  in  Christ 
remembered — I  am  grieved  at  the  heart  to  write  anything  to  you, 
to  breed  heaviness  to  you  ;  and  what  I  have  written,  I  wrote.it 
with  much  heaviness.  But  I  entreat  you  in  Christ's  name,  when 
my  soul  is  under  wrestlings,  and  seeking  direction  from  our  Lord, 
(to  whom  this  Vineyard  belongeth,)  whither  I  shall  go,  give  me 
liberty  to  advise,  and  try  all  airts*  and  paths,  to  see  whether  He 
goeth  before  me  and  leadeth  nie  ;  for  if  I  were  assured  of  God's 
call  to  your  town,  let  my  arm  fall  from  my  siiouUler-blade  and 
lose  power,  and  my  right  eye  be  dried  up,  which  is  the  judgment 
of  the  idol  shepherd,  (Zech.  xi.  17,)  if  I  would  not  swim  through 

1  Site.  2  Sickle.  3  The  arms. 

*  To  take  band  with,  to  unite  with,  as  the  mortar  does  to  the  stones  in  n  building. 

•  Sledge-hammer.  *  Quarters,  points  of  the  compass. 


Rutherford's  letters.  99 

the  water  without  a  boat,  ere  I  sat  his  bidding. '  But,  if  ye  knew 
my  doubtings  and  fears  in  that,  ye  would  suffer  with  me.  Whether 
they  be  temptations,  or  impediments  cast  in  by  God,  I  know  not. 
But  ye  have  now  cause  to  thank  God ;  for,  seeing  the  Bishop  hath 
given  you  such  a  promise,  he  will  give  you  an  honest  man,  more 
willingly  than  he  will  permit  me  to  come  to  you.  And,  as  I  ever 
entreated  you,  put  the  business  out  of  your  hand  into  the  Lord's 
reverence  ;  and  try  of  him,  if  ye  have  warrant  of  him,  to  seek  no 
man  in  the  world,  but  one  only  when  there  are  choice  of  good  men 
to  be  had — howbeit  they  be  too  scarce,  yet  they  are.  And  what 
Gad  saith  to  me  in  the  business,  I  resolve,  by  his  grace,  to  do  ; 
for  I  know  not  what  he  will  do  with  me,  but  God  will  fill  you 
with  joy  ere  the  business  be  ended ;  for  I  persuade  myself  that  our 
Lord  Jesus  hatli  stirred  you  up  already  to  do  good  in  the  business, 
and  ye  shall  not  lose  your  reward. 

I  have  heard  that  your  husband,  and  Samuel  have  been  sick. 
The  Man  who  is  called  the  Branch  and  God's  Fellow,  and  stand- 
eth  before  His  Father,  will  be  your  stay  and  help,  (Zech.  xiii.  7.) 
I  would  that  I  were  able  to  comfort  your  soul ;  but  have  patience 
and  stand,  still  he  that  believeth  maketh  not  haste. 

This  matter  of  Crammond,cast  in  at  this  time,  is  either  a  temp- 
tation, having  fallen  out  at  this  time,  or  then°  it  will  clear  all  my 
doubts,  and  let  you  see  the  Lord's  will.  But  I  never  knew  my 
own  part  in  the  business  till  now;  I  thought  I  was  more  willing  to 
have  embraced  the  charge  in  your  town  than  I  am,  or  am  able  to 
win  to.'  I  know  that  ye  pray  that  God  would  resolve  me  what 
to  do  ;  and  will  interpret  me  as  love  biddeth  you,  which  thinketh 
not  ill,  and  believeth  all  things,  and  hopeth  all  things.  Would 
ye  have  more  than  the  Son  of  God  ?  and  ye  have  Him  already, 
and  ye  shall  be  fed  by  the  carver  of  the  meat,  be  that  who  he  will ; 
and  those  who  are  hungry,  look  more  to  the  meat  than  to  the 
carver. 

I  cannot  see  you  the  next  week.  If  my  Lady  come  home,  I 
must  visit  her.  The  week  thereafter  there  will  be  a  presbytery  at 
Girthon  ;  God  will  dispose  of  the  meeting. 

Grace  upon  you,  and  your  seed,  and  husband.  The  Lord  Jesus 
be  with  your  spirit. 

Yours,  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

Anwoth. 


LETTER  XLVni. 

FOR      MARION      MACKNAUGHT. 

Worthy  and  Well-beloved  Mistress, — My  love  in  Cluist 
remembered — I  have  sent  you  a  letter  from  Mr.  David  Dickson, 

'  To  sit  ones  bidding,  not  promptly  to  do  what  has  been  cornmaiided. 
2  Otherwise.  ^  Altuin  to. 


100  Rutherford's  letters. 

concerning  the  placing  of  Mr.  Hugh  MacKail  with  themselves ; 
therefore,  I  write  to  you  now  only  to  entreat  you  in  Christ  not  to 
be  discouraged  thereat.  Be  submissive  to  the  will  of  your  dear 
Lord,  who  knoweth  best  what  is  good  for  your  soul  and  your  town 
Doth :  for  God  can  come  over  greater  mountains  than  these,  we 
believe  ;  for  he  worketh  his  greatest  works  contrary  to  carnal 
reason  and  means.  "  My  ways  are  not."  saith  our  Lord,  "  as 
your  ways ;  neither  are  my  thoughts  as  your  thoughts."  (Isaiah 
Iv.)  I  am  no  whit  put  from  ray  belief  for  all  that :— believe,  pray, 
and  use  means. 

We  shall  cause  Mr.  John  Ker,  who  convoyed  myself  to  Lochin- 
var,  to  use  means  to  seek  a  man,  if  Mr.  Hugh  fail  us.  Our  Lord 
hath  a  little  bride  among  you,  and  I  trust  he  will  send  one  to  woo 
her  to  our  sweet  Lord  Jesus.  He  will  not  want  his  wife  for  the 
suiting ; '  and  he  hath  means  in  abundance  in  his  hand  to  open 
all  the  slots-  and  bars  that  Satan  draweth  over  the  door.  He 
Cometh  to  his  bride  leaping  over  the  mountains,  and  skipping  over 
the  hills.  His  way  to  his  spouse  is  full  of  stones,  mountains,  and 
waters ;  yet  he  putteth  in  his  foot,  and  wadeth  through  ;  he  will 
not  want  her  ;  and,  therefore,  refresh  me  with  two  words,  concern- 
ing your  confidence  and  courage  in  our  Lord,  both  about  that,  and 
about  his  own  Zion  ;  for  he  wooeth  his  wife  in  the  burning  bush : 
and  for  the  good-will  of  Him  that  dwelleth  in  the  bush,  the  bush 
is  not  consumed.  It  is  better  to  weep  with  Jerusalem  in  the  fore- 
noon, than  to  weep  with  Babel  after  noon,  in  the  end  of  the  day. 
Our  day  of  laugliter  and  rejoicing  is  coming ;  yet  a  little  while, 
and  ye  shall  see  the  salvation  of  God. 

I  long  to  see  you  and  to  hear  how  your  children  are,  especially 
Samuel.  Grace  be  their  heritage,  and  portion  from  the  Lord  ;  and 
the  Lord  be  their  lot,  and  then  their  inheritance  shall  please  them 
well. 

Remember  ray  love  to  your  husband. — The  Lord  Jesus  be  with 
your  spirit.  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Anwoth. 


LETTER  XLIX. 

FOR      MARION      MACK NAUGHT. 

Well-beloved  Sister, — My  love  in  Jesus  Christ  remembered 
— your  daughter  is  well,  thanks  be  to  God  ;  I  trust  in  him  that  ye 
shall  have  joy  of  her.  The  Lord  bless  her.  I  am  now  presently 
going  about  catechizing. 

The  bearer  is  in  haste.  Forget  not  poor  Zion,  and  the  Lord 
remember  you,  for  we  shall  be  shortly  winnowed.     Jesus,  pray  for 

1  Courting. 

2  A  slot  is  a  strong  movable  bolt  or  bar,  which  is  drawn  out  of  a  socket  on  the 
side  of  a  door  till  the  end  enters  into  a  socket  on  the  other  side  of  the  door,  and  thus 
the  door  is  secured  by  each  end  of  the  slot  resting  in  a  socket  in  the  wall.  In  this 
manner  were  the  gates  of  the  ancient  Scottish  keeps  and  strong-holds  secured. 


Rutherford's  letters.  *  101 

us,  that  ouv  faith  fail  not.  I  would  wish  to  see  you  a  Sabbath  with 
us,  and  we  shall  stir  up  one  another,  God  willing,  to  seek  the 
Lord ;  for  it  may  be  that  he  hide  himself  from  us  ere  it  be  long. 
Keep  that  which  you  have,  ye  will  get  more  in  Heaven.  The 
Lord  send  us  to  the  shore  out  of  all  the  storms,  with  our  silly  souls 
whole  and  sound  with  us  ;  for  if  liberty  of  conscience  come,  as  is 
rumored,  the  best  of  us  all  will  be  put  to  our  wits  to  seek  how  to 
be  freed.  But  we  shall  be  with  those  who  have  their  chamber  to 
go  in  unto,  spoken  of,  (Isa.  xxvi.  20.)  Read  the  place  yourself, 
and  keep  you  within  your  house  whill  the  storm  be  past.  If  you 
can  learn  a  dittay'  against  C,  try,  and  cause  to  try,  that  we  may 
see  the  liOrd's  righteous  judgment  upon  the  Devil's  instruments. 
We  are  not  much  obliged  to  his  kindness ;  I  wish  that  all  such 
wicked  doers  were  cat  off. 

These  in  haste ;  I  bless  you  in  God's  name,  and  all  yours. 
Your  daughter  desireth  a  Bible  and  a  gown.  I  hope  that  she  will 
use  the  Bible  well,  which,  if  she  do,  the  gown  is  the  better  be- 
stowed. 

The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 

Yours,  forever,  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

Anwoth. 


LETTER  L. 

FOR     MARION     MACKNAUGHT. 

Mistress, — My  love  in  Jesus  Christ  remembered — I  am  in  good 
health,  honor  to  my  Lord  ;  but  my  wife's  disease  increaseth  daily, 
to  her  great  torment  and  pain  night  and  day.  She  hath  not  been 
in  God's  house  since  our  communion,  neither  out  of  her  bed.  I 
have  hired  a  man  to  Edinburgh,  to  Dr.  Jeally,  and  to  John  Ham- 
ilton :  I  can  hardly  believe  her  disease  is  ordinary,  for  her  life  is 
bitter  to  her.  She  sleepeth  none,  but  crieth,  as  a  woman  travail- 
ing in  birth ;  what  will  be  the  event  He  that  hath  the  keys  of  the 
grave  knoweth.  I  have  been  many  times  since  I  saw  you,  that  I 
have  besought  the  Lord  to  loose  her  out  of  the  body,  and  to  take 
her  to  her  rest.  I  believe  that  the  Lord's  tide  of  afflictions  will 
ebb  again  ;  but  at  present  I  am  exercised  with  the  wrestlings  of 
God,  being  afraid  of  nothing  more  than  this,  that  God  hath  let 
loose  the  Tempter  upon  my  house.  God  rebuke  him  and  his  in- 
strument. Because  Satan  is  not  cast  out  but  by  fasting  and  prayer, 
I  entreat  you  to  remember  our  estate  to  our  Lord,  and  entreat  all 
good  Christians,  whom  ye  know,  but  especially  your  Pastor,  to  do 
the  same.  It  becometh  us  still  to  knock,  and  to  lie  at  the  Lord's 
door,  whill  we  die  knocking.  If  he  will  not  open,  it  is  more  than 
he  hath  said  in  his  word ;  but  he  is  faithful.  1  look  not  to  win 
away  to  my  home  without  wounds,  and  blood.     Welcome,  wel- 

I  Ground  of  indictment. 


102  Rutherford's  letters. 

come  cross  of  Christ,  if  Christ  be  with  it !     I  have  not  a  calm 
spirit  in  the  work  of  my  caiUng  here,  being  daily  chastised;  yet 
God  hath  not  put  out  my  candle,  as  he  doth  to  the  wicked. 
Grace,  grace  be  with  you  and  all  yours. 

Yours,  in  his  Lord,  S.  R. 

Anwoth. 


LETTER  LL 

for      MARION      MACKNAUGHT. 

Worthy  and  Well-beloved  Mistress, — My  love  in  Christ 
remembered — I  know  that  ye  have  heard  of  the  purpose  of  my 
adversaries,  to  try  what  they  can  do  against  me  at  this  synod,  for 
the  work  of  God  in  your  town,  when  1  was  at  your  communion. 
They  intend  to  call  me  in  question  at  the  synod,  for  treasonable 
doctrine ;  therefore,  help  me  with  your  prayers,  and  desire  your 
acquaintance  to  help  me  also.  Your  ears  heard  how  Christ  was 
there.  If  he  suffer  his  servant  to  get  a  broken  head,  in  his  own 
kingly  service,  and  not  either  help  or  revenge  the  wrong,  I  never 
saw  the  like  of  it.  There  is  not  a  night-drunkard,  time-serving, 
idle  idol-shepherd  to  be  spoken  against — I  am  the  only  man  :  and 
because  it  is  so,  and  I  know  that  God  will  not  help  them,  lest  they 
be  proud,  I  am  confident  that  their  process  shall  fall  asunder. 
Only  be  ye  earnest  with  God  for  hearing,  for  an  open  ear,  and 
reading  of  the  bill,  that  he  may  in  Heaven  hear  both  parties,  and 
judge  accordingly :  and  doubt  not,  fear  not,  that  they  shall  not, 
who  now  ride  highest,  put  Christ  out  of  his  kingly  possession  in 
Scotland.  The  pride  of  man,  and  his  rage,  shall  turn  to  the 
praise  of  our  Lord.  It  is  an  old  feud,  that  the  rulers  of  the  earth, 
the  Dragon  and  his  angels,  have  carried  to  the  Lamb  and  his  fol- 
lowers ;  but  the  followers  of  the  Lamb  shall  overcome  by  the  word 
of  God  :  and  believe  this,  and  wait  on  a  little,  till  they  have  got 
their  womb-ful'  of  clay  and  gravel,  and  they  shall  know,  (how- 
beit  stolen  waters  be  sweet,)  that  Esau's  portion  is  not  worth  his 
hunting. 

Commend  me  to  your  husband,  and  send  me  word  how  Grizzel 
is.     The  Son  of  God  lead  her  through  the  water. 

The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 

Yours,  in  his  only,  only  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Anwoth. 


LETTER  LIL 

FOR      MARION      MACKNAUGHT. 

Mistress, — My  love  in  Christ  remembered — at  the  desire  of 

1  Belly-full. 


Rutherford's  letters.  103 

this  bearer,  whom  1  love,  I  thought  to  request  you,  if  ye  can  help 
his  wife  with  your  advice,  for  she  is  in  a  most  dangerous  and 
deadly-like  condition  ;  for  I  have  thought  that  she  was  far  changed 
in  her  carriage  and  hfe  this  sometime  by-passed,  and  had  hoped 
that  God  would  have  brought  her  home ;  and  now,  by  appear- 
ance, she  will  depart  this  life,  and  leave  a  number  of  children  be- 
hind her.  If  ye  can  be  entreated  to  help  her,  it  is  a  work  of  mercy. 
My  own  wife  is  in  exceeding  great  torment,  night  and  day.  Pray 
for  us,  for  my  life  was  never  so  wearisome  to  me.  God  hath  filled 
me  with  gall  and  wormwood ;  but  I  believe,  which  holdeth  my 
head  above  the  water.  "  It  is  good  for  a  man,"  saith  the  Spirit  of 
God,  (Lam.  iii..)  "  that  he  bear  the  yoke  in  his  youth." 

I  do  remember  you.  I  pray  you  be  humble  and  believe  ;  and  I 
entreat  you  in  Jesus  Christ,  pray  for  John  Stuart  and  his  wife,  and 
desire  your  husband  to  do  the  same.  Remember  me  heartily  to 
Jean  Brown.  Desire  her  to  pray  for  me  and  my  wife :  I  do  re- 
member her.  Forget  not  Zion  !  Grace,  grace  and  peace,  upon 
them  that  pray  for  Zion  !  She  is  the  ship  we  sail  in  to  Canaan ; 
if  she  broken  on  a  rock,  we  shall  be  cast  overboard,  to  swim  to  land 
betwixt  death  and  life. 

The  grace  of  Jesus  be  with  your  husband,  and  children. 

Yours,  in  our  Christ,         S.  R. 

Anwoth. 


LETTER  LIII. 

TO     EARLSTON,     ELDER, 


Much  Honored  Sir, — I  have  heard  of  the  mind  and  malice 
of  your  adversaries  against  you.  It  is  like  that  they  will  extend 
the  law  which  they  have,  in  length  and  breadth,  answerable  to 
their  heat  of  mind  ;  but  it  is  a  great  part  of  your  glory,  that  the 
cause  is  not  yours,  but  your  Lord's  whom  ye  serve ;  and  I  doubt 
not  but  Christ  will  count  it  his  honor  to  back  his  weak  servant, — 
and  it  were  a  shame  for  him,  with  reverence  to  his  holy  name, 
that  he  should  suffer  himself  to  be  in  the  common  of  such  a  poor 
man  as  ye  are,  and  that  ye  should  give  out  for  him,  and  not  get 
in  again.  Write  up  your  depursements-  for  your  Master,  Christ, 
and  keep  count  of  what  ye  give  out,  whether  name,  credit,  goods, 
or  life,  and  suspend  your  reckoning  till  nigh  the  evening;  and 
remember  that  a  poor  weak  servant  of  Christ  wrote  it  to  you,  that  ye 
shall  liave  Christ,  a  King,  caution  ^  for  your  incomes  and  all  your 
losses.  Reckon  not  from  the  forenoon.  Take  the  word  of  God 
for  your  warrant,  and  for  Christ's  act  of  cautionry,^  howbeit  body, 
life  and  goods  go  for  Christ  your  Lord,  and  though  ye  should  lose 
the  head  for  him  ;  yet,  (Luke  xxi.  18,)  there  shall  not  one  hair  of 

'  Under  obligation  to.  2  Disbursements. 

3  Security.  ■*  Suretyship. 


104  Rutherford's  letters. 

your  head  perish,  (ver.  19,)  in  patience,  therefore,  possess  your 
soul.  And  because  ye  are  the  first  man  in  Galloway  called  out 
and  questioned  for  the  name  of  Jesus,  his  eye  hath  been  uponj'ou, 
as  upon  one  whom  he  designed  to  be  among  his  witnesses.  Christ 
hath  said,  "Alexander  Gordon  shall  lead  the  ring,  in  witnessing  a 
good  confession;"  and,  therefore,  he  hath  put  the  garland  of  suf- 
fering for  himself,  first  upon  your  head.  Think  yourself  so  much 
the  more  obliged  to  him,  and  fear  not ;  for  he  layelli  his  right 
hand  on  your  head.  He  who  was  dead  and  is  alive,  will  plead 
your  cause,  and  will  look  attentively  upon  the  process  from  the 
beginning  to  the  end;  and  the  spirit  of  glory  shall  rest  upon  you, 
(Rev.  ii.  10.)  "'  Fear  none  of  those  things  which  thou  shalt  suffer; 
behold,  the  Devil  shall  cast  some  of  you  into  prison,  that  ye  may 
be  tried,  and  ye  shall  have  tribulation  ten  days.  Be  thou  faithful 
unto  death,  and  I  will  give  thee  the  cro\vn  of  life."  That  lovely 
One,  Jesus,  who  also  became  the  Son  of  man,  that  he  might  take 
strokes  for  you,  write  the  cross-sweetening  and  soul-supporting 
sense  of  these  words  in  your  heart. 

These  rumbling  wheels  of  Scotland's  ten-days'  tribulation  are 
under  His  look,  who' hath  seven  eyes.  Take  a  house  on  your 
head,  and  slip  yourself  by  faith  under  Christ's  wings,  tiU  the  storm 
be  over.  And  remember  that  when  they  have  drunk  us  down, 
Jerusalem  will  be  a  cup  of  trembling  and  of  poison,  (Zech.  xii.  2.) 
They  shall  be  fain  to  vomit  out  the  saints ;  for  Judah,  (ver.  6,) 
shall  be  an  hearth  of  fire  in  a  sheaf,  and  they  shall  devour  all  the 
people  round  about,  on  the  right  hand  and  on  the  left.  Wo  to  the 
enemies  of  Zion.  They  have  the  worst  of  it:  for  we  have  writ' 
for  the  victory. 

Sir,  ye  were  never  so  honorable  as  ye  are  now.  This  is  your 
glory,  that  Christ  hath  put  you  into  the  roll  with  himself,  and  the 
rest  of  the  witnesses,  who  are  come  out  of  great  tribulation,  and 
have  washed  their  garments,  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood 
of  the  Lamb.  Be  not  cast  down  for  what  the  servants  of  Anti- 
christ cast  in  your  teeth,  that  ye  are  a  head  to,  and  favorer  of  the 
Puritans,  and  leader  to  that  sect.  If  your  conscience  say,  "Alas, 
here  is  much  din  and  little  done,"  (as  the  proverb  is,)  because  ye 
have  not  done  so  much  service  to  Christ  that  way  as  ye  might  and 
should,  take  courage  from  that  same  temptation;  for  your  Lord, 
Christ,  looketh  upon  that  very  challenge,^  as  a  hungering  desire  in 
you  to  have  done  more  than  ye  did ;  and  that  fiUeth  up  the  blank, 
and  he  will  accept  of  what  ye  have  done  in  that  kind.  If  great 
men  be  kind  to  you,  I  pray  you  to  overlook'  them:  if  they  smile 
on  you,  Christ  but  borroweth  their  face,  to  smile  through  them 
upon  his  afilicted  servant.  Know  the  well-head  ;  and  for  all  that, 
learn  the  way  to  the  well  itself. 

Thank  God  that  Christ  came  to  your  house  in  your  absence, 
and  took  with  him  some  of  your  children,  lie  presumed  that 
much  on  your  love,  that  ye  would  not  be  offended ;  and  howbeit 

»  Writing  under  the  liand.  2  Accusation,  3  Look  over. 


Rutherford's  letters.  105 

he  should  take  the  rest,  he  cannot  come  upon  your  wrong  side.  I 
question  not,  if  they  were  children  of  gold,  but  ye  would  think  them 
well  bestowed  upon  him. 

Expound  well  these  two  rods  on  you,  one  on  your  house  at 
home,  another  on  your  own  person  abroad.  Love  thinketh  no 
evil;  if  ye  were  not  Christ's  wheat,  appointed  to  be  bread  in  his 
house,  he  would  not  grind  you.  But  keep  the  middle  line,  neither 
despise  nor  faint,  (Heb.  xii.  (3.)  Ye  see  that  your  Father  is  homely ' 
with  you.  Strokes  of  a  father  evidence  kindness  and  care — take 
them  so.  I  hope  that  your  Lord  hath  manifested  himself  to  you, 
and  suggested  these  or  more  choice  thoughts  about  his  dealing 
with  you.  We  are  using  our  weak  moyen^  and  credit  for  you  up 
at  our  own  court,  as  we  dow ;  *  we  pray  the  King  to  hear  us,  and 
the  Son  of  Man  to  go  side  for  side  with  you,  and  hand  in  hand,  in 
the  fiery  oven,  and  to  quicken  and  encourage  your  unbelieving 
heart,  when  ye  droop  and  despond. 

Sir,  to  the  honor  of  Christ  be  it  said,  that  my  faith  goeth  with 
my  pen  now.  I  am  presently  believing  that  Christ  will  bring  you 
out.  Truth  in  Scotland  shall  keep  the  crown  of  the  causeway  * 
yet.  The  saints  shall  see  religion  go  naked  at  noon-day,  free 
from  shame  and  fear  of  men.  We  shall  divide  Shechem,  and  ride 
upon  the  high  places  of  Jacob. 

Remember  my  obliged  respects  and  love  to  my  Lady  Kenmure 
and  her  sweet  child. 

Yours  ever,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
Anwoth,  July  6,  1G3G. 


LETTER  LIV. 

FOR      MARION      MACK  NAUGHT. 

Well-beloved  Mistress, — I  charge  you,  in  tlie  name  of 
the  Son  of  God,  to  rest  upon  your  Rock,  that  is  higher  than  your- 
self; be  not  afraid  of  a  man  who  is  a  worm,  nor  for  the  son  of 
man  who  shall  die  ;  let  God  be  your  fear.  Encourage  your  hus- 
band. I  would  counsel  you  to  write  to  Edinburgh  to  some  advis- 
ed lawyers,  to  understand  what  your  husband,  as  the  head- 
magistrate,  may  do,  in  opposing  any  intruded  minister,  and  as  to 
his  carriage  toward  the  new  Prelate,  if  he  command  him  to  im- 
prison or  lay  hands  upon  any,  and.  in  a  word,  how  far  he  may  in 
his  office  disobey  a  prelate,  without,  danger  of  law:  for  if  the 
Bishop  come  to  your  town,  and  find  not  obedience  to  his  heart,  it 
is  like  that  he  will  coiumand  the  provost  to  assist  him  against  God 
and  the  truth — ^ye  will  have  more  courage  under  the  peisecution. 
Fear  not ;  take  Christ  caution,5  who  said,  (Luke  xxi.  18,)  "There 

1  Familiar.  2  Interest.  3  Are  able. 

<  7'o  keep  the  crown  of  tjie  causeway,  to  appear  in  public  without  either  shame  or  fear. 

5  Security. 


106  Rutherford's  letters. 

shall  not  one  hair  of  your  head  perish."  Christ  will  not  be  in 
your  common/  to  have  you  giving  out  anything  for  him,  and 
not  give  you  all  incomes,  with  advantage.  It  is  his  honor  that 
his  servants  should  not  be  berried  ^  and  undone  in  his  service. 
Ye  were  never  honored  till  now.  And  if  your  husband  be  the  first 
magistrate  who  shall  suffer  for  Christ's  name  in  this  persecution, 
he  may  rejoice  that  Christ  hath  put  the  first  garland  upon  his 
head,  and  upon  yours.  Truth  will  yet  keep  the  crown  of  the ' 
causeway  in  Scotland.  Christ  and  truth  are  strong  enough. 
They  judge  us  now ;  we  shall  one  day  judge  them,  and  sit  on 
twelve  thrones,  and  judge  the  Twelve  Tribes.  Believe,  believe  ; 
for  they  dare  not  pray,  they  dare  not  look  Christ  in  the  face. 
They  have  been  false  to  Christ,  and  he  will  not  sit  with ^  the 
wrong.  Ye  know,  that  it  is  not  our  cause  ;  for  if  we  would  quit 
our  Lord,  we  might  sleep,  for  the  present,  in  a  sound  skin,  and 
keep  our  place,  means  and  honor,  and  be  dear  to  them  also.  But 
let  us  once  put  all  we  have  over  into  Christ's  hands. 

Fear  not  for  my  papers,  I  shall  dispatch  them  ;  but  ye  will  be 
examined  for  them.  The  Spirit  of  Jesus  give  you  inward  peace. 
Desire  your  husband,  from  me,  to  prove  honest  to  Christ;  he  shall 
not  be  a  loser  at  Christ's  hand. 

Yours,  ever,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Anwoth,  July  8,  1635. 


LETTER    LV. 


TO      MY      LADY      KENMURE, 


Madam^ — I  cannot  find  a  time  for  writing  some  things  which 
I  intended  on  Job,  I  have  been  so  taken  up  with  the  broils  that 
we  are  encumbered  with  in  our  calHng  :  for  our  Prelate  will  have 
us  either  to  swallow  our  light  over,  and  digest  it,  contrary  to  our 
stomachs,  howbeit  we  should  vomit  our  conscience  and  all,  in  this 
troublesome  Conformity  ;  or  then''  lie  will  try  if  deprivation  can 
convert  us  to  the  ceremonial  faith. 

I  write  to  your  Ladyship,  madam,  not  as  distrusting  your  affec- 
tion, or  wilUngness  to  help  me,  as  your  Ladyship  is  able  by  your- 
self, or  others,  but  to  advertise  you,  that  I  hang  by  a  small  thread. 
For  our  learned  Prelate,  because  we  cannot  see  with  his  eyes  so 
far  into  a  millstone  as  his  light  doth,  will  not  follow  liis  Master, 
meek  Jesus,  who  waited  upon  the  wearied  and  short-breathed  in 
the  way  to  Heaven, — and  where  all  see  not  alike,  and  some  are 
weaker,  he  carrieth  the  lambs  in  his  bosom,  and  leadeth  gently 
those  that  are  with  young, — but  we  must  either  see  all  the  evil 
of  ceremonies  to  be  but  as  indifferent  straws,  or  suffer  no  less  than 
to  be  castcn  out  of  the  Lord's  inheritance. 

1  Under  obligation  to  you.  2  PjUaged,  ruined  by  extortion  or  severe  exacliona. 

3  To  sit  with,  to  bear  with  in  silence.  *  Otherwise. 


RUTHERFORDS  LETTERS 


'a  LETTERS.  107 


Madam,  if  I  had  time  I  would  write  more  at  length  ;  but  your 
Ladyship  will  pardon   me,  till  a  fitter  occasion.     Grace  be  with 
you,  and  your  cliild,  and  bear  you  company  to  your  best  home. 
Your  Ladyship's,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Anwoth,  Jan.  8,  1636. 


LETTER  LVL 

TO     MY     LADY     KENMURE. 

Madam, — I  received  your  Ladyship's  letter  from  J.  Gordon.  I 
thank  our  Lord,  that  ye  are  as  well,  at  least,  as  one  may  be,  who 
is  not  come  home.  It  is  a  mercy,  in  this  stormy  sea,  to  get  a 
second  wind  ;  for  none  of  the  saints  get  a  first,  but  they  must  take 
the  winds  as  the  Lord  of  the  seas  causeth  them  to  blow;  and  the 
inn,  as  the  Lord  and  Master  of  the  inns  hath  ordered  it.  If  con- 
tentment were  here.  Heaven  were  not  heaven.  Wlioever  seek 
the  world  to  be  their  bed,  shall  at  best  find  it  sliort  and  ill  made, 
and  a  stone  under  their  side  to  hold  them  waking,  rather  than  a 
soft  pillow  to  sleep  upon.  Ye  ought  to  bless  your  Lord  that  it  is 
not  worse :  we  live  in  a  sea  where  many  have  suffered  shipwreck, 
and  have  need  that  Christ  sit  at  the  helm  of  the  ship.  It  is  a 
mercy  to  win  to  Heaven,  though  with  much  hard  toil  and  heavy 
labor  and  to  take  it  by  violence,  ill  and  well  as  it  may  be.  Better 
go  swimming  and  wet  through  our  wafers,  than  drown  by  the 
way ;  especially  now  when  truth  sufTereth,  and  great  men  bid 
Christ  sit  lower,  and  contract  himself  into  less  bounds,  as  if  he 
took  too  much  room. 

I  expect  that  our  new  Prelate  will  try  my  sitting.  I  hang  by  a 
thread,  but  it  is  (if  I  may  speak  so)  of  Christ's  spinning.  There 
is  no  quarrel  more  honest  or  honorable  than  to  suffer  for  truth ; 
but  the  worst  is,  that  this  Kuk  is  like  to  sink,  and  all  her  lovers 
and  friends  stand  afar  off";  none  mourn  with  her,  and  none  mourn 
for  her.  But  the  liOrd  Jesus  will  not  be  put  out  of  his  conquest' 
so  soon  in  Scotland.  It  will  be  seen,  that  the  Kirk  and  truth 
shall  rise  again  within  three  days,  and  Christ  again  will  ride  upon 
his  white  horse — howbeit  his  horse  seem  now  to  stumble,  yet  he 
cannot  fall.  The  fulness  of  Christ's  harvest  in  the  end  of  the 
earth  is  not  yet  come  in.  I  speak  not  tiiis,  because  I  would  have 
it  so,  but  upon  better  grounds  than  my  naked  liking.  But  enough 
of  this  sad  subject. 

I  long  to  be  fully  assured  of  your  Ladyship's  welfare,  and  that 
your  soul  prospereth,  especially  now  in  yom-  solitary  life,  when 
your  comforts  outward  are  few,  and  when  Christ  hath  you  for  the 
very  uptaking.  I  know  that  his  love  to  you  is  still  running  over ; 
and  his  love  hath  not  so  bad  a  memory  as  to  forget  you  and  your 
dear  child,  who  hath  two  fatliers  in  Heaven,  the  one  the  Ancient 

1  Acquisition  by  inheritance  or  purchase. 


108  Rutherford's  letters. 

of  days.  I  trust  in  his  mercy,  that  he  iiath  something  laid  up  for 
him  above,  however  it  may  go  with  him  here.  I  know  that  it  is 
long  since  your  Ladyship  saw  that  tliis  world  had  turned  your 
step-mother,  and  had  forsaken  you.  Madam,  ye  have  reason  to 
take  in  good  part  a  lean  dinner  and  spare  diet  in  this  life,  seeing 
your  large  supper  of  the  Lamb's  preparing  Avill  recompense  all. 
Let  it  go  which  was  never  yours,  but  only  in  sight,  not  in  proper- 
ty :  the  time  of  your  loan  will  wear  shorter  and  shorter,  and  time 
is  measurefd  to  you  by  ounce-weights :  and  then  I  know  that  your 
hope  shall  be  a  full  ear  of  corn,  and  not  blasted  with  wind.  It 
may  be  your  joy,  that  your  anchor  is  up  within  the  veil,  and  that 
the  ground  it  is  cast  upon  is  not  false,  but  firm.  God  hath  done 
his  part :  and  I  hope  that  ye  will  not  deny  to  fish  and  fetch  home 
all  your  love  to  himself;  and  it  is  but  too  narrow  and  short  for 
him,  if  it  were  more.  If  ye  were  before  pouring  all  your  love  (if 
it  had  been  many  gallons  more)  in  upon  your  Lord,  if  drops  fell 
by '  in  the  in-pouring,  he  forgiveth  you  ;  he  hath  done  now  all 
that  can  be  done,  to  win  beyond  it  all,  and  hath  left  little  to  woo 
your  love  from  himself,  except  one  only  child.  What  is  his  pur- 
pose herein.  He  knoweth  best,  who  hath  taken  your  soul  in  tutor- 
ing. Your  faith  may  be  boldly  charitable  of  Christ,  that,  how- 
ever matters  go,  the  worst  shall  be  a  tired  traveller,  and  a 
joyful  and  a  sweet  welcome-home.  The  back  of  your  winter 
night  is  broken."  Look  to  the  east,  the  day  sky  is  breaking ; 
think  not  that  Christ  loseth  time,  or  lingereth  unsuitably.  O  fair, 
fair  and  sweet  morning!  We  are  but  as  sea-passengers;  if  we 
look  right  we  are  upon  our  country  coast.  Our  Redeemer  is 
fast  coming,  to  take  this  old  worm-eaten  world,  like  an  old  moth- 
eaten  garment,  in  his  two  hands,  and  to  roll  it  up,  and  lay  it  by' 
him.  These  are  the  last  days,  and  an  oath  is  given,  (Rev.  x.  6,) 
by  God  himself,  that  time  shall  be  no  more  :  and  when  time  itself 
is  old  and  gray-haired,  it  were  good  we  were  away. 

Thus,  madam,  ye  see  I  am,  as  my  custom  is,  tedious  in  my 
lines.     Your  Ladyship  will  pardon  it. 

The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 

Your  Ladyship's,  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,     S.  R. 
Anwoth,  January  18,  163S. 


LETTER  LVII. 

for      MARION      MACKNAUGHT. 

Well-beloved  Sister, — My  love  in  Christ  remembered— I 
hear  of  good  news  anent  our  Kirk,  but  I  fear  that  our  King  will 
not  be  resisted,  and,  therefore,  let  us  not  be  secure  and  careless. 
I  do  wonder  if  this  Kirk  come  not  through  our  Lord's  fan,  since 
there  is  so  much  chalF  in  it  howbeit ;  I  persuade  myself  that  the 

'  Past.  2  That  is,  more  tlian  half  spent.  3  Past,  beside. 


Rutherford's  letters.  109 

Son  of  God's  wheat  shall  not  be  blown  away.  Let  us  be  putting 
on  God's  armor,  and  be  strong  in  the  Lord.  If  the  Devil,  and 
Zion's  enemies,  strike  a  hole  in  that  armor,  let  our  Lord  see  to 
that ;  let  us  put  it  on,  and  stand  ;  we  have  Jesus  on  our  side,  and 
they  are  not  worthy  of  such  a  Captain,  who  Vv'ould  not  take  a  blow 
at  his  back.  We  are  in  sight  of  his  colors  ;  his  banner  over  us  is 
love  :  look  up  to  that  white  banner,  and  stand  :  I  persuade  you, 
in  the  Lord,  of  victory. 

My  brother  writeth  to  me  of  your  heaviness,  and  of  temptations 
that  press  you  sore.  I  am  content  it  be  so.  You  bear  about  with 
you  the  marks  of  the  Lord  Jesus :  so  was  it  with  our  Lord's  Apostle, 
when  he  was  to  come,  with  the  Gospel,  to  Macedonia,  (2  Cor. 
vii.  5,)  his  flesh  had  no  rest,  he  was  troubled  on  every  side,  and 
knew  not  wliat  side  to  turn  him  unto  ;  without  were  fightings, 
and  within  were  fears.  In  the  great  work  of  our  redemption, 
your  lovely,  beautiful,  and  glorious  Friend  and  Well-beloved, 
Jesus,  was  brought  to  tears  and  strong  cries,  so  as  his  face  was 
wet  with  tears  and  blood,  arising  from  a  holy  fear,  and  the  weiglit 
of  the  curse.  Take  a  drink  of  the  Son  of  God's  cup,  and  love  it 
the  better  that  he  drank  of  it  before  you — there  is  no  poison  in  it. 
I  wonder  many  times  that  ever  a  child  of  God  should  have  a  sad 
heart,  considering  what  their  Lord  is  preparing  for  them. 

Is  your  mind  troubled  anent  that  business,  which  we  have  in 
hand  in  Edinburgh  ?  I  trust  in  my  Lord,  that  the  Lord  will  in 
the  end  give  to  you  your  heart's  desire,  even,  howbeit,  the  business 
frame  not.  The  Lord  will  feed  your  soul,  and  all  the  hungry 
souls  in  that  town  ;  therefore,  I  request  you  in  the  Lord  to  pray 
for  a  submissive  will ;  and  pray,  as  your  Lord  Jesus  biddeth  you, 
"  Thy  will  be  done  in  earth,  as  it  is  in  Heaven !"  And,  let  it  be  that 
your  faith  be  brangled '  with  temptations  :  believe  ye  that  there  is  a 
tree  in  our  Lord's  garden  that  is  not  often  shaken  with  the  wind 
from  all  the  four  airts  ?° — surely  there  is  none.  Rebuke  your  soul, 
as  the  Lord's  prophet  doth,  (Psalm  xlii.,)  "  Why  art  thou  cast  down, 
O  my  soul !  why  art  thou  disquieted  within  me  ?"  That  was  the 
word  of  a  man,  who  was  at  the  very  overgoing  of  the  brae^  and 
mountain;  but  God  held  a  grip ^  of  him.  Swim  through  your 
temptations  and  troubles,  to  be  at  that  lovely  amiable  Person, 
Jesus,  to  whom  your  soul  is  dear.  In  your  temptations,  run  to  the 
promises  ;  they  be  our  Lord's  branches  hanging  over  the  water, 
that  our  Lord's  silly  Mialf-drowned  children  may  take  a  grip  of 
them  ;  if  you  let  that  grip  go,  you  will  go  to  the  ground." 

Are  ye  troubled  with  the  case  of  God's  Kirk  ?  Our  Lord  will 
evermore  have  her  betwixt  the  sinking  and  the  swimming  :  he 
will  have  her  going  through  a  thousand  deaths,  and  through  hell, 
as  a  cripple'  woman,  halting,  and  wanting  the  power  of  her  own 
side,  (Micah  iv.  6,  7,)  that  God  may  be  her  staff.  That  broken 
ship  will  come  to  land,  because  Jesus  is  the  pilot.     Faint  not,  you 

*  Shaken,  thrown  into  disorder.  ^  Quarters.  3  Precipice. 

*  Gripe,  grasp,  6  Poor,  in  the  sense  of  exciting  compassion, 
s  Bottom.  '  Lame. 


110  Rutherford's  letters. 

shall  see  the  salvation  of  God  ;  else  say  that  God  never  spake  His 
word  by  iny  mouth,  and  I  had  rather  never  have  been  born,  ere  it 
were  so  with  me— but  my  Lord  hatli  sealed  me. 

I  dare  not  deny,  that  1  have,  also,  been  in  heaviness  since  I 
came  from  you,  fearing,  for  my  unthankfulness,  that  I  am  de- 
serted ;  but  the  Lord  will  be  kind  to  me,  whether  I  will  or  not. 
I  repose  that'  much  in  his  grace  that  he  will  be  loath  to  change 
upon  me.     As  you  love  me.  pray  for  me  in  this  particular. 

After  advising  with  Carlton,  I  have  written  to  Mr.  David  Dick- 
son, anent  Mr.  Hugh  Mackail,  and  desired  him  to  write  his  mind 
to  Carlton,  and  Carlton  to  Edinburgh,  that  they  may  particularly 
remember  Mr.  Hugh  to  the  Lord  ;  and  I  happened  upon  a  conve- 
nient trusty  bearer,  by  God's  wonderful  providence. 

No  further.  I  recommend  you  to  the  Lord's  grace,  and  your 
husband  and  children. 

The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 

Yours,  in  the  Lord,  S.  R. 

Edinburgh. 

A      POSTSCRIPT. 

Mistress, — I  had  not  time  to  give  my  advice  to  your  daughter 
Grizzel ;  you  shall  carry  my  words,  therefore,  to  her.  Show  her 
now,  that,  in  respect  of  lier  tender  age,  she  is,  in  a  manner,  as  clean 
paper,  ready  to  receive  either  good  or  ill  ;  and  that  it  were  a 
sweet  and  glorious  thing  for  her  to  give  herself  up  to  Christ,  that 
He  may  write  upon  her  His  Father's  name,  and  His  own  new 
name.  And  desire  her  to  acquaint  herself  with  the  Book  of 
God  ;  the  promises  that  our  Lord  writeth  upon  His  own,  and  per- 
formeth  in  them,  and  for  them,  are  contained  there.  I  persuade 
you,  that,  when  she  is  in  the  company  of  such  parents,  and  hath 
occasion  to  learn  Christ,  I  think  Christ  is  wooing  her  soul  ;  and  I 
pray  God  that  she  may  not  refuse  such  a  Husband.  And,  therefore, 
I  charge  her,  and  beseech  her,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  by  the  wounds 
and  blood  of  Him  who  died  for  her,  by  the  word  of  truth,  which 
she  heareth  and  can  read,  by  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  God  to 
judge  the  world,  that  she  would  fulfil  your  joy,  and  learn  Christ, 
and  walk  in  Cluist.  She  will  think  this  the  truth  of  God  many 
years  after  this  ;  and  I  shall  promise  to  myself  in  respect  of  the 
beginnings  that  I  have  seen,  that  she  will  give  herself  to  Him 
who  gave  Hiniself  for  her.  Let  her  begin  at  prayer ;  for  if  she  re- 
member her  Creator  in  the  days  of  her  youth.  He  will  claim  kind- 
ness to  her  in  her  old  age.  It  shall  be  a  part  of  my  prayers,  that 
this  may  be  effectuated  in  her,  by  Him,  who  is  able  to  do  exceed- 
ingly abundantly  ;  to  whose  grace  I  again  recommend  you,  and 
her,  and  all  yours. 

»So. 


Rutherford's  letters.  IH 

LETTER  LVIII. 

for      MARION      MACKNAUGHT. 

Well-beloved  Sister, — I  know  that  ye  have  heard  of  the 
success  of  our  business  in  Edinburgh.  I  do  every  presbytery-day 
see  the  faces  of  my  brethren  smihng  upon  me,  but  their  tongues 
convey  reproaches  and  Hes  of  me  a  hundred  miles  off,  and  have 
made  me  odious  to  the  Bishop  of  St.  Andrew's,  who  said  to  Mr. 
William  Dalgleish,  that  ministers  in  Galloway  were  his  informers; 
whereupon  no  letters  of  favor  could  be  procured  from  him  for  effect- 
uating of  our  business  :  only  I  am  brought  into  the  mouths  of  men, 
who,  otherwise,  knew  me  not,  and  have  power  (if  God  will  permit) 
to  harm  me ;  yet  I  entreat  you  in  the  bowels  of  Christ  Jesus,  be  not 
cast  down.  I  fear  that  your  sorrow  exceed  because  of  this  ;  and 
I  am  not  so  careful  of  myself  in  the  matter  as  for  you.  Take 
courage  ;  your  dearest  Lord  will  light  your  candle,  which  the 
wicked  would  fain  blow  out ;  and  as  sure  as  our  Lord  liveth  your 
soul  shall  find  joy  and  comfort  in  this  business  ;  howbeit  ye  see 
all  the  hounds  in  Hell  let  loose  to  mar  it.  Their  iron  chains  to 
our  dear  and  mighty  Lord  are  but  straws,  which  he  can  easily 
break,  liet  not  this  temptation  stick  in  your  throat ;  swallow  it, 
and  let  it  go  down — our  Lord  give  you  a  drink  of  the  consolations 
of  His  Spirit,  that  it  may  digest.  Ye  never  knew  one  in  God's 
Book  who  put  their  hand  to  the  Lord's  work  for  his  Kirk,  but  the 
world,  and  Satan,  did  bark  against  them,  and  bite  also,  where 
they  had  power.  Ye  will  not  lay  one  stone  on  Zion's  wall  but 
they  will  labor  to  cast  it  dowii  again. 

And  for  myself,  the  Lord  letteth  me  see  now  greater  evidences 
of  a  calling  to  I^irkcudbright  than  ever  he  did  before  ;  and,  there- 
fore, pray,  and  possess  your  soul  in  patience.  Those  that  were 
doers  in  the  business  have  good  hopes  that  it  will  yet  go  forward, 
and  prosper. 

As  for  the  death  of  the  King  of  Sweden,  (which  is  thought  to  be 
too  true,)  we  can  do  nothing  else  but  reverence  our  Lord,  who 
doth  not  ordinarily  hold  Zion  on  her  rock  by  the  sword  and  arm 
of  flesh  and  blood,  but  by  his  own  might  and  out-stretched  arm. 
Her  King,  that  leigneth  in  Zion,  yet  liveth,  and  they  are  plucking 
liim  round  about  to  pull  him  off  his  throne;  but  his  Father  hath 
crowned  him,  and  who  dare  say  "It  is  ill  done?"  The  Lord's 
Bride  will  be  up  and  down,  above  the  water  swimming,  and  under 
the  water  sinking,  until  her  lovely  and  mighty  Redeemer  and 
Husband  set  his  head  through  these  skies,  and  come,  with  his  fair 
court,  to  red  all  their  pleas,'  and  give  them  the  hoped-for  inheri- 
tance— and  then,  we  shall  lay  down  our  swords,  and  triumph,  and 
fight  no  more.  But  do  not  think,  for  all  this,  that  our  Lord  and 
chief  Shepherd  will  want  one  weak  sheep,  or  the  silliest  dying 

'  Settle  all  their  cfisputes. 


112'  Rutherford's  letters. 

lamb  he  hath  redeemed.  He  will  tell  his  flock,  and  gather  tliem 
all  together,  and  make  a  faithful  account  of  them  to  his  Father, 
who  gave  them  to  him.  Let  vis  now  learn  to  turn  our  eyes  off 
men,  that  our  whorish  hearts  dote  not  on  them,  and  woo  our  old 
Husband  and  make  him  our  darling;  for  (Jer.  xxv. 27,)  tlius  saith 
the  Lord  to  the  enemies  of  Zion,  "Drink  ye  and  be  drunk,  and 
spue,  and  fall,  and  rise  no  more,  because  of  the  sword  that  I  send 
amongst  you."  (Ver.  28.)  "  And  it  shall  be,  if  they  refuse  to  take 
the  cup  at  thy  hand  to  drink,  then  shalt  thou  say  to  them,  Thus 
saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  Ye  shall  certainly  drink." 

You  see  our  Lord  brewing  a  cup  of  poison  for  his  enemies, 
which  they  must  drink,  and  because  of  this  have  sore  bowels  and 
sick  stomachs,  yea,  burst.  But,  (Jer.  1.  4,)  when  Zion's  captivity 
is  at  an  end,  "  the  Children  of  Israel  shall  come,  they  and  the 
Children  of  Judah,  together,  going  and  w^ecping ;  they  shall  go, 
and  seek  the  Lord  their  God."  (Ver.  5,)  "  They  shall  ask  the  way 
to  Zion,  with  their  faces  thitherward,  saying.  Come  and  let  us  join 
ourselves  to  the  Lord,  in  an  everlasting  covenant  that  shall  not  be 
forgotten."  This  is  spoken  to  us,  and  for  us,  who,  with  wo '  liearts, 
ask,  "What  is  the  way  to  Zion?"  It  is  our^part,  who  know  how 
to  go  to  our  Lord's  door,  and  to  knock  by  prayer,  and  how  to  lift 
Christ's  slot,'^  and  shute '  the  bar  of  his  chamber  door,  to  complain, 
and  tell  him  how  the  world  handleth  us,  and  how  our  King's 
business  goeth,  that  he  may  get  up  and  lend^  them  a  blow,  who 
are  tigging^  and  playing  with  Christ,  and  his  spouse. 

Ye  have  also,  dear  mistress,  house  troubles,  in  sickness  of  your 
husband  and  bairns,  and  in  spoiling  of  your  house  by  thieves. 
Take  these  rods  in  patience,  from  your  Lord  :  he  must  still  move 
you  from  vessel  to  vessel,  and  grind  you  as  our  Lord's  wheat,  to 
be  bread  in  his  house ;  but  when  all  these  strokes  are  over  your 
head,®  what  will  you  say  to  see  your  well-beloi^ed  Christ's  white 
and  ruddy  face,  even  His  face,  who  is  worthy  to  bear  the  colors 
amongst  ten  thousand,  (Cant,  v.)     Hope  and  believe  to  the  end. 

Grace,  for  evermore,  be  multiplied  upon  you,  your  husband,  and 
children. 

Your  own,  in  his  dearest  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Edinburgh. 


LETTER  LIX. 

TO     MARION     MACKNAUGHT. 

My  Dear,  and  Well-beloved  in  Christ, — I  am  yet  under 
trial,  and  have  appeared  before  Christ's  forbidden  Lords''  for  a  tes- 
timony against  them.     The  Chancellor  and  the  rest  tempted  me 

'  Grieved. 

2  A  strong  bar,  running  from  side  to  side  of  a  door,  and  having  the  ends  entering 
into  sockets  in  the  wall.  3  Push  aside.  *  Give. 

5  Toying.  «  Passed  and  gone.  f  The  prelates,  1  Pet.  v.  3. 


Rutherford's  letters.  113 

with  questions  nothing  belonging  to  my  summons,  which  I  wholly 
declined,  notwithstanding  his  threats.  My  newly-printed  book 
against  the  Arminians  was  one  challenge,'  not  lording'-^  the  pre- 
lates another:  the  most  part  of  the  bishops,  when  I  came  in, 
looked  more  astonished  than  I,  and  heard  me  with  silence.  Some 
spoke  for  me  ;  but  my  Lord  ruled  it  so,  as  I  am  filled  with  joy  in 
my  sufferings,  and  I  find  Christ's  cross  sweet.  What  they  intend 
the  next  day,  I  know  not.  Be  not  secure,  but  pray.  Our  Bishop 
of  Galloway  said,  if  the  Commission  would  not  give  him  his  will 
of  me,  with  an  oath,  he  said,  that  he  would  write  to  the  King. 
The  Chancellor  summoned  me  in  judgment,  to  appear  that  day 
eight  days.  My  Lord  has  brought  me  a  friend  from  the  High- 
lands of  Argyll,  my  Lord  of  Lorn,^  who  hath  done  as  much  as  was 
within  the  compass  of  his  power.  God  gave  me  favor  in  his  eyes. 
Mr.  Robert  Glendonning  is  silenced,  till  he  accept  a  colleague. 
We  hope  to  deal  yet  for  him.  Christ  is  worthy  to  be  intrusted. 
Your  husband  will  get  an  easy  and  good  way  of  his  business. 
Ye  and  I  both  shall  see  the  salvation  of  God  upon  Joseph,  sepa- 
rated from  his  brethren. 
Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  Christ,  S."  R. 

Edinburgh. 


LETTER  LX. 

FOR      MARION      MACKNAUGIJT. 

Honored,  and  Dearest  in  the  Lord, — Grace,  mercy  and 
peace  be  to  you. — I  am  well,  and  my  soul  prospereth.  I  find 
Christ  with  me.  I  burden  no  man:  I  want  nothing:  no  face 
looketh  on  me  but  it  laugheth  on  me.  Sweet,  sweet  is  the  Lord's 
cross.  I  overcome  my  heaviness.  My  Bridegroom's  love-blinks* 
fatten  my  weary  soul.  I  go  to  my  King's  palace  at  Aberdeen. 
Tongue,  and  pen,  and  wit  cannot  express  my  joy. 

Remember  my  love  to  Jean  Gordon,  to  ray  sister,  Jean  Brown, 
to  Grizzel,  to  your  husband. 

Thus  in  haste.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  iai  his  only,  only  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Edinburgh,  April  5,  1G3G. 

A     POSTSCRIPT. 

My  charge  is  to  you  to  believe,  rejoice,  sing  and  triumph. 
Christ  has  said  to  me,  "  Mercy,  mercy,  grace  and  peace,  for  Ma- 
rion Macknaught." 

'  Accusation.  2  Giving  the  title  "  lord." 

3  Archibald  Campbell,  afterwards  Marquis  of  Argyll,  and  martyr  for  the  Word  of 
God,  and  Scotland's  covenanted  Work  of  Reformation.  *  Love-elances. 

8- 


114  Rutherford's  letters. 


LETTER  LXI. 

TO    THE     TRULY    NOBLE,    AND     ELECT    LADY,    MY    LADY    VIS- 
COUNTESS    OF    KENMURE. 

Noble,  and  Elect  Lady, — That  honor  that  I  have  prayed 
for  these  sixteen  years,  with  submission  to  my  Lord's  will,  my 
kind  Lord  hath  now  bestowed  upon  me  ;  even  to  suffer  for  my 
royal  and  princely  King,  Jesus,  and  for  his  Kingly  crown,  and  the 
freedom  of  his  Kingdom,  that  his  Father  hath  given  him.  The 
forbidden  lords'  have  sentenced  me  with  deprivation  and  confine- 
ment within  the  town  of  Aberdeen.  I  am  charged  in  the  Kinsr's 
name,  to  enter  against  the  twentieth  day  of  August  next,  and 
there  to  remain  during  the  King's  pleasure,  as  they  have  given  it 
out.  Howbeit  Christ's  green  cross,  newly  laid  upon  me,  be  some- 
what heavy,  while  I  call  to  mind  the  many  fair  days,  sweet  and 
comfortable  to  my  soul,  and  to  the  souls  of  many  others,  and  how 
young  ones  in  Christ  are  plucked  from  the  breast,  and  the  inheri- 
tance of  God  laid  waste;  yet  that  sweet-smelled  and  perfumed 
cross  of  Christ  is  accompanied  with  sweet  refreshment,  with  the 
kisses  of  a  King,  with  the  joy  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  with  faith  that 
the  Lord  heareth  the  sighing  of  a  prisoner,  with  undoubted  hope, 
(as  sure  as  my  Lord  liveth,)  after  this  night  to  see  day-light,  and 
Christ's  sky  to  clear  up  again  upon  ma,  and  his  poor  Kirk,  and 
that  in  a  strange  land,  amongst  strange  faces.  He  will  give  favor 
in  the  eyes  of  men  to  his  poor  oppressed  servant,  who  dow  not* 
but  love  that  lovely  One,  that  princely  One,  Jesus,  the  Comforter 
of  his  soul.  All  would  be  well,  if  I  were  free  of  old  challenges  '  for 
guiltiness,  and  for  neglect  in  my  calling,  and  for  speaking  too  lit- 
tle for  my  Well-beloved's  crown,  honor,  and  Kingdom.  Oh,  for  a 
day  in  the  assembly  of  the  saints  to  advocate  for  King  Jesus  !  If 
my  Lord  go  on  now  to  quarrels,  also,  I  die,  I  cannot  endure  it: 
but  I  look  for  peace  from  him  :  because  he  knoweth  I  do\v«  bear 
men's  feud,  but  I  dow  not^  bear  his  feud.  This  is  my  only  exer- 
cise, that  I  fear  I  have  done  little  good  in  my  ministry  ;  but.  I  dare 
not  but  say,  I  loved  the  bairns  of  the  wedding  chamber,  and  prayed 
for,  and  desired  the  thriving  of  the  marriage,  and  coming  of  his 
kingdom. 

1  apprehend  no  less  than  a  judgment  upon  Galloway;  and  that 
the  Lord  will  visit  this  whole  nation,  for  the  quarrel  of  the  Cove- 
nant. But  what  can  be  laid  upon  me,  or  any  the  like  of  me,  is 
too  light  for  Christ ;  Christ  dow^  bear  more,  and  would  bear  death 
and  burning  quick,  in  his  weak  servants,  even  for  this  honorable 
cause,  that  I  now  suffer  for.  Yet,  for  all  my  complaints,  (and  he 
knoweth  that  I  dare  not  now  dissemble,)  he  was  never  sweeter 
and  kinder  than  he  is  now  ;  one  kiss  now  is  sweeter  than  ten  long 

>  The  prplates,  1  Pet.  v.  3.  2  Is  not  able  to.  3  Self-accusations. 

<  Am  able  to.  s  Is  able  to. 


Rutherford's  letters.  115 

since;  sweet,  sweet  is  his  cross;  light,  light  and  easy  is  his  yoke. 
Oh,  what  a  sweet  step  were  it  up  to  my  Father's  house,  through 
ten  deaths,  for  the  truth  and  cause  of  that  unknown,  and  so  not 
half  well-loved,  Plant  of  Renown,  the  Man  called  the  Branch,  the 
Chief  among  ten  thousand,  the  Fairest  among  the  sons  of  men  ! 
Oh  what  unseen  joys,  how  many  hidden  heart-burnings  of  love 
are  in  the  remnants  of  the  sufferings  of  Christ '  My  dear,  worthy 
Lady,  I  give  it  to  your  Ladyship,  under  my  own  hand,  (my  heart- 
writirig  as  well  as  my  hand,)  welcome,  welcome,  sweet,  sweet,  and 
glorious  cross  of  Christ :  welcome,  sweet  Jesus,  with  thy  lio-ht 
cross ;  thou  hast  now  gained  and  gotten  all  my  love  from  me ; 
keep  what  thou  hast  gotten.  Only,  wo,  wo  is  me,  for  ray  bereaved 
flock,  for  the  lambs  of  Jesus,  which  I  fear  shall  be  fed  with  dry 
breasts ;  but  I  spare  now,  madam,  I  dare  not  promise  to  see  your 
Ladyship,  because  of  the  little  time  I  have  allotted  me,  and  I  pur- 
pose to  obey  the  King,  who  hath  power  over  my  body ;  and  rebel- 
hon  to  kings  is  unbeseeming  Christ's  ministers. 

Be  pleased  to  acquaint  my  Lady  Mar  with  my  case  :  I  will  look 
that  your  Ladyship,  and  that  good  lady  be  mindful  to  God  of  the 
Lord's  prisoner,  not  for  my  cause,  but  for  the  Gospel's  sake. 
Madam,  bind  me  more,  (if  more  can  be,)  to  your  Ladyship,  and 
write  thanks  to  your  brother,  my  Lord  of  Lorn,'  for  what  he  liath 
done  for  me,  a  poor  unknown  stranger  to  his  Lordship.  I  shall 
pray  for  him  and  his  house  while  1  live.  It  is  his  honor  to  open 
his  mouth  in  the  streets  for  his  wronged  and  oppressed  Master, 
Clirist  Jesus. 

Now,  madam,  commending  your  Ladyship,  and  the  sweet  child, 
to  the  tender  mercies  of  mine  own  Lord  Jesus,  and  the  good-will 
of  Him,  who  dwelt  in  the  bush  ;  I  rest, 

Yours,  in  his  own  sweetest  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
Edinburgh,  July  28,  1636. 


LETTER  LXII. 

TO     THE      LADY      CULROSS. 

Madam, — -Your  letter  came  in  due  time  to  me,  now  a  prisoner 
of  Christ,  and  in  bonds  for  the  Gospel. 

I  am  sentenced  with  deprivation  and  confinement  within  the 
town  of  Aberdeen — but  oh,  my  guiltiness,  the  follies  of  my  youth, 
the  neglects  in  my  calling,  and  especially  in  not  speaking  more  for 
the  Kingdom,  cr  wn,  and  sceptre  of  my  royal  and  princely  King, 
Jesus,  do  so  sta  e  me  in  the  face,  that  I  apprehend  danger  in  that 
which  is  a  crown  of  rejoicing  to  the  dear  saints  of  God  !  This, 
before  my  compearance,^  (which  was  three  several  days,)  did 
trouble  me,  and  burdeaeth  me  more  now  ;  howbeit  Christ,  and,  iu 

'   Arc.liibiil.l  Camphpll.  atVnrwards  Marquis  of  Argyll. 
2  Appearance  m  obedience  to  legal  citdtion. 


116 


rutherfor'ds  letters. 


him,  God,  reconciled,  met  me  with  open  arms,  and  trysted  ^  me, 
precisely  at  the  entry  of  the  door  of  the  Chancellor's  hall,  and 
assisted  me  to  answer  so  as  the  advantage  that  is,  is  not  theirs, 
but  Christ's.  Alas  !  it  is  no  cause  of  wondering,  that  I  am  thus 
borne  down  with  challenges  ;2  for  the  world  hath  mistaken  me,' 
and  no  man  knowelh  what  guiltiness  is  in  me,  so  well  as  these 
two,  (who  keep  my  eyes  now  waking,  and  my  heart  heavy,)  I 
mean,  my  heart  and  conscience,  and  jny  Lord,  who  is  greater  than 
my  heart. 

Show  your  brother  that  I  desire  him,  while  he  is  on  the  v/atch- 
tower,  to  plead  with  his  mother,  and  to  plead  with  this  land,  and 
to  spare  not  to  cry,  for  the  fair  crown  of  my  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  that 
the  interdicted  and  forbidden  lords^  are  plucking  off  his  royal  head. 
If  I  were  free  of  challenges'^  and  a  High  Commission  within  my 
soul,  I  would  not  give  a  straw  to  go  to  my  Father's  house,  through 
ten  deaths,  for  the  truth  and  cause  of  my  lovely,  lovely  One, 
Jesus  !  but  I  walk  in  heaviness  now. 

If  ye  love  me,  and  Christ  in  me,  my  dear  Lady,  pray,  pray  for 
this  only,  that  bygones*  betwixt  my  Lord  and  me,  may  be  by- 
gones ;^  and  that  he  would  pass  from  the  summons  of  his  High 
Commission,  and  seek  nothing  from  me,  but  what  he  will  do  for 
me,  and  work  in  me.  If  your  Ladyship  knew  me,  as  I  do  myself, 
ye  would  say,  "Poor  soul!  no  marvel."  It  is  not  my  apprehen- 
sion that  createth  this  cross  to  me  ;  it  is  too  real,  and  hath  sad  and 
certain  grounds.  But  I  will  not  believe  that  God  will  take  this 
advantage  of  me  when  my  back  is  at  the  wall.^  He,  who  forbid- 
deth  to  add  affliction  to  affliction,  will  he  do  it  himself?  Why 
should  he  pursue  a  dry  leaf  and  stubble?  Desire  him  to  spare 
me  now.  Also  the  memory  of  the  fair  feast-days  that  Christ  and 
I  had  in  his  banqueting  house-of-wine,  and  of  the  scattered  flock 
once  committed  to  me,  and  now  taken  off  my  hand  by  himself, 
because  I  was  not  so  faithful  in  the  end,  as  I  was  in  the  first  two 
years  of  my  entry,  when  sleep  departed  from  my  eyes,  because  my 
soul  was  taken  up  with  a  care  for  Christ's  Lambs  ;  even  these  add 
sorrow  to  my  sonow. 

Now,  my  Lord  hath  only  given  me  this  to  say,  and  I  write  it 
under  mine  own  hand,  (be  ye  the  Lord's  servant's  witness,)  wel- 
come, welcome,  sweet,  sweet  cross  of  Christ :  welcome,  welcome, 
fair,  fair,  lovely,  royal  King,  Avith  thine  own  cross !  Let  us  all 
three  go  to  Heaven  together.  Neither  care  I  much  to  go  from  the 
south  of  Scotland  to  the  north  ;  and  to  be  Christ's  prisoner  amongst 
unco^  faces, — a  place  of  this  kingdom  which  I  have  little  reason 
to  be  in  love  with.  I  know  that  Christ  will  ma''e  Aberdeen  my 
garden  of  delights.  I  am  fully  persuaded  that  Scotland  shall  eat 
Ezekiel's  book,  that  is  written  within  and  without  with  lamenta- 
tion, and  mourning,  and  wo,  (Ezek.  ii.  10,)  but  the  saints  shall 

1  Appointed  a  meeting  with  me.  2  Self-accusations. 

'  1  Pet.  V.  3.  4  That  past  oflences  may  be  forgiven  and  forgotten. 

*  That  is,  when  I  am  in  this  distressed  condition.  6  Strange. 


Rutherford's  letters.  117 

get  a  drink  of  the  well,  that  goeth  through  the  streets  of  the  New 
Jerusalem,  to  put  it  down. 

Thus,  hoping  that  ye  will  think  upon  the  poor  Prisoner  of 
Christ,  I  pray  that  grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Your  Ladyship's,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Edinburgh,  July  30,  1G30. 


LETTER  LXIIL 

TO     MR.     ROBERT     CUNNINGHAM, 
MINISTER    OF    THE    GOSPEL    AT    HOLYWOOD,    IN    IRELAND. 

Well-beloved,  and  Reverend  Brother, — Grace,  mercy, 
and  peace,  be  to  you — Upon  acquaintance  in  Christ,  I  thought  good 
to  take  the  opportunity  of  writing  to  you.  Seeing  it  hath  seemed 
good  to  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  to  take  the  hooks '  out  of  our  hands 
for  a  time,  and  so  lay  upon  us  a  more  honorable  service,  even  to 
suffer  for  his  name,  it  were  good  to  comfort  one  another  in  writing. 
I  have  had  a  desire  to  see  you  in  the  face,  yet  now,  being  the 
Prisoner  of  Christ,  it  is  taken  away.  I  am  greatly  comforted  to 
hear  of  your  stately  spirit,  for  your  princely  and  royal  Captain, 
Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord,  and  of  the  grace  of  God  in  the  rest  of  our 
dear  brethren  with  you. 

.  You  have  heard  of  my  trouble  I  suppose.  It  hath  pleased  our 
sweet  Lord,  Jesus,  to  let  loose  the  malice  of  these  interdicted  lords'' 
in  his  house,  to  deprive  me  of  my  ministry  at  Anwoth,  and  to  con- 
fine me,  eightscore  miles  from  thence,  to  Aberdeen  ;  and,  also, 
(which  was  not  done  to  any  before,)  to  inhibit  me  to  speak  at  all 
in  the  name  of  Jesus,  within  this  kingdom,  under  the  pain  of  re- 
bellion. The  cause  that  ripened  their  hatred  was  my  book  against 
the  Arminians,  whereof  they  accused  me  those  three  days  on 
which  I  appeared  before  them  ;  but,  let  our  crowned  King  in 
Zion  reign  !  by  his  grace  the  loss  is  theirs,  the  advantage  is 
Christ's  and  truth's.  Albeit  this  honest  cross  gained  some  ground 
on  me  by  my  heaviness,  and  my  inward  challenges  ^  of  conscience 
for  a  time  were  sharp,  yet  now,  for  the  encouragement  of  you  all, 
I  dare  say  it,  and  write  it  under  my  hand,  "  Welcome,  welcome, 
sweet,  sweet  cross  of  Christ.''^  I  verily  think  that  the  chains  of  . 
my  Lord  Jesus  are  all  overlaid  with  pure  gold,  and  that  his  cross 
is  perfumed,  and  that  it  smelleth  of  Christ ;  and  that  the  victory 
shall  be  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  by  the  word  of  his  truth ; 
and  (hat  Christ  lying  on  lijs  back,  in  his  weak  servants  and  op- 
pressed truth,  shall  ride  over  his  enemies'  bellies,  and  shall  "strike 
through  kings  in  the  day  of  his  wrath."  It  is  time  that  we  laugh 
when  he  laugheth  ;  and  seeing  he  is  now  pleased   to  sit  with* 

1  Sickles.  2  The  prelates,  1  Pet.  v.  3. 

3  Sell-accusations.  *  Bear  with  in  silence. 


118  Rutherford's  letters. 

wrongs  for  a  time,  it  becometh  us  to  be  silent,  until  the  Lord  hath 
let  the  enemies  enjoy  their  hungry,  lean,  and  feckless^  paradise. 
Blessed  are  they  who  are  content  to  take  strokes  with  weeping 
Christ ;  faith  will  trust  the  Lord,  and  is  not  hasty,  nor  headstrong  ; 
neither  is  faith  so  timorous  as  to  flatter  a  temptation,  or  to  bud' 
and  bribe  the  cross.  It  is  little  up  or  little  down^  that  the  Lamb 
and  his  followers  can  get  no  law-surety,  nor  truce  with  crosses;  it 
must  be  so,  till  we  be  up  in  our  Father's  house. 

My  heart  is  wo*  indeed  for  my  mother  church,  that  hath  played 
the  harlot  with  many  lovers;  for  her  Husband  hath  a  mind  to 
sell  her  for  her  horrible  transgressions,  and  heavy  will  tlie  hand 
of  the  Lord  be  upon  this  backsliding  nation.  The  ways  of  our 
Zion  mourn  ;  her  gold  is  become  dim,  her  white  Nazarites  are 
black  like  a  coal ;  how  shall  the  children  not  weep,  when  the 
husband  and  the  mother  cannot  agree  !  Yet  I  believe  Scotland's 
sky  will  clear  again,  and  that  Christ  will  build  again  the  old 
waste  places  of  Jacob ;  and  that  our  dead  and  dry  bones  shall  be- 
come an  army  of  living  men  ;  and  that  our  Well-beloved  may  yet 
feed  among  the  lilies,  until  the  day  break,  and  the  shadows  flee 
away. 

My  dear  brother,  let  us  help  one  another  with  our  prayers. 
Our  King  will  mow  down  his  enemies,  and  will  come  from  Bozrah, 
with  his  garments  all  dyed  in  blood,  and  for  our  consolation  will 
he  appear,  and  call  his  wife  Hephzibah,^  and  his  land  Beulah  ;* 
for  he  will  rejoice  over  us,  and  marry  us,  and  Scotland  will  say, 
*'  What  have  I  to  do  any  more  with  idols?"  Only  let  us  be  faith- 
ful to  Him  who  can  ride  through  Hell  upon  a  windlestrae^  and 
his  horse  never  stumble:— and  let  him  make  of  me  a  bridge  over 
a  water,  so  that  his  high  and  holy  name  may  be  glorified  in  me. 
Strokes  with  the  sweet  Mediator's  hand  are  very  sweet ;  he  has 
always  been  sweet  to  my  soul,  but  since  I  suffered  for  him  his 
breath  hath  a  sweeter  smell  than  before.  Oh,  that  every  hair  of 
my  head,  and  every  member,  and  every  bone  in  my  body,  were  a 
man,  to  witness  a  fair  confession  for  him  !  I  should  think  all  too 
little  for  him.  When  I  look  over  beyond  the  line,  and  beyond 
death,  to  the  laughing  side  of  the  world,  I  triumph  and  ride  upon 
the  high  places  of  Jacob,  howbeit,  otherwise  I  am  a  faint,  dead- 
hearted,  cowardly  man,  often  borne  down,  and  hungry  in  waiting 
for  the  marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb.  Nevertheless,  I  think  it 
the  Lord's  wise  love  that  feedeth  us  with  hunger,  and  maketh  U8 
fat  with  wants  and  desertions. 

I  know  not,  my  dear  brother,  if  our  worthy  brethren  be  gone  to 

1  Unsubstantial  unreal. 

8  Bad.  bribe.  To  bud  and  bribe  as  it  were  to  force  bribes  upon.  These  alliterative 
phrases  express  in  the  Scottish  dialect,  intensity  of  meaning. 

3  A  small  matter,  of  no  importance.  ■•  GrieveiT. 

5  That  is  viij  delight  is  in  her.  6  That  is,  married.     Isaiah  xlii.  4. 

7  A  dead,  and  withered  stalk  of  crested  dog's-tail  grass.  {^Cynosurus  cristatus. — 
Lin.)  The  meaning  of  Rutherford  is.  that  Christ  can,  by  the  very  feeblest  and  most 
oontemplible  instrumentality,  triumphantly  conquer  all  the  united  powers  of  Death 
and  Hell. 


Rutherford's  letters.  119 

sea  or  not :  they  are  on  my  heart,  and  in  my  prayers.  If  they  be 
yet  with  you,  salute  my  dear  friend  John  Sl.uart ;  my  well- 
beloved  brethren  in  tlie  Lord,  Mr.  Blair,  Mr.  Hamilton,  Mr.  Liv- 
ingston, and  Mr.  Macleland,  and  acquaint  them  with  my  troubles, 
and  entreat  them  to  pray  for  the  poor  afflicted  Prisoner  of  Christ, 
they  are  dear  to  my  soul.  I  seek  your  prayers  and  theirs  for  my 
flock  ;  the  remembrance  of  them  breaks  my  heart.  I  desire  to 
love  that  people,  and  others  of  my  dear  acquaintance  in  Christ, 
with  love  in  God,  and  as  God  loveth  them.  I  know  that  He,  who 
sent  me  to  the  West  and  South,  sendeth  me  also  to  the  North.  I 
shall  charge  my  soul  to  believe  and  to  wait  for  him,  and  shall 
follow  his  providence,  and  not  go  before  it,  nor  stay  behind  it. 

Now,  my  dear  brother,  taking  farewell  on  paper,   I  commend 
you  to  all  the  word  of  his  grace,  and  to  the  work  of  His  Spirit,  to 
Him,  who  holdeth  the  Seven  Stars  in  his  right  hand,  that  you  may 
be  kept  spotless  till  the  day  of  Jesus,  our  Lord. 
I  am  your  brother  in  affliction. 

In  our  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

From  Irving,  being  on  my  journey  to 

Christ's  Palace  in  Aberdeen. 
August  4,  163G. 


LETTER  LXIV. 


TO     ALEXANDER     GORDON,     OF     EARLSTON. 

Much  Honored  Sir, — I  find  small  hopes  of  Q.'s  business. — 1 
intend,  after  the  council-day,  to  go  on  to  Aberdeen.  The  Lord  is 
with  me  ;  I  care  not  what  man  can  do.  I  burden  no  man,  and  I 
want  nothing.  No  king  is  better  provided  than  I  am.  Sweet, 
sweet,  and  easy  is  the  cross  of  my  Lord.  All  men  whom  I  look 
in  the  face,  (of  whatsoever  rank,  nobles  and  poor,  acquaintance 
and  strangers,)  are  friendly  to  me.  My  Well-beloved  is  some 
kinder  and  more  warmly'  than  ordinary,  and  cometh  and  visiteth 
my  soul.  My  chains  are  over-gilded  with  gold.  Only  the  remem- 
brance of  my  fair  days  with  Christ  in  Anwoth,  and  of  my  dear 
flock  (whose  case  is  my  heart's  sorrow,)  is  vinegar  to  my  sugared 
wine — yet  both  sweet  and  sour  feed  my  soul.  No  pen,  no  words, 
no  ingine,^  can  express  to  you  the  loveliness  of  my  only,  onlj 
Lord,  Jesus. 

Thus,  in  haste,  making  for  my  palace  at  Aberdeen,  I  bless  you, 
your  wife,  your  eldest  son,  and  other  children. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  only,  only  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Edinburgh,  Sept.  5,  163G. 

'  Warm,  *  Genius. 


120  Rutherford's  letters. 


LETTER  LXV. 

TO  ROBERT  GORDON,  OF  KNOCKBREX. 

My  Dearest  Brother,-— I  see  Christ  thinking  shame,'  (if  I 
may  speak  so.)  to  be  in  such  a  poor  man's  common  ^  as  mine.  I 
burden  no  man.  1  want  nothing.  No  face  hath  gloomed  ^  upon 
me  since  I  left  you.  God's  sun  and  fair  weather  conveyeth  me  to 
my  time-paradise  in  Aberdeen.  Christ  hath  so  handsomely  fitted 
for  my  shoulders  this  rough  tree  of  the  cross,  as  that  it  hurteth  me 
nowise.  My  treasure  is  up  in  Christ's  coffers  ;  my  comforts  are 
greater  than  ye  can  believe  ;  my  pen  shall  lye  for  penury  of  words 
to  write  of  them.  God  knoweth  that  I  am  filled  with  the  joy  of 
the  Holy  Ghost.  Only  the  memory  of  you,  my  Dearest  in  the 
Lord,  my  Hock,  and  others,  keepeth  me  under,  and  from  being  ex- 
alted above  measure.  Christ's  sweet  sauce  hath  this  sour  mixed 
with  it ;  but  oh,  such  a  sweet  and  pleasant  taste  ! 

I  find  small  hopes  of  Q,.'s  matter.  Thus  in  haste.  Remember 
me  to  your  wife,  and  to  William  Gordon. 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  only,  only  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Edinburgh,  Sept.  5,  1G36. 


LETTER  LXVL 

TO   ROBERT   GORDON,   OF   KNOCKBREX. 

Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy  and  peace  be  to  you — I  am, 
by  God's  niercy,  come  now  to  Aberdeen,  the  place  of  my  confine- 
ment, and  settled  in  an  honest  man's  house.  I  find  the  townsmen 
cold,  and  general,  and  dry,  in  their  kindness;  yet  I  find  a  lodging 
in  the  heart  of  many  strangers.  My  challenges^  are  revived 
again,  and  I  find  old  sores  are  bleeding  of  new;  so  dangerous  and 
painful  is  an  undercoted^  conscience  ;  yet  I  have  an  eye  to  the 
blood  that  is  physic  for  such  sores.  But  verily,  I  see  that  Chris- 
tianity is  conceived  to  be  more  easy  and  lighter  than  it  is;  so 
that  I  sometimes  think,  that  I  never  knew  anything  but  the  let- 
ters of  that  name  ;  for  our  nature  contenteth  itself  with  little  in 
godliness.  Our  "  Lord,  Lord,"  seemeth  to  us,  ten  "  Lords,  Lords." 
Little  holiness  in  our  balance  is  much  because  it  is  our  holiness ; 
and  we  love  to  lay  small  burdens  on  our  soft  natures,  and  to  make 
a  fair  court-way  to  Heaven  ;  and  I  know  it  were  necessary  to  take 
more  pains  than  we  do.  and  not  to  make  Heaven  a  city  more 
easily  taken  than  God  hath  made  it.     I  persuade  myself  that 

1  Ashamed.  2  Under  oblicration  to.  3  Frowned. 

*  Seh-accusationg.  *  Festerinij  under  the  skin. 


Rutherford's  letters.  121 

many  runners  will  come  short  and  shall  get  a  disappointment. 
Oh  !  how  easy  is  it  to  deceive  ourselves,  and  to  sleep  and  wish 
that  Heaven  may  fall  down  into  our  laps ! 

Yet  for  all  my  Lord's  glooms, '  I  find  him  sweet,  gracious,  lov- 
ing, kind  ;  and  I  want  bS^th  pen  and  words  to  set  forth  the  fair- 
ness, beauty,  and  sweetness,  of  Christ's  love,  and  the  honor  of  this 
cross  of  Christ,  which  is  glorious  to  me,  though  the  world  thinketh 
shame 2  thereof.  I  verily  think  that  the  cross  of  Christ  would 
blush  and  think  shame  ^  of  those  thin-skinned  worldlings,  who  are 
so  married  to  their  credit  that  they  are  ashamed  of  the  sufferings 
of  Christ.  Oh  the  honor  to  be  scourged  and  stoned  with  Christ, 
and  to  go  through  a  furious  faced  death  to  life  eternal ! — but  men 
would  have  law-burrows*  against  Christ's  Cross. 

Now,  my  dear  brother,  forget  not  the  prisoner  of  Christ ;  for  I 
see  very  few  here  who  kindly  fear  God.  Grace  be  with  you.  Let 
my  love  in  Christ,  and  hearty  affection,  be  remembered  to  your 
kind  wife,  and  to  your  brother,  John,  and  to  all  friends.  The 
Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 

Yours,  in  his  only,  only  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  20,  163G. 


LETTER  LXVn. 

FOR  WILLIAM  FULLERTON,  PROVOST  OF  KIRKCUDBRIGHT. 


Much  Honored,  and  very  Dear  Friend, — Grace,  mercy 
and  peace  be  to  you — 1  am  in  good  case,  blessed  be  the  Lord,  re- 
maining here  in  this  unco^  town,,  a  prisoner  for  Christ  and  His 
truth  :  and  I  am  not  ashamed  of  His  cross  ;  my  soul  is  comforted 
with  the  consolations  of  His  sweet  presence  for  whom  I  suffer. 

I  earnestly  entreat  you  to  give  your  honor  and  authority  to 
Christ,  and  for  Christ ;  and  be  not  dismayed  for  flesh  and  blood, 
while  you  are  for  the  Lord,  and  for  His  truth  and  cause.  And, 
howbeit,  we  see  truth  put  to  the  worse  for  the  time,  yet  Clnistwill 
be  a  friend  to  truth,  and  will  do  for"  those,  who  dare  hazard  all  that 
they  have  for  Him,  and  for  His  glory.  Sir,  our  fair  day  is  coming, 
and  the  court  will  change,  and  wicked  men  shall  weep  after  noon, 
and  sorer  than  the  sons  of  God,  who  weep  in  the  morning.  Let 
us  believe  and  hope  for  God's  salvation. 

Sir,  I  hope  that  I  need  not  write  to  you  for  your  kindness  and 
love  to  my  brother,  who  is  now  to  be  distressed  for  the  truth  of 
God,  as  well  as  I  am.  I  think  myself  obliged  to  pray  for  you  and 
your  worthy  and  kind  bed-fellow  and  children,  for  your  love  to  Him 
and  me  also.  I  hope  your  pains  for  us  in  Christ  shall  not  be 
lost. 

'  Frowns.  2  jg  ashamed.  3  Be  ashamed. 

*  Security  obtained  from  one  on  swearing  the  peace  against  him. 
5  Strange.  «  Act  for. 


122  Rutherford's  letters. 

Thus  recommending  you  to  the  tender  mercy  and  loving-kind- 
ness of  God,  I  rest, 

Your  very  loving  and  affectionate  brother,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  21,  163G. 


LETTER  LXVIII. 

TO      HIS      parishioners      AT      ANWOTH. 

Dearly  Beloved  in  our  Lord, — Grace,  mercy  and  peace 
from  God  our  Father,  and  from  our  Lord,  Jesus  Christ,  be  multi- 
plied upon  you. 

I  long  exceedingly  to  hear  of  your  on-going  and  advancement 
in  your  journey  to  the  Kingdom  of  God.  My  only  joy  out  of 
Heaven  is  to  hear  that  the  seed  of  God  sown  among  you  is  grow- 
ing, and  coming  to  a  harvest ;  for  I  ceased  not,  while  I  was 
among  you,  in  season  and  out  of  season,  (according  to  the  meas- 
ure of  grace  given  unto  me,)  to  warn  and  to  stir  up  your  minds  ; 
and  I  am  free  from  the  blood  of  all  men  ;  for  I  have  communicated 
to  you  the  whole  counsel  of  God.  And  I  now,  again,  charge,  and 
warn  you,  in  the  great,  and  dreadful  name,  and  in  the  sovereign 
authority  of  the  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords  ;  and  I  beseech 
you  also  by  the  mercies  of  God,  and  by  the  bowels  of  Christ,  by 
your  appearance  before  Christ  Jesus,  our  Lord,  by  all  the  plagues 
that  are  written  in  God's  book,  by  your  part  of  the  holy  city,  the 
New  Jerusalem,  that  ye  keep  the  truth  of  God  as  I  delivered  it  to 
you  before  many  witnesses,  in  the  sight  of  God  and  His  holy  an- 
gels ;  for  now^  the  last  days  are  come  and  coming,  when  many 
forsake  Christ  Jesus,  and  He  saith  to  you,  "  Will  ye  also  leave 
me  ?" 

Remember  that  I  forewarned  you  to  forbear  the  dishonoring  of 
the  Lord's  blessed  name,  in  swearing,  blaspheming,  cursing,  and 
the  profaning  of  the  Lord's  Sabbath  ;  willing  you  to  give  that  day 
from  morning  to  night  to  praying,  praising,  hearing  of  the  Word, 
conferring,  and  speaking,  not  your  own  words,  but  God's  words  ; 
thinking  and  meditating  on  God's  nature,  word  and  works:  and 
that  every  day,  at  morning  and  at  night,  (at  least,)  ye  should  sanc- 
tify the  Lord,  by  praying  in  your  houses,  publicly,  in  the  hearing 
of  all ;  that  ye  should  in  any  sort  forbear  the  receiving  the  Lord's 
Supper  but  after  the  form  that  I  delivered  it  to  you,  according  to 
the  example  of  Christ  our  Lord  ;  that  is,  that  ye  should  sit,  as 
banqueters,  at  one  table  with  our  King,  and  eat  and  drink,  and 
divide  the  elements  one  to  another  : — the  timber  and  stones  of 
the  church  walls  shall  bear  witness  that  my  soul  was  refreshed 
with  the  comforts  of  God  in  that  supper  : — and  that  crossing  in 
baptism  was  unlawful,  and  against  Christ's  ordinance  ;  and  that 
no  day,  (besides  the  Sabbath,  which  is  of  his  own  appointment,) 
should  be  kept  holy,  and  sanctified  with  preaching  and  the  public 


Rutherford's  letters.  123 

worship  of  God,  for  the  memory  of  Christ's  birth,  death,  resurrec- 
tion, and  ascension;  seeing  such  days  so  observed  are  unlawful, 
will-worsliip,  and  not  warranted  in  Christ's  word  :  and  that  every- 
thing in  God's  worship,  not  warranted  by  Christ's  testament  and 
word,  was  unlawful :  and,  also,  that  idolatry,  worshipping  of  God 
before  hallowed  creatures,  and  adoring  of  Christ,  by  kneeling  be- 
fore bread  and  wine,  was  unlawful:  and  that  ye  should  be  humble, 
sober,  modest,  forbearing  pride,  envy,  malice,  wrath,  hatred,  conten- 
tion, debate,  lying,  slandering,  stealing,  and  defrauding  your  neigh- 
bors, in  grass,  corn  or  cattle,  in  buying  or  selling,  boriowing  or  lend- 
ing, taking  or  giving,  in  bargains  or  covenants :  and  that  ye  should 
work  with  your  own  hands,  and  be  content  with  that  which  God 
hath  given  you :  that  ye  should  study  to  know  God,  and  His  will, 
and  keep  in  mind  the  doctrine  of  the  Catechism,  which  I  taught  you 
carefully,  and  speak  of  it  in  your  houses,  and  in  the  fields,  when 
ye  lie  down  at  night,  and  rise  in  the  morning  :  that  ye  should  be- 
lieve in  the  Son  of  God,  and  obey  His  commandments,  and  learn 
to  make  your  accounts  in  time  with  the  Judge  ;  because  death 
and  judgment  are  before  you. 

And  if  ye  have  now  penury,  and  want  of  that  word  which  I 
dehvered  to  you  in  abundance — yea,  (to  God's  honor  I  speak  it, 
without  arrogating  anything  to  myself,  who  am  but  a  poor,  empty 
man,)  ye  had  as  much  of  the  word,  in  nine  years,  while  I  was 
among  you,  as  some  others  have  had  in  many — mourn  for  your 
loss  of  time  and  repent.  My  soul  pitieth  you,  that  you  should  suck 
dry  breasts,  and  be  put  to  draw  at  dry  wells.  Oh,  that  ye  would 
esteem  highly  the  Lamb  of  God,  your  Well-beloved,  Christ  Jesus, 
whose  virtues  and  praises  I  preached  unto  you  with  joy,  and  which 
He  did  countenance  and  accompany  with  some  power ;  and  that 
ye  would  call  to  mind  the  many  fair  days  and  glorious  feasts 
in  our  Lord's  house-of-wine,  that  ye  and  I  have  had  with  Christ 
Jesus  ! 

But  if  there  be  any  among  you  who  take  liberty  to  sin,  because 
I  am  removed  from  amongst  you,  and  forget  that  word  of  truth 
which  ye  heard,  and  turn  the  grace  of  God  into  wantonness,  I 
here,  under  my  hand,  in  the  name  of  Christ,  my  Lord,  write  to 
such  persons  all  the  plagues  of  God,  and  all  the  curses  that  ever  I 
preached  in  the  pulpit  of  Anwoth  against  the  children  of  disobe- 
dience: and,  as  the  Lord  liveth,  the  Lord  Jesus  will  make  good 
what  I  write  unto  you.  Therefore,  dearly-beloved,  fulfil  my  joy  : 
fear  the  great  and  dreadful  name  of  the  Lord:  seek  God  with  me. 
Scotland's  judgment  sleepcth  not :  awake,  and  repent  !  The 
sword  of  the  Lord  shall  go  from  the  north  to  the  south,  from  the 
east  to  the  west,  and  through  all  the  corners  of  the  land;  and  that 
sword  shall  be  drunk  with  your  blood  among  the  first;  and  I  shall 
stand  up  as  a  witness  against  you,  if  ye  do  not  amend  your  ways 
and  your  doings,  and  turn  to  the  Lord  with  all  your  heart. 

I  beseech  you  also,  my  dearly-beloved  in  the  liOrd,  my  joy,  and 
my  crown,  be  not  offended  at  the  sufferings  of  me,  the  prisoner  of 
Jesus  Christ.     I  am  filled  with  joy  and  with  ihe  comforts  of  God. 


124  Rutherford's  letters. 

Upon  my  salvation,  I  know  and  am  peisnaded,  that  it  is  for  God's 
truth,  and  the  honor  of  my  King  and  royal  Prince,  Jesus,  that  I 
now  suffer : — and  howbeit  tliis  town  be  my  prison,  yet  Christ  hath 
made  it  my  palace,  a  garden  of  pleasures,  a  lield  and  orchard  of 
delights.  I  know  likewise,  albeit  1  be  in  bonds,  hat  yet  the  word 
of  God  is  not  in  bonds  ;  my  spirit  also  is  in  free-ward.'  Sweet, 
sweet  have  his  comforts  been  to  my  soul ;  my  pen,  tongue,  and 
heart,  liave  not  words  to  express  the  kindness,  love  and  mercy,  of 
my  Well-beloved  to  me,  in  this  house  of  my  pilgrimage. 

I  charge  you  to  fear  and  to  love  Christ ;  and  to  seek  a  house 
not  made  with  hands,  your  Father's  house  above.  This  laughing 
and  white-skinned  world  beguileth  you ;  and  if  ye  seek  it  more 
than  God,  it  will  play  you  a  slip,  to  the  endless  sorrow  of  your 
heart.  Alas,  I  could  not  make  many  of  you  to  fall  in  love  with 
Christ;  howbeit  I  endeavored  to  speak  much  good  of  him,  and  to 
commend  him  to  you,  which  as  it  was  your  sin,  so  it  is  my  sor- 
row !  yet,  once  again,  suffer  me  to  exhort,  beseech,  and  obtest  you, 
in  the  Lord,  to  think  of  his  love,  and  to  be  delighted  with  him, 
who  is  altogether  lovely  : — I  give  you  the  word  of  a  King,  that  ye 
will  not  repent  it. 

Ye  are  in  my  prayers  night  and  day  ;  I  cannot  forget  you:  I  do 
not  eat,  I  do  not  drink,  but  I  pray  for  you  all. 

I  entreat  you  all,  and  every  one  of  you,  to  pray  for  me.  Grace, 
grace  be  with  you. 

Your  lawful,  and  loving  pastor,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  23,  1637. 


LETTER    LXIX. 


TO   THE    NOBLE,    AND    CHRISTIAN    LADY,    THE    VISCOUNTESS    OP 

KENMURE. 

My  VERY  Honorable,  and  dear  Lady, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
peace  be  to  you — I  cannot  forget  your  Ladyship,  and  that  sweet 
child.  I  desire  to  hear  what  ihe  Lord  is  doing  to  you  and  him  : — 
to  write  to  me  were  charity.  I  cannot  but  write  to  my  friends, 
that  Christ  hath  trysted  ^  me  in  Aberdeen  ;  and  my  adversaries 
have  sent  me  here  to  be  feasted  witii  love-banquets,  with  my  royal, 
high,  higl),  and  princely  King,  Jesus.  Madam,  why  should  I 
smother  Christ's  honesty?  I  dare  not  conceal  his  goodness  to  my 
soul ;  he  looked  fremmed^  and  unco  like^  upon  me,  when  I  came 
first  here  ;  but  I  believe  himself  better  than  his  looks.  I  shall  not 
again  quarrel  with  Christ  for  a  gloom,''  now  that  he  hath  taken 
the  mask  off  his  face,  and  saith,  '•  Kiss  thy  fill ;"  and  what  can  I  have 
more,  whill  I  get  great  heaven  in  my  little  arms  '?     Oh,  how  sweet 

*  Hath  liberty  of  egress.  i  Appointed  me  to  meet  him. 
3  Distant  strange  in  manner. 

*  Apparently  strange  and  reserved  in  manner.         5  a  frown. 


Rutherford's  letters.  125 

are  the  suffermg-s  of  Christ,  for  Christ!     God  forgive  them  that 
raise  an  ill  report  upon  the  sweet  cross  of  Christ ;  it  is  but  our 
weak  and  dim  eyes,  that  look  but  to  the  black  side,  that  maketh 
us  mistake.     Those  who  can  take  that  crabbed  tree  handsomely 
upon  their  back,  and  fasten  it  on  cannily,'  shall  find  it  such  a  bur- 
den as  wings  are  unto  a  bird,  or  sails  to  a  ship.     Madam,  rue  not 
of  your  having  chosen  the  better  part.     Upon  my  salvation,  this 
is  Christ's  truth  which  I  now  suiFer  for.     If  I  found  but  cold  com- 
fort*^ in  my  sufferings,  I  would  not  beguile  others;  I  should  have 
told  you  plainly.     But  the  truth  is,  Christ's  crown,  his  sceptre,  and 
the  freedom  of  his  kingdom,  is  that  which  is  now  called  in  ques- 
tion ;  because  we  will  not  allow  that  Christ  ought  to  pay  tribute, 
and  be  a  vassal  to  the  shields  of  the  earth  ;  therefore,  the  sons  of 
our  mother  are  angr}^  at  us.     But  it  becometh  not  Christ  to  hold 
any  man's  stirrup.     It  were  a  sweet  and  honorable  death  to  die 
for  the  honor  of  that  royal  and  princely  king,  Jesus.     His  love  is 
as  a  mystery  to  the  world.     I  would  not  have  believed  that  there 
was  so  much  in  Christ  as  there  is.     "  Come  and  see,"  maketh 
Christ  to  be  known  in  his  excellency  and  glory.     I  wish  all  this 
nation  knew  how  sweet  his  breath  is.     It  is  little  to  see  Christ  in 
a  book,  as  men  do  the  world  in  a  card ;  ^  they  talk  of  Christ  by 
the  book  and  the  tongue,  and  no  more,  but  to  come  nigh  Christ, 
and  hause^  him,  and  embrace  him,  is  another  thing.     Madam, 
I  write  to  your  honor,  for  your  encouragement  in  that  honorable 
profession  which  Christ  hath  honored  you  with.     Ye  have  gotten 
the  sunny  side  of  the  brae,^  and  the  best  of  Christ's  good  things; 
he  hath  not  given  you  the  bastard's  portion;  and,  howbeit  ye  get 
strokes,  and  sour  looks  from  your  Lord,  yet  believe  his  love  more 
than  your  own  feeling,  for  this  world  can  take  nothing  from  you 
that  is  truly  yours,  and  death  can  do  you  no  wrong.     Your  rock 
doth  not  ebb  and  flow,  but  your  sea.     That  v.'hich  Christ  hath 
said,  he  will  bide  by.«     He  will  be  your  tutor.     Ye  shall  not  get 
your  charters  of  Heaven  to  play  yourself  with.     It  is  good  that  ye 
have  lost  your  credit  with  Christ,  and  that  Lord  Freewill  shall 
not  be  your  tutor.     Christ  will  lippen'  the  taking  of  you  to  Hea- 
ven  neither  to  yourself  nor  any  deputy,  but  only  to  himself — 
blessed  be  your  Tutor  !     When  your  Head  shall  appear,   your 
Bridegroom  and  Lord,  your  day  shall  then  dawn,  and  it  will  never 
have  an  afternoon,  nor  an  evening  shadow.     Let  your  child  be 
Christ's:  let  him  stay  beside  you  as  the  Lord's  pledge,  that  you 
shall  wdlingly  render  again,  if  God  will.     Madam,  I  find  folks 
here  kind  to  me,  but  in  the  night  and  under  their  breath.     My 
Master's   cause   may  not  come  to  ihe  crown  of  the  causeway.' 
Others  are  kind  according  to  their  fashion.     Many  think  me  a 

I  Prudently,  with  skilful  adaptation.  2  Discouragement. 

3  Chart.  *  Clasp  around  the  neck,  embrace. 

5  Slope,  declivity.     Sunny  side  of  the  brae,  a  proverbial  ex]jression,  denotincr  the 
most  sheltered,  warm,  plentiful,  and  comfortable  situation. 

6  Stand  to.  7  Intrust. 

*  To  corns  to  the  crown  of  the  causeway,  to  appear  openly  in  public,  without  fear  or 
shame. 


126  Rutherford's  letters. 

strange  man,  and  iny  cause  not  good ;  but  I  care  not  much  for 
man's  tlioughts  or  approbation. 

I  think  no  shame  '  of  the  cross.  The  preachers  of  this  town 
pretend  great  love,  but  the  prelates  have  added  to  the  rest  this 
gentle  cruelty,  (for  so  they  think  it,)  to  discharge  me  of  the  pulpits 
of  this  town.  The  people  murmur  and  cry  out  against  it:  and  to 
speak  truly,  (howbeit  Christ  is  most  indulgent  to  me  otherwise,) 
my  silence  on  the  Lord's  day  keepeth  me  from  being  exalted  above 
measure,  and  from  startling ^  in  the  heat  of  my  Lord's  love.  Some 
people  affect  mc ;  for  the  which  cause,  I  hear  the  preachers  here 
propose  to  have  my  confinement  changed  to  another  place  ;  so 
cold  is  northern  love :  but  Christ  and  I  will  bear  it.  I  have  wres- 
tled long  with  this  sad  silence.  I  said,  What  aileth  Christ  at  my 
service  ?  and  my  soul  hath  been  at  a  pleading  with  Christ,  and  at 
yea  and  nay  ;  but  I  will  yield  to  him,  providing  my  suffering  may 
preach  more  than  my  tongue  did ;  for  I  gave  not  Christ  an  inch, 
but  for  twice  as  good  again:— in  a  word,  I  am  a  fool,  and  he  is 
God.     I  shall  hold  my  peace  hereafter. 

Let  me  hear  from  your  liadyship,  and  your  dear  child.  Pray 
for  a  prisoner  of  Christ,  who  is  mindful  of  your  Ladyship.  Re- 
member my  obliged  obedience  to  my  good  Lady  Mar.  Grace, 
grace  be  with  you.     I  write  and  pray  blessings  to  your  sweet  child. 

Yours,  in  all  dutiful  obedience,  in  his  only  Lord  Jesus,     S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Nov.  22,  1636. 


LETTER  LXX. 


TO    THE    RIGHT    HONORABLE,    AND    CHRISTIAN  LADY,    MY    LADY 
VISCOUNTESS    OP    KENMURE. 

Madam, — ^Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you — I  received  your 
Ladyship's  letter.  It  refreshed  me  in  my  heaviness.  Tiie  bless- 
ing and  prayers  of  a  prisoner  of  Christ  come  upon  you.  Since 
my  coming  hither,  Galloway  hath  sent  me  not  a  line,  except  what 
my  brother,  Earlston,  and  his  son  did  write.  I  cannot  get  my 
papers  transported  :  but  madam,  I  want  not  kindness  of  One  who 
hath  the  gate^  of  it;  Christ,  (if  he  had  never  done  more  for  me 
since  I  was  born,)  hath  engaged  my  heart,  and  gained  my  blessing, 
in  this  house  of  my  pilgrimage.  It  pleaseth  my  Well-beloved  to 
dine  with  a  poor  prisoner,  and  the  King's  spikenard  casteth  a 
fragrant  smell.  Nothing  grieveth  me  but  that  I  eat  my  feasts 
alone,  and  that  I  cannot  edify  his  saints.  Oh,  that  this  nation 
knew  what  is  betwixt  him  and  me;  none  would  scaur''  at  the 
cross  of  Christ !     My  silence  eateth  me  up  :  but  he  hath  told  me 

'  Am  not  ashamed. 

2  To  startle,  to  run  about  in  .i  wild  and  excited  manner,  as  cattle  do  in  hot  weather 
when  stuiiif  by  the  cradfly.  Rutheriord  means  that  his  forced  silence  on  the  Lord's 
day  kept  him  from  being  exalted,  by  his  persecutions,  above  measure. 

3  Way.  *  Boggle. 


Rutherford's  letters.  127 

that  he  thanketh  me  no  less  than  if  I  were  preaching-  daily.  He 
seeth  how  gladly  I  would  be  at  it ;  and,  therefore,  my  wages  are 
going  to  the  fore"  up  in  Heaven,  as  if  I  were  still  preaching  Christ, 
Captains  pay  duly  bedfast  soldiers,  howbeit  they  dow  not^  march 
nor  carry  armor.  "  Though  Israel  be  not  gathered,  yet  shall  I  be 
glorious  in  the  eyes  of  my  Lord,  and  my  Lord  shall  be  my 
strength,  (Isa.  xlix.  5.)  My  garland, — the  "  Banished  Minister" 
— the  term  of  Aberdeen-Trashameth  me  not.  I  have  seen  the  white 
side  of  Christ's  cross — lovely  hath  he  been  to  his  oppressed  ser- 
vant!  (Psal.  cxlvi.  7,  8,  9,)  "The  Lord  executeth  judgment  for 
the  oppressed  ;  he  giveth  food  to  the  hungry  :  the  Lord  looseth  the 
prisoner ;  the  Lord  raiseth  them  that  are  bowed  down  :  the  Lord 
preserveth  the  stranger."  If  it  were  come  to  exchanging  of 
crosses,  I  would  not  exchange  my  cross  with  any :  I  am  well 
pleased  with  Christ,  and  he  with  me ;  I  hope  that  none  shall  hear 
us.  ^  It  is  true,  that  for  all  this  I  get  my  meat  with  many  strokes, 
and  am  seven  times  a  day  up  and  down,  and  am  often  anxious  and 
cast  down  for  the  case  of  my  oppressed  brother ;  yet  I  hope  that 
the  Lord  will  be  surety  for  his  servant.  But  now,  upon  some 
weak,  very  weak  experience.  I  am  come  to  love  a  rumbling,  and 
raging  devil  best:  seeing  we  must  have  a  devil  to  hold  the  saints 
waking,  I  wish  a  cmnbersome  devil,  rather  than  a  secure  and 
sleeping  one.  At  my  fust  coming  hither,  I  took  the  dorts^  at 
Christ,  and  took  up  a  stomach  against  him.  I  said  he  had  cast 
me  over  the  dyke^  of  the  vineyard  like  a  dry  tree.  But  it  was  his 
mercy,  I  see,  that  the  fire  did  not  burn  the  dry  tree :  and  now,  as 
if  my  Lord  Jesus  had  done  that  fault,  and  not  I  who  belied  my 
Lord,  he  hath  made  the  first  mends,^  and  he  spake  not  one  word 
against  me  ;  but  he  hath  come  again  and  quickened  my  soul  with 
his  presence;  nay,  now  I  think  the  very  annuity''  and  casualties 
of  the  cross  of  Christ  Jesus,  my  Lord,  and  those  comforts  that  ac- 
company it,  better  than  the  world's  set  rent.^  O  how  many  rich 
oflf-fallings  are  in  my  King's  house  !  I  am  persuaded,  and  dare 
pawn  my  salvation  on  it,  that  it  is  Christ's  truth  which  I  now 
suffer  for.  I  know  that  his  comforts  are  no  dreams  ;  he  would  not 
put  his  seal  on  blank  paper,  nor  deceive  his  afflicted  ones  that 
trust  in  him.  Your  Ladyship  wrote  to  me  that  ye  are  an  ill 
scholar.  Madam,  ye  must  go  in  at  Heaven's  gates,  and  your  book 
in  your  hand,  still  learning.  Ye  have  had  your  own  large  share 
of  troubles,  and  a  double  portion  ;  but  it  saith  that  your  Father 
counteth  you  not  a  bastard — full-begotten  bairns''  are  nurtured,'" 
(Heb.  xii."8.) 

I  long  to  hear  of  the  child.     I  write  the  blessings  of  Christ's 
Prisoner  and  the  mercies  of  Gad  to  him.     Let  him  be  Christ's  and 

'  RunnincT  to  account,  in  the  course  of  being  laid  up  in  store. 

2  Have  not  ability.  3  Prov.  xiv.  10.  *  Pet,  sulks. 

6  Wall.  «  First  mail e  amends.  7  Q,uit-rent.  »  Full  ri;nt. 

9  Legitimate  children,  by  the  same  p:»rents  on  both  sides,  in  contradistinction  to 
children  who  are  by  the  same  parent  on  the  one  side,  but  by  diderent  parents  on  the 
other.  1"  Corrected. 


128  Rutherford's  LETTERS. 

yours  betwixt  you,  but  let  Christ  be  whole  play-maker ;  •  let  him 
he  the  lender,  and  ye  the  borrower,  not  an  owner. 

Madam,  it  is  not  long  since  I  wrote  to  your  Ladyshij),  that 
Christ  is  keeping  mercy  for  you ;  and  I  bide  by  it  still,  and  now  I 
write  it  under  my  hand.  Love  him  dearly.  Win  in'-*  to  see  him. 
There  is  in  him  that  which  you  never  saw.  He  is  aye  nigh,  he 
is  a  tree  of  life,  green  and  blossoming,  both  summer  and  winter. 
There  is  a  nick^  in  Cliristianity,  to  the  which  whosoever  cometh 
they  see  and  feel  more  than  others  can  do.  I  invite  you  of  new 
to  come  to  him.  "  Come  and  see"  will  speak  better  things  of  him, 
than  I  can  do:  "  Come  nearer"  will  say  much.  God  never  thought 
this  world  a  portion  worthy  of  you  ;  he  w^ould  not  even^  you  to  a 
gift  of  dirt  and  clay  ;  nay,  he  will  not  give  you  Esau's  portion  ; 
but  reserve  the  inheritance  of  Jacob  for  you.  Are  ye  not  well 
married  now?     Have  ye  not  a  good  husband  now? 

My  heart  cannot  express  what  sad  nights  I  have  for  the  Virgin 
Daughter  of  my  people  ;  wo  is  me,  for  our  time  is  coming.  (Ezek. 
vii.  10,)  "Behold,  the  day,  behold,  it  is  come,  the  morning  is  gone 
forth,  the  rod  hath  blossomed,  pride  hath  budded :  violence  is 
risen  up  into  a  rod  of  wickedness  :"  the  sun  is  gone  down  upon 
our  prophets.  A  dry  wind  upon  Scotland,  but  neither  to  fan  nor 
cleanse ;  but  out  of  all  question,  when  the  Lord  hath  cut  down 
his  forest,  the  after-growth  of  Lebanon  shall  flourish.  They  shall 
plant  vines  in  our  mountain,  and  a  cloud  shall  yet  fill  the  Temple. 
Now  the  blessing  of  our  dearest  Lord,  Jesus,  and  the  blessing  of 
him  that  is  separated  from  his  brrethen,  come  upon  you. 

Yours,  at  Aberdeen,  the  Prisoner  of  Christ,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen. 


LETTER  LXXI. 

TO      MR.      HUGH      M  A  C  K  A  I  L . 

Reverend  and  Dear  Brother, — 1  thank  you  for  your  letter. 
I  cannot  but  show  you,  that  as  I  never  expected  anything  from 
Christ  but  much  good  and  kindness,  so  he  hath  made  me  to  find 
it  in  the  house  of  my  pilgrimage.  And  believe  me,  brother,  I 
give  it  to  you  under  mine  own  hand-writ,  that,  whoso  looketh  to 
the  white  side  of  Christ's  cross,  and  can  take  it  up  handsomely 
with  faith  and  coiu'age,  will  find  it  such  a  burden  as  sails  are  to  a 
ship  or  wings  to  a  bird.  I  find  that  my  Lord  hath  over-gilded 
that  black  tree,  and  hath  perfumed  it,  and  oiled  it,  with  joy  and 
consolation.  Like  a  fool,  once  I  would  chide  and  plead  with 
Christ,  and  slander  him  to  others  of  unkindness :  but  I  trust  in 
God,  not  to  call  his  glooms ^  unkind  again;  for  he  hath  taken 
from  me  my  sackcloth ;  and  I,  verily,  cannot  tell  you,  what  a 

»  Sole  director.  2  Get  in.  3  Notch,  degree. 

*  To  even,  disparagingly  to  equal  to.  s  Frowns. 


Rutherford's  letters.  129 

poor,  sold  Joseph  and  prisoner,  (with  whom  my  mother's  children 
were  angry,)  doth  now  think  of  kind  Christ.  I  shall  chide  no 
more,  providing  he  will  quit  me  all  by-gones,^  for  I  am  poor.  I 
am  taught,  in  this  ill-weather,  to  go  on  the  lee-side  of  Christ,  and 
to  put  him  in  between  me  and  the  storm.  I  thank  God  I  walk 
on  the  sunny  side  of  the  brae.'  I  write  it,  that  ye  may  speak  in 
my  behalf  the  praises  of  my  Lord  to  others,  that  my  bonds  may 
preach.  Oh  if  ^  all  Scotland  knew  the  feasts,  and  love-blinks,^ 
and  visits,  that  the  prelates  have  sent  me  to  !  I  will  verily  give 
my  Lord  Jesus  a  free  discharge  of  all,  that  I,  like  a  fool,  laid  to 
his  charge,  and  beg  him  pardon  to  the  mends. ^  God  grant,  that, 
in  my  temptations,  I  come  not  on  his  wrong  side  again,  and  never 
again  fall  a  raving  against  my  Physician,  in  my  fever ! 

Brother,  plead  with  your  mother,  while  ye  have  time.  A  pulpit 
would  be  a  high  feast  to  me  ;  but  I  dare  not  say  one  word  against 
Him,  who  hath  done  it.  I  am  out  of  the  house  as  yet ;  my  sweet 
Master  saith  I  shall  have  house-room  at  his  own  elbow,  albeit 
their  synagogue  will  need-force^  cast  me  out. 

A  letter  were  a  work  of  charity  to  me.  Grace  be  with  you. 
Pray  for  me. 

Your  brother,  and  Christ's  Prisoner,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Nov.  22,  1636. 


LETTER  LXXIL 

TO      JOHN      FLEMING,      BAILLIE''      OF      LEITH. 

My  VERY  Dear  Friend. — Grace,  mercy  and  peace  be  to  you. 
I  received  your  letter.  I  bless  my  Lord  that,  through  Jesus  Christ, 
I  find  his  word  good,  (Isa.  xlviii.  10,)  "  I  have  chosen  thee  in  the 
furnace  of  affliction  ;"  and,  (Psal.  xci.  15,)  "  I  will  be  with  him  in 
trouble."  I  never  expected  other  at  Christ's  hand  than  much 
good  and  comfort ;  and  I  am  not  disappointed.  I  find  my  Lord's 
cross  over-gilded  and  oiled  with  comforts.  My  Lord  hath  now 
shown  me  the  white  side  of  his  cross.  I  would  not  exchange  my 
weeping  in  prison  with  the  Fourteen  Prelates'  laughter,  amidst 
their  hungry  and  lean  joys.  This  world  knoweth  not  the  sweet- 
ness of  Christ's  love  :  it  is  a  mystery  to  them. 

At  my  first  cflming  here,  I  foiuid  great  heaviness,  especially  be- 
cause it  had  pleased  the  prelates  to  add  this  gentle  cruelty  to  my 
former  sufferings,  (for  it  is  gentle  to  them,)  to  inhibit  the  ministers 
of  the  town  to  give  me  the  liberty  of  a  pulpit.  I  said.  What  aileth 
Christ  at  my  service?  but  I  was  a  fool;  he  hath  chided  himself 
friends  with  me.     If  ye,  and  others  of  God's  children  will  praise 

1  Former  offences. 

2  Slope.    Su7imj  side  of  the  brae,  the  most  sheltered,  warm,  and  comfortable  situation. 

3  Oh  that.  ■•  Gleams,  glimpses.  5  To  boot.  6  Under  plea  of  necessity. 
'  A  magistrate  in  a  Scottish  borough,  analogous  to  an  alderman  in  an  English  one. 

9 


130  Rutherford's  letters. 

His  great  name,  who  maketh  worthless  men  witnesses  for  him,  my 
silence  and  sufferings  shall  preach  more  than  my  tongue  could 
do.  If  his  glory  be  seen  in  me,  I  am  satisfied.  I  want  for  no 
kindness  of  Christ.  And,  sir,  I  dare  not  smother  his  liberality.  I 
write  it  to  you,  that  ye  may  praise,  and  desire  your  brother  and 
others  to  join  with  me  in  this  work. 

This  land  shall  be  made  desolate.  Our  iniquities  are  full. 
The  Lord  saitli  that  we  shall  drink,  and  spue,  and  fall.  Remem- 
ber my  love  to  your  good,  kind  wife.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Nov.  23,  1636. 


LETTER  LXXm. 

TO  earlston,  elder, 


"  And  they  overcame  the  Dragon  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  by  the  word  of  their 
testimony :  and  they  loved  not  their  lives  unto  the  death." — (Rev.  xii.  11.) 

Much  Honored  Sir, — Grace,  mercy  and  peace  be  to  you — I 
long  to  see  you  on  paper,  and  to  be  refreshed  by  you. 

I  cannot  but  desire  you,  and  ciiarge  you,  to  help  me  to  praise 
Him,  who  feedeth  a  poor  prisoner  with  the  fatness  of  his  house. 
Oh,  how  weighty  is  his  love  !  Oh,  but  there  is  much  telling  in 
Christ's  kindness  !  The  Amen,  the  Faithful  and  True  Witness, 
hath  paid  me  my  hundred-fold,  well-told  and  one  to  the  hundred. 
I  complained  of  him,  but  he  is  owing  me  nothing  now.  Sir,  I 
charge  you  to  help  me  to  praise  his  goodness,  and  to  proclaim  to 
others  my  Bridegroom's  kindness,  whose  love  is  better  than  wine. 

I  took  up  an  action  against  Christ,  and  bought  a  plea '  against 
his  love,  and  libelled  unkindness  against  Christ,  my  Lord  ;  and  I 
said,  "  This  is  my  death,  he  hath  forgotten  me,"  but  my  meek 
Lord  held  his  peace,  and  beheld  me,  and  would  not  contend  for  the 
last  word  of  flyting, '^  and  now  he  hath  chided  himself  friends  with 
me  ;  and  now  I  see  that  he  must  be  God,  and  I  must  be  flesh.  I 
pass  from  my  summons.  I  acknowledge  that  he  might  have  given 
me  my  fill  of  it,  and  never  troubled  himself;  but  now  he  hath 
taken  away  the  mask ;  I  have  been  comforted  ;  he  could  not 
smother  his  love  any  longer  to  a  prisoner  and  a*  stranger — God 
grant  that  I  may  never  buy  a  plea  ^  against  Christ  again,  but  may 
keep  good  quarters  with  him  ! 

I  want  no'  kindness,  no  love-tokens  ;  but  oh,  wise  is  his  love  ! 
for,  notwithstanding  this  hot  summer-blink,^  I  am  kept  low  with 
the  grief  of  my  silence;  for  his  word  is  in  me  as  a  fire  in  my 
bowels  ;  and  I  see  the  Lord's  vineyard  laid  waste,  and  the  heathen 
entered  into  the  sanctuary ;  and  my  belly  is  pained,  and  my  soul 

1  Controversy.  2  Scolding.  3  Am  not  in  want  of. 

*  Gleam  of  the  sun  breaking  throutjli  the  clouds. 


Rutherford's  letters.  131 

in  heaviness,  because  the  Lord's  people  are  gone  into  captivity, 
and  because  of  the  fury  of  the  Lord,  and  that  wind  (but  neither 
to  fan  nor  purge)  which  is  coming  upon  apostate  Scotland.  I  am 
also  kept  awake  with  the  late  wrong  done  to  my  brother ;  but  I 
trust  that  ye  will  counsel  and  comfort  him.  Yet  in  this  mist,  I 
see,  and  believe,  that  the  Lord  will  heal  this  halting  kirk,  and  will 
lay  her  stones  with  fair  colors,  and  her  foundations  with  sapphires, 
and  will  make  her  windows  of  agates,  and  her  gates  carbuncles, 
(Isa.  liv.  11,  12,)  and  for  brass  he  will  bring  gold.  He  hath  created 
the  smith  that  formed  the  sword ;  no  weapon  in  war  shall  prosper 
against  us.  Let  us  be  glad,  and  rejoice  in  llie  Lord,  for  his  salva- 
tion is  near  to  come. 

Remember  me  to  your  wife  and  your  son,  John  :  and  I  entreat 
you  to  write  to  me.     Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  only,  only  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Dec.  30,  1636. 


LETTER  LXXIV. 


TO     THE     LADY     CULROSS 


0      "  These  are  they  which  came  out  of  great  tribulation,  and  have  washed  their  robes, 
and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb." — (Rev.  vii.  14.) 

Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  multiplied  upon  you.  I 
greatly  long  to  be  refreshed  with  your  letter. 

I  am  now,  (all  honor  and  glory  to  the  King  eternal,  immortal, 
and  invisible  !)  in  better  terms  with  Christ  than  I  was.  I,  like  a 
fool,  summoned  my  Husband  and  Lord,  and  libelled  unkindness 
against  him  :  but  now  I  pass  from  that  foolish  pursuit,  I  give  over 
the  plea  ^ — he  is  God,  and  I  am  man.  I  was  loosing  a  fast  stone, 
and  digging  at  the  ground-stone,'^  the  love  of  my  Lord,  to  shake 
and  unsettle  it ;  but,  God  be  thanked,  it  is  fast :  all  is  sure.  In  my 
prison,  he  hath  shown  me  day-light ;  he  dought  not^  hide  his  love 
any  longer.  Christ  was  disguised  and  masked,  and  I  apprehended 
it  was  not  he ;  and  he  hath  said,  "  It  is  I,  be  not  afraid !"  and 
now  his  love  is  better  than  wine. 

Oh,  that  all  the  virgins  had  part  of  the  Bridegroom's  love, 
whereupon  he  maketli  me  to  feed !  Help  me  to  praise  :  I  charge 
you,  madam,  help  me  to  pay  praises ;  and  tell  others,  the  daugh- 
ters of  Jerusalem,  how  kind  Christ  is  to  a  poor  prisoner.  He  hath 
paid  me  my  hundred-fold ;  it  is  well  told  me,  and  one  to  the  hun- 
dred. I  am  nothing  behind  with  Christ.  Let  not  fools,  because 
of  their  lazy  and  soft  flesh,  raise  a  slander  and  an  ill  report  upon 
the  cross  of  Christ :  it  is  sweeter  than  fair. 

I  see  that  grace  groweth  best  in  winter.  This  poor  persecuted 
kirk,  this  lily  among  the  thorns,  shall  blossom  and  laugh  upon  the 
Gardener ;  the  Husbandman's  blessing  shall  light  upon  it.     Oh, 

'  Controversy.  2  Foundation.  3  Was  not  able  to. 


132  Rutherford's  letters, 

if'  I  could  be  free  of  jealousies'^  of  Christ  after  this  ;  and  believe, 
and  keep  good  quarters  with  my  dearest  Husband  !  for  he  hath 
been  kind  to  the  stranger ;  and  yet,  in  all  this  fair,  hot  summer- 
weather,  I  am  kept  from  saying,  "It  is  good  to  be  here,"  with  my 
silence,  and  with  grief  to  see  my  Mother  wounded,  and  her  veil 
taken  from  her,  and  the  fair  temple  casten  down ;  and  my  belly 
is  pained,  my  soul  is  heavy  for  the  captivity  of  the  Daughter  of 
my  people,  and  because  of  the  fury  of  the  Lord,  and  his  fierce  in- 
dignation against  apostate  Scotland. 

I  pray  you,  madam,  to  let  me  have  that  which  is  my  prayer 
here,  that  my  sufferings  may  preach  to  the  four  quarters  of  this 
land  ;  and,  therefore,  tell  others  how  open-handed  Christ  hath  been 
to  the  prisoner,  and  the  oppressed  stranger- — why  should  I  conceal 
it  ?  I  know  no  other  way  how  to  glorify  Christ,  than  to  make  an 
open  proclamation  of  his  love,  and  of  his  soft  and  sweet  kisses  to 
me  in  the  furnace,  and  of  his  fidelity  to  such  as  suffer  for  him. 

Give  it  me  under  your  hand,  that  ye  will  help  me  to  pray,  and 
praise ;  but  rather  to  praise  and  rejoice  in  the  salvation  of  God. 
Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  dearest,  and  only  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
Aberdeen,  Dec.  30,  1636. 


LETTER  LXXV. 


TO  WILLIAM  GORDON,  OF  ROBERTON. 

Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you — So  often 
as  I  think  on  our  case,  in  our  soldier's  night-watch,  and  of  our 
fighting-life  in  the  fields,  while  we  are  here,  I  am  forced  to  say, 
prisoners  in  a  dungeon,  condemned  by  a  judge  to  want  the  light 
of  the  sun,  and  moon,  and  candle  till  their  dying  day,  are  no  more, 
nay,  not  so  much,  to  be  pitied  as  we  are.  For  they  are  weary  of 
their  life,  they  hate  their  prison ;  but  we  fall-to,  in  our  prison, 
where  we  see  little,  to  drink  ourselves  drunk  with  the  night-plea- 
sures of  our  weak  dreams  ;  and  we  long  for  no  better  life  than 
this  :  but,  at  the  blast  of  the  Last  Trumpet,  and  the  shout  of  the 
Archangel,  when  God  shall  take  down  the  shepherd's  tent  of  this 
fading  world,  we  shall  have  not  so  much  as  a  drink  of  water  of  all 
the  dreams  that  we  now  build  on.  Alas  !  that  the  sharp  and 
bitter  blasts  on  face  and  sides,  whicli  meet  us  in  this  hfe,  have  not 
learned  us  mortification,  and  made  us  dead  to  this  world  !  We 
buy  our  own  sorrow,  and  we  pay  dear  for  it,  when  we  spend  out 
our  love,  our  joy,  our  desires,  our  confidence,  upon  a  handful  of 
snow  and  ice,  which  time  shall  melt  away  to  nothing,  and  go 
thirsty  out  of  the  drunken  inn  when  all  is  done.  Alas !  that  we 
inquire  not  for  the  clear  fountain  !  but  are  so  foohsh  as  to  drink 
foul,  muddy,  and  rotten  waters,  even  till  our  bed-time ;  and  then, 

'  Oh  that.  2  Suspicions. 


Rutherford's  letters.  133 

in  the  Resurrection,  when  we  shall  be  awakened,  our  yesternight's 
sour  drink,  and  swinish  dregs  shall  rift'  up  upon  us;  and  sick, 
sick  shall  many  a  soul  be  then. 

I  know  not  a  wholesome  fountain  but  one :  I  know  not  a  thing 
worth  the  buying,  but  Heaven.  And  my  own  mind  is,  that  if 
comparison  were  made  betwixt  Christ  and  Heaven,  I  would  sell 
Heaven  with  my  blessing  to  buy  Christ.  Oh,  if  ^  I  could  raise  the 
market  for  Christ,  and  heighten  the  market  a  pound  for  a  penny, 
and  cry  up  Christ  in  men's  estimation  ten  thousand  talents  more 
than  men  think  of  him  !  But  they  are  shaping  him,  and  crying 
him  down,  to  valuing  him  at  their  unworthy  halfpenny ;  or  else 
exchanging  and  baitering  Christ  with  the  miserable  old  fallen 
house  of  this  vain  world :  or  then  ^  they  lend  him  out  upon  inter- 
est, and  play  the  usurers  with  Christ.  Because  they  profess  him, 
and  give  out  before  men  that  Christ  is  their  treasure  and  stock  ; 
and,  in  the  meantime,  praise  of  men,  and  a  name,  and  ease,  and 
the  summer-sun  of  the  Gospel,  is  the  usury  they  would  be  at ;  so 
when  the  trial  cometh,  they  quit  the  stock  for  the  interest,  and 
lose  all.  Happy  are  they  who  can  keep  Christ  by  himself  alone, 
and  keep  him  clean  and  whole  till  God  come  and  count  with 
them. 

I  know  that  in  your  hard  and  heavy  trials  long  since,  ye  thought 
well  and  highly  of  Christ.  But  truly  no  cross  should  be  old  to  us  ; 
we  should  not  forget  them  because  years  are  come  betwixt  us  and 
them,  and  cast  them  by  hand,*  as  we  do  old  clothes.  We  may 
make  a  cross  old  in  time,  new  in  use,  and  as  fruitful  as  in  the  be- 
ginning of  it.  God  is  where,  and  what  he  was  seven  years  ago, 
whatever  change  be  in  us.  I  speak  not  this  as  if  I  thought  that 
ye  had  forgotten  what  God  did  to  have  your  love  long  since  ;  but 
that  ye  may  awake  yourself,  in  this  sleepy  age,  and  remember 
fruitfully  Christ's  first  wooing  and  suiting  ^  of  your  love,  both  with 
fire  and  water ;  and  try  if  he  got  his  answer,  or  if  ye  be  yet  to 
give  it  him.  For  I  find  in  myself  that  water  runneth  not  faster 
through  a  sieve  than  our  warnings  slip  from  us ;  for  I  have  lost 
and  casten  by-hand^  many,  summonses  which  the  Lord  hath  sent 
me ;  and,  therefore,  the  Lord  hath  given  me  double  charges,  that 
I  trust  in  God  shall  not  rive  me.  I  bless  His  great  name,  who  is 
no  niggard  in  holding  in  crosses  upon  me,  but  spendeth  largely 
his  rods,  that  he  may  save  me  from  this  perishing  world.  How 
plentiful  God  is  in  means  of  this  kind  is  esteemed,  by  many,  one 
of  God's  unkind  mercies ;  but  Christ's  cross  is  neither  a  cruel  nor 
an  unkind  mercy,  but  the  love-token  of  a  father.  I  am  sure  that 
a  lover,  chasing  us  for  our  well,  and  to  have  our  love,  should  not 
be  run  away  from,  nor  fled  from.  God  send  me  no  worse  mercy 
than  the  sanctified  cross  of  Christ  portendeth,  and  I  am  sure  that 
I  should  be  happy  and  blessed. 

Pray  for  me,  that  I  may  find  house-room  in  the  Lord's  house  to 

1  Belch,  •  2  Oh  that.  3  Otherwise. 

*  Aside.  5  Urging  a  suit,  6  Cast  aside. 


134  Rutherford's  letters. 

speak  in  his  name.     Remember,  my  dearest  love,  in  Christ,  to 
your  wife.     Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord,  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1636. 


LETTER  LXXVL 


TO    JOHN     KENNEDY,     BAILLIE     OF     AYR. 

Worthy,  and  Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be 
to  you — I  long  to  see  you  in  this  northern  world  on  paper;  I  know 
it  is  not  forgetfulness  that  ye  write  not.  I  am  every  way  in  good 
case,  both  in  soul  and  body ;  all  honor  and  glory  be  to  my  Lord : 
I  want  nothing  but  a  further  revelation  of  the  beauty  of  the  un- 
known Son  of  God.  Either  I  know  not  what  Christianity  is,  or 
we  have  stinted  a  measure  of  so  many  ounce  weights  and  no  more 
upon  holiness  ;  and  there  we  are  at  a  stand,  drawing  our  breath 
all  our  life — a  modeiation  in  God's  way,  now,  is  much  in  request. 
I  profess  that  I  have  never  taken  pains  to  find  out  Him  whom  my 
soul  loveth  ;  there  is  a  gate'  yet  of  finding  out  Christ  that  I  have 
never  lighted  upon.  Oh  if  I  could  find  it  out !  Alas,  how  soon 
are  we  pleased  with  our  own  shadow  in  a  glass  !  It  were  good  to 
be  beginning  in  sad  earnest^  to  find  out  God,  and  to  seek  the  right 
tread  of  Christ.  Time,  custom,  and  a  good  opinion  of  ourselves, 
our  good  meaning,  and  our  lazy  desires,  our  fair  shows,  and  the 
world's  glistering  lustres,  and  these  broad  passraenls^  and  busk- 
ings*  of  religion,  that  bear  bulk  in  the  Kiric,  is  that  wherewith 
most  satisfy  themselves;  but  a  bed  watered  with  tears,  a  throat 
dry  with  praying,  eyes  as  a  fountain  of  tears  for  the  sins  of  the 
land,  are  rare  to  be  found  among  us.  Oh  if  ^  we  could  know  the 
power  of  godliness  ! 

This  is  one  part  of  my  case  ;  and  another  is,  that  I  like  a  fool, 
once  summoned  Christ  for  unkindness,  and  complained  of  his 
fickleness  and  inconstancy,  because  he- would  have  no  more  of  my 
service  nor  preaching,  and  had  casten  me  out  of  the  inheritance 
of  the  Lord ;  and  now  I  confess  that  this  was  but  a  bought  plea, 
and  I  was  a  fool ;  yet  he  hath  borne  with  me.  I  gave  him  a  fair 
advantage  against  me,  but  love  and  mercy  would  not  let  him  take 
it ;  and  the  truth  is,  now  he  hath  chided  himself  friends  with  me, 
and  hath  taken  away  the  mask,  and  hath  renewed  his  wonted 
favor  in  such  a  manner,  that  he  hath  paid  me  my  hundred-fold  in 
this  life,  and  one  to  the  hundred.  This  prison  is  my  banqueting 
house ;  I  am  handled  as  softly  and  delicately  as  a  dawted "  child. 
I  am  nothing  behind,  (I  see,)  with  Christ ;  he  can,  in  a  month, 
make  up  a  year's  losses.  And  I  write  this  to  you,  that  I  may 
entreat,  nay,  abjure  and  charge  you,  by  the  love  of  our  Well-be- 

1  Way.  2  Oh  that.  3  Sober  earnest. 

*  Strips  of  lace  sewed  on  garments,  gaudy  ornaments 
6  Deckings.  6  Fondled. 


Rutherford's  letters.  135 

loved,  to  help  me  to  praise;  and  to  tell  all  your  Christian  acquaint- 
ance to  help  me,  for  I  am  as  deeply  drowned  in  his  debt  as  any 
dyvour^  can  be:  and  yet  in  this  fair  sunblink,^  I  have  something 
to  keep  me  from  startling,^  or  being  exalted  above  measure — his 
word  is  as  fire  shut  up  in  my  bowels,  and  I  am  weary  with  for- 
bearing. The  ministers  in  this  town  are  saying  that  they  will 
have  my  prison  changed  into  less  bounds,  because  they  see  God 
with  me.  My  mother  hath  borne  me  a  man  of  contention,  one  that 
striveth  with  the  whole  eaith.  The  late  wrongs  and  oppressions 
done  to  my  brother  keep  my  sails  low :  yet  I  defy  crosses  to  em- 
bark me  in  such  a  plea  against  Christ  as  I  was  troubled  with  of 
late.  I  hope  to  over-hope  and  over-believe  my  troubles  ;  I  have 
cause  now  to  trust  Christ's  promise  more  than  his  gloom.* 

Remember  my  hearty  affection  to  your  wife.  My  soul  is  grieved 
for  the  success  of  our  brethren's  journey  to  New  England  f  but 
God  hath  somewhat  to  reveal  that  we  see  not.  Grace  be  with 
you.     Pray  for  the  prisoner. 

Yours,  in  his  only  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Jan.  1,  1637. 


LETTER  LXXVIL 

TO      MY      LORD      BOYD, 


My  very  Honorable,  and  Good  Lord, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
peace  be  to  your  Lordship. — Out  of  the  worthy  report  I  hear  of 
your  Lordship's  zeal  for  this  borne-down  and  oppressed  Gospel,  I 
am  bold  to  write  to  your  Lordship,  beseeching  you  by  the  mercies 
of  God.  by  the  honor  of  our  royal  and  princely  King,  Jesus,  by  the 
sorrows,  tears,  and  desolation  of  your  afllicted  Mother-church,  and 
by  the  peace  of  your  conscience,  and  your  joy  in  the  day  of  Christ, 
that  your  Lordship  would  goon,  in  the  strength  of  your  Lord,  and 
in  the  power  of  his  might,  to  bestir  yourself,  for  the  vindicating  of 
the  fallen  honor  of  your  Lord  Jesus.  Oh,  blessed  hands  for  ever- 
more, that  shall  help  to  put  the  crown  upon  the  head  of  Christ 
again  in  Scotland  !  I  dare  promise  in  the  name  of  our  Lord,  that 
this  will  fasten  and  fix  the  pillars  and  the  stakes  of  your  honora- 
ble house  upon  earth  if  you  lend  and  lay  in  pledge  in  Christ's 
hand,  (upon  spiritual  hazard,)  life,  estate,  house,  honor,  credit, 
moyen,^  friends,  the  favor  of  men,  (suppose  kings  with  three 
crowns,)  so  being  that  ye  may  bear  witness,  and  acquit  yourself 
as  a  man  of  valor  and  courage,  to  the  Prince  of  your  salvation, 
for  the  purging  of  his  temple,  and  sweeping  out  the  lordly  Diotre- 
pheses,  time-courting  Demases,  corrupt  Hymaneuses  and  Phile- 
tuses,  and  other  such  oxen,  that  with  their  dung  defile  the  Temple 

1  Bankrupt.  2  Gleam  of  the  sun. 

3  Over  excitement,  an  allusion  to  the  wild  and  excited  running  about  of  cattle  in  a 
hot  day.  *  Frown.  5  See  Letter  CCL.  6  Interest. 


136  Rutherford's  letters. 

of  the  Lord.  Is  not  Christ  now  crying,  "  Who  will  help  me?  who 
will  come  out  with  me,  to  take  part  with  me,  and  share  in  the 
honor  of  my  victory  over  these  mine  enemies,  who  have  said,  We 
will  not  have  this  Man  to  rule  over  us?" 

My  very  honorable,  and  dear  Lord,  join,  join  as  ye  do  with 
Christ ;  he  is  more  worth  to  you,  and  your  posterity,  than  this 
world's  may-flowers,  and  withering  riches  and  honor,  that  shall  go 
away  as  smoke,  and  evanisli  in  a  night  vision,  and  shall  in  one 
half-hour,  after  the  blast  of  the  Archangel's  trumpet,  lye  in  white 
ashes.  Let  me  beseech  your  Lordship  to  draw  by  ^  the  lap  of 
time's  curtain,  and  to  look  in,  through  the  window,  to  great  and 
endless  eternity,  and  consider,  if  a  worldly  price,  (suppose  this  httle 
round  clay  globe  of  this  ashy  and  dirty  earth,  the  dying  idol  of 
the  fools  of  this  world,  were  all  your  own,)  can  be  given  for  one 
smile  of  Christ's  God-like  and  soul-ravishing  countenance,  in  that 
day,  when  so  many  joints  and  knees  of  thousand  thousands  wail- 
ing shall  stand  before  Christ,  trembling,  shouting,  and  making 
their  prayers  to  hills  and  mountains,  to  fall  upon  them,  and  hide 
them  from  the  face  of  the  Lamb.  Oh,  how  many  would  sell  lord- 
ships and  kingdoms  that  day,  and  buy  Christ !  But,  oh,  the  mar- 
ket shall  be  closed  and  ended  ere  then  !  Your  Lordship  hath  now 
a  blessed  venture  of  winning  court  with  the  Prince  of  the  kings  of 
the  earth :  he  himself  weeping,  truth  borne  down  and  fallen  in 
the  streets,  and  an  oppressed  Gospel,  Christ's  bride  with  watery 
eyes,  and  spoiled  of  her  veil,  her  hair  hanging  about  her  eyes, 
forced  to  go  in  ragged  apparel,  the  banished,  silenced,  and  impri- 
soned prophets  of  God,  who  have  not  the  favor  of  liberty  to  pro- 
phesy in  sackcloth  ;  all  these,  I  say,  call  for  your  help.  Fear  not 
worms  of  clay,  the  moth  shall  eat  them  as  a  garment.  Let  the 
Lord  be  your  fear ;  he  is  with  you,  and  shall  fight  for  you  ;  thus 
shall  ye  cause  the  blessing  of  those,  who  are  ready  to  perish,  to 
come  upon  you  ;  and  ye  shall  make  the  heart  of  this  your  Mother- 
church  to  sing  for  joy.  The  liamb  and  his  armies  are  with  you, 
and  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  are  the  Lord's.  I  am  persuaded 
that  there  is  not  another  gospel,  nor  another  saving  truth,  than 
that  which  ye  now  contend  for.  I  dare  hazard  my  heaven  and 
salvation  upon  it,  that  this  is  the  only  saving  way  to  glory. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  your  Lordship. 
Your  Lordship's, 
At  all  respectful  obedience  in  Christ,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  LXXVin. 

TO     MARGARET      BALLANTYNE. 

Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  unto  you. — It  is  more 
than  time  that  I  should  have  written  to  you,  but  it  is  yet  good 

1  Past.  2  Delusion. 


Rutherford's  letters.  137 

time,  if  I  could  help  your  soul  to  mend  your  pace,  and  to  go  more 
swiftly  to  your  heavenly  country  :  for  truly  ye  have  need  to  make 
all  haste,  because  the  inch  of  your  day  that  remaineth  will  quickly 
slip  away ;  for  whether  we  sleep  or  wake,  our  glass  runneth — the 
tide  bideth  no  man.  Beware  of  a  beguile  ^  in  the  matter  of  your 
salvation.  Wo,  wo  for  evermore,  to  them  that  lose  that  prize. 
For  what  is  behind,  when  the  soul  is  once  lost,  but  that  sinners 
warm  their  bits  of  clay-houses  at  a  fire  of  their  own  kindling,  for 
a  day  or  two,  which  doth  rather  suffocate  wath  its  smoke  than 
warm  them ;  and  at  length  they  lie  down  in  sorrow,  and  are 
clothed  with  everlasting  shame !  I  would  seek  no  further  mea- 
sure of  faith  to  begin  withal  than  to  believe  really  and  stedfastly 
the  doctrine  of  God's  justice,  his  all-devouring  wrath  and  ever- 
lasting burning,  where  sinners  are  burnt,  soul  and  body,  in  a 
river  and  great  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone :  then  they  w^ould  wish 
no  more  goods  than  the  thousandth  part  of  a  cold  fountain-well  to 
cool  their  tongue ;  they  would  then  buy  death  with  enduring  of 
pain  and  torment  for  as  many  years  as  God  hath  created  drops  of 
rain  since  the  creation  ;  but  there  is  no  market  of  buying  or  selling 
life  or  death  there.  Oh,  alas  !  the  greatest  part  of  this  world  run 
to  the  place  of  that  torment  rejoicing  and  dancing,  eating,  drink- 
ing, and  sleeping.  My  counsel  to  you  is,  that  ye  start  in  time  to 
be  after  Christ ;  for  if  ye  go  quickly,  Christ  is  not  far  before  you, 
ye  shall  overtake  him.  O  Lord  God,  what  is  so  needful  as  this  ? 
"  Salvation,  salvation !"  Fy  upon  this  condemned,  and  foolish 
world,  that  would  give  so  little  for  salvation  !  Oh,  if  there  were 
a  free  market  for  salvation  proclaimed  in  that  day,  when  the 
trumpet  of  God  shall  awake  the  dead,  how  many  buyers  would 
be  then !  God  send  me  no  more  happiness  than  that  salvation 
which  the  blind  world,  (to  their  eternal  wo,)  letteth  slip  through 
their  fingers.  Therefore,  look  if  ye  can  give  out  your  money  (as 
Isaiah  speaketh,  ch.  Iv.  2,)  for  bread,  and  lay  Christ  and  his  blood 
in  wadset  ^  for  Heaven.  It  is  a  dry  and  hungry  bairn's  part  of 
goods  that  Esaus  are  hunting  for  here.  I  see  thousands  following 
the  chase,  and  in  the  pursuit  of  such  things,  while  in  the  mean- 
.time  they  lose  the  blessing;  and,  when  all  is  done,  they  have 
caught  nothing  to  roast  for  supper,  but  lie  down  hungry  ;  and, 
besides,  they  go  to  bed  when  they  die,  without  a  candle  ;  for  God 
saith  to  them,  "  This  shall  ye  have  at  my  hand,  ye  shall  lie  down 
in  sorrow."  (Isaiah  1.  11.)  And  truly  this  is  as  ill-made  a  bed 
to  lie  upon  as  one  could  wish ;  for  he  cannot  sleep  soundly,  nor 
rest  sweetly,  who  hath  sorrow  for  his  pillow.  Rouse,  rouse  up, 
therefore,  your  soul,  and  speer^  how  Christ  and  your  soul  met 
together.  I  am  sure  that  they  never  got  Christ,  who  were  not 
once  sick  at  the  yolk  of  the  heart  for  him.  Too,  too  many  whole 
souls  think  that  they  have  met  with  Christ,  who  had  never  a 
wearied  niglit  for  the  want  of  him:  but  alas!  what  richer  are 
men,  that  they  dreamed  the  last  night  they  had  much  gold,  and, 

'  Delusion.  2  Alienation  under  reversion.  3  Inquire. 


138  Rutherford's  letters. 

^when  they  awoke  in  the  morninf^,  they  found  it  was  but  a  dream? 
What  are  all  the  sinners  in  the  world,  in  that  day  when  heaven 
and  earth  shall  go  up  in  a  flame  of  fire,  but  a  number  of  beguiled 
dreamers?  Every  one  shall  say  of  his  hunting  and  his  conquest,^ 
"  Behold,  it  was  a  dream  !"  every  man  in  that  day  will  tell  his 
dream.  I  beseech  you,  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  beware,  beware  of  un- 
sound work  in  the  matter  of  your  salvation :  ye  may  not,  ye  can-  , 
not,  ye  dow  not  ^  want  Christ ;  then,  after  this  day,  convene  all  -^ 
your  lovers  before  your  soul,  and  give  them  their  leave  ;3  and 
strike  hands  with  Christ,  that,  thereafter,  there  may  be  no  happi- 
ness to  you  but  Christ ;  no  hunting  for  anything  but  Christ ;  no 
bed  at  night,  when  death  cometh,  but  Christ — Christ,  Christ,  who 
but  Christ !  I  know  this  much. of* Christ,  that  he  is  not  ill*  to  be 
found,  nor  lordly  of  his  love.  Wo  had  been  my  part  of  it  for 
evermore,  if  Christ  had  made  a  dainty  of  himself  to  me.  But, 
God  be  thanked,  I  gave  nothing  for  Christ ;  and  now  I  protest, 
before  men  and  ano^els,  that  Christ  cannot  be  exchanofed,  that 
Christ  cannot  be  sold,  that  Christ  cannot  be  weighed.  Where 
would  angels,  or  all  the  world  find  a  balance  to  weigh  him  in? 
All  lovers  blush  when  ye  stand  beside  Christ !  Wo  upon  all  love 
but  the  love  of  Christ ;  hunger,  hunger  for  evermore,  be  upon  all 
heaven  but  Christ ;  shame,  shame  for  evermore  be  upon  all  glory 
but  Christ's  glory.  I  cry  death,  death  upon  all  lifes«  but  the  life 
of  Christ.  Oh,  what  is  it  that  holdeth  us  asunder?  Oh,  that 
once  we  could  have  a  fair  meeting. 

Thus  recommending  Christ  to  you,  and  you  to  him,  for  ever- 
more, I  rest.     Grace  be  with  you. 

YourSj  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  LXXIX. 

TO  ROBERT   GORDON,   OF   KNOXBREX. 

My  Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy  and  peace  be  multiplied' 
upon  you — I  am  almost  wearying,  yea,  wondering,  that  ye  write 
not  to  me ;  though  I  know  it  is  not  forgetfulness. 

As  for  myself,  I  am  every  way  well,  all  glory  to  God.  1  was 
before  at  a  plea  with  Christ,  but  it  was  bought  by  me,  and  unlawful, 
because  his  whole  providence  was  not  yea  and  nay  to  my  yea  and 
nay,  and,  because  I  believed  Christ's  outward  look  better  than  his 
faithful  promise.  Yet  he  hath  in  patience  waited  on,  whill  I  be  come 
to  myself,  and  hath  not  taken  advantage  of  my  weak  apprehensions 
of  his  goodness, — great,  and  holy  is  his  name  !  He  looketh  to  what  I 
desire  to  be,  and  not  to  what  I  am.    One  thing  I  have  learned.     If  I 

1  Acquisition  by  purchase  or  industry.  2  Are  not  able. 

3  Discharge.  4  Difficult,  hard. 

5  That  is,  all  manner  of  life,  but  the  life  of  Christ  in  the  soul. 


Rutherford's  letters.  139 

had  been  in  Christ,  by  way  of  adhesion  only,  as  many  branches 
are,  I  should  have  been  burnt  to  ashes,  and  this  world  would  have 
seen  a  suffering  minister  of  Christ,  (of  something  once  in  show,) 
turned  into  unsavory  salt.  But  my  Lord  Jesus  had  a  good  eye 
that  the  Tempter  should  not  play  foul  play,  and  blow  out  Christ's 
candle.  He  took  no  thought  of  my  stomach,  and  fretting  and 
grudging  humor,  but  of  his  own  grace.  When  he  burnt  the 
house,  he  saved  his  own  goods.  And  I  believe  that  the  Devil, 
and  the  persecuting  world  shall  reap  no  fruit  of  me,  but  burned 
ashes  :  for  he  will  see  to  his  own  gold,  and  save  that  from  being 
consumed  with  the  fire. 

Oh  what  owe  I  to  the  file,  to  the  hammer,  to  the  furnace  of  my 
Lord  Jesus  !  who  hath  now  let  me  see  how  good  the  wheat  of 
Christ  is,  that  goeth  through  his  mill,  and  his  oven,  to  be  made 
bread  for  his  own  table.  Grace  tried  is  better  than  grace,  and  it 
is  more  than  grace,  it  is  glory  in  its  infancy.  I  now  see  that  god- 
liness is  more  than  the  outside,  and  this  world's  passments  '  and 
their  buskings.^  Who  knoweth  the  truth  of  grace  without  a 
trial?  Oh  how  little  getteth  Christ  of  us,  but  that  which  he  win- 
neth,  (to  speak  so,)  with  much  toil  and  pains  !  And  how  soon 
would  faith  freeze  without  a  cross !  How  many  dumb  crosses 
have  been  laid  upon  my  back,  that  had  never  a  tongue  to  speak 
the  sweetness  of  Christ,  as  this  hath?  When  Christ  blesseth  his 
own  crosses  with  a  tongue,  they  breathe  out  Christ's  love,  wisdom, 
kindness,  and  care  of  us.  Why  should  I  start  at  the  plough  of 
my  Lord,  that  maketh  deep  furrows  on  my  soul  ?  I  know  that 
he  is  no  idle  husbandman,  he  purposeth  a  crop.  Oh,  that  this 
white  withered  lea-ground  ^  were  made  fertile  to  bear  a  crop  for 
Him,  by  whom  it  is  so  painfully  dressed  ;  and  that  this  fallow- 
ground  were  broken  up  !  Why  was  I  (a  fool !)  grieved  that  he 
put  his  garland,  and  his  rose  upon  my  head — the  glory,  and  honor 
of  his  faithful  witnesses  ?  I  desire  now  to  make  no  more  pleas  * 
with  Christ.  Verily  he  hath  not  put  me  to  a  loss  by  what  I 
suffer ;  he  oweth  me  nothing  :  for  in  my  bonds  how  sweet  and 
comfortable  have  the  thoughts  of  him  been  to  me,  wherein  I  find 
a  sufficient  recompense  of  rewaid  ! 

How  blind  are  my  adversaries,  who  sent  me  to  a  banqueting- 
house,  to  a  house-of-wine,  to  the  lovely  feasts  of  my  lovely  Lord 
Jesus,  and  not  to  a  prison,  or  place  of  exile  !  Why  should  I 
smother  my  Husband's  honesty,  or  sin  against  His  love  ?  or  be  a 
niggard  in  giving  out  to  others  what  I  get  for  nothing  ? — Brother, 
eat  with  me,  and  give  thanks.  I  charge  you  before  God,  that  ye 
speak  to  others,  and  invite  them  to  help  me  to  praise !  Oh  my  debt 
of  praise,  how  weighty  it  is,  and  how  far  run  up !  Oh  that  others 
would  lend  me  to  pay,  and  learn  me  to  praise  !  Oh  I  am  a  drowned 
dyvour !  ^  Lord  Jesus,  take  my  thoughts  for  payments.  Yet  I  am 
in  this  hot  summer-bhnk"  with  the  tear  in  my  eye;  for,  by  reason 

1  Gaudy  trappings:  passments  are  strips  of  lace  sewed  on  garments. 

2  Deckings.  3  Land  in  grass,  as  opposed  to  red,  or  tilled  ground, 
*  Quarrels.  s  Bankrupt.  "  Gleam  of  the  sun. 


140  Rutherford's  letters. 

of  my  silence,  sorrow,  sorrow  hath  filled  me  :  my  harp  is  hanged 
upon  the  willow  trees,  because  I  am  in  a  strange  land.  I  am  still 
kept  in  exercise  with  envious  brethren  ;  my  Mother  hath  borne 
me  a  man  of  contention. 

Write  to  me  your  mind  anent  Y.  C. — I  cannot  forget  him  ;  I 
know  not  what  God  hath  to  do  with  him  : — and  your  mind  anent 
my  parishioners'  behavior  ;  and  how  they  are  served  in  preach- 
ing, or  if  there  be  a  minister  as  yet  thrust  in  upon  them,  which  I 
desire  greatly  to  know,  and  which  I  much  fear. 

Dear  brother,  ye  are  in  my  heart,  to  live  and  to  die  with  you. 

Visit  me  with   a  letter.     Pray  for  me.     Remember  my  love  to 

your  wife.     Grace,  grace  be  with  you  :  and  God,  who  heareth 

prayer,  visit  you,  and  let  it  be  unto  you  according  to  the  prayers  of 

Your  own  brother,  and  Christ's  prisoner,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  January  1,  1637. 


LETTER  LXXX. 

FOR      MARION      MACKNAUGHT. 

My  Dearly-beloved  Sister, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be 
to  you — I  complain  that  Galloway  is  not  kind  to  me  on  paper ;  I 
have  received  no  letters  these  sixteen  weeks,  but  two. 

I  am  well.  My  prison  is  a  palace  to  me,  and  Christ's  banquet- 
ing-house.  My  Lord  Jesus  is  as  kind  as  they  call  Him.  Oh,  that 
all  Scotland  knew  my  case,  and  had  part  of  my  feast !  I  charge 
you,  in  the  name  of  God,  I  charge  you  to  believe.  Fear  not  the 
sons  of  men,  the  worms  shall  eat  them.  To  pray  and  believe 
now,  when  Christ  seemeth  to  give  you  a  nay-say,'  is  more  than  it 
was  before.     Die  believing,  die  with  Christ's  promise  in  your  hand. 

I  desire,  I  request,  I  charge  your  Jiusband,  and  that  town  to 
stand  for  the  truth  of  the  Gospel.  Contend  with  Christ's  enemies: 
and  I  pray  you  to  show  all  professors  that  you  know  my  case. 
Help  me  to  praise.  The  ministers  here  envy  me  ;  they  will  have 
my  prison  changed.  My  mother  hath  borne  me  a  man  of  conten- 
tion, and  one  that  striveth  with  the  whole  earth. 

Remember  my  love  to  your  husband.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  the  Lord,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Jan.  3,  1637. 


LETTER  LXXXL 

TO     MR.     JOHN     M  E  I  N  E 


Worthy  and  Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be 
to  you — I  have  been  too  long  in  answering  your  letter,  but  other 


I  A  denial. 


Rutherford's  letters.  141 

business  took  me  up.  I  am  here  waiting,  if  the  fair  wind  will 
turn  upon  Christ's  sails  in  Scotland  ;  and  if  deliverance  be  break- 
ing out  over  this  overclouded  and  benighted  Kirk.  Oh,  that  we 
could  contend,  by  prayers  and  supplications,  with  our  Lord  for  that 
effect!  I  know  that  He  hath  not  given  out  His  last  doom  against 
this  land.  I  have  httle  of  Christ,  in  this  prison,  but  groanings,  and 
longings,  and  desires.  All  my  stock  of  Christ  is  some  hunger  for 
Him,  (and  yet  I  cannot  say  but  I  am  rich  in  that ;)  my  faith,  and 
hope,  and  holy  practice  of  new  obedience,  are  scarce  worth  the 
speaking  of:  but  blessed  be  my  Lord,  who  taketh  me,  light,  and 
clipped,  and  noughty,'  and  feckless,^  as  I  am.  I  see  that  Christ 
will  not  prig"  with  me,  nor  stand  upon  stepping-stones,*  but  com- 
eth  in  at  the  broadside^  without  ceremonies,  or  making  it  nice,"  to 
make  a  poor  ransomed  one  His  own.  Oh,  that  I  could  feed  upon 
His  breathing,  and  kissing,  and  embracing,  and  upon  the  hopes 
of  my  meeting  and  His,  when  love-letters  shall  not  go  betwixt  us, 
but  He  will  be  messenger  himself !  But  there  is  required  patience 
on  our  part,  till  the  summer  fruit  in  Heaven  be  ripe  for  us.  It  is 
in  the  bud,  but  there  be  many  things  to  do  before  our  harvest 
come  :  and  we  take  ill  with  it,  and  can  hardly  endure  to  set  our 
paper-face  to  one  of  Christ's  storms,  and  to  go  to  Heaven  with  wet 
feet,  and  pain,  and  sorrow.  We  love  to  carry  a  heaven  to  Heaven 
with  us,  and  would  have  two  summers  in  one  year,  and  no  less 
than  two  heavens  ;  but  this  will  not  do  for  us  : — one,  and  such  a 
one  !  may  suffice  us  well  enough  : — the  Man,  Christ,  got  but  one 
only,  and  shall  we  have  two  ? 

Remember  my  love,  in  Christ,  to  your  father;  and  help  me  with 
your  prayers.  If  ye  would  be  a  deep  divine,  I  recommend  to  you 
sanctification.  Fear  Him,  and  He  will  reveal  His  Covenant  to 
you.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Jan.  5,  1G37. 


LETTER  LXXXIL 

TO  cardoness,  elder 


Much  Honored  Sir, — -Grace,  mercy  and  peace  be  to  you — I 
have  longed  to  hear  from  you,  and  to  know  the  estate  of  your  soul, 
and  the  estate  of  that  people  with  you. 

I. beseech  you,  sir,  by  the  salvation  of  your  precious  soul,  and 
the  mercies  of  God,  to  make  good  and  sure  work  of  your  salvation, 
and  try  upon  what  ground-stone''  ye  have  builded.  Worthy,  and 
dear  sir,  if  ye  be  upon  sinking  sand,  a  storm  of  death,  and  a  blast 

1  Of  nought.  2  Worthless.  3  Chaffer. 

4    To  stand  upon  stepping-stones,  to  hesitate.  s  Frankly, 

s  To  make  it  nice  in  doing  a  things  to  be  very  gingerly  about  the  doing  of  it. 
'  Foundation. 


142  Rutherford's  letters. 

will  loose  Christ  and  you,  and  wash  you  close  ^  off  the  rock.  Oh, 
for  the  Lord's  sake,  look  narrowly  to  the  work! 

Read  over  your  life,  with  the  light  of  God's  day-light  and  sun  ; 
for  salvation  is  not  casten  down  at  every  man's  door.  It  is  good 
to  look  to  your  compass,  and  all  ye  have  need  of,  ere  you  take 
shipping  ;  for  no  wind  can  blow  yon  back  again.  Remember, 
when  the  race  is  ended,  and  the  play  either  won  or  lost,  and  ye 
are  in  the  vitraost  circle  and  border  of  time,  and  shall  put  your 
foot  within  the  march  ^  of  eternity,  and  all  your  good  things  of 
this  short  night-dream  shall  seem  to  you  like  the  ashes  of  a  bleeze^ 
of  thorns  or  straw,  and  your  poor  soul  sliall  be  crying,  "  Lodging, 
lodging,  for  God's  sake  !"  then  shall  your  soul  be  more  glad  at  one 
of  your  Lord's  lovely,  and  homely  smiles,  than  if  ye  had  the  char- 
ters of  three  worlds  for  all  eternity.  Let  pleasures  and  gain,  will 
and  desires  of  this  world,  be  put  over  into  God's  hands,  as  arrested 
and  fenced  goods,  that  ye  cannot  intromit^  with.  Now,  when  ye 
are  drinking  the  grounds  of  your  cup,  and  ye  are  upon  the  utmost 
end  of  the  last  link  of  time,  and  old  age,  like  death's  long  shadow, 
is  casting  a  covering  upon  your  days,  it  is  no  time  to  court  this 
vain  life,  and  to  set  love  and  heart  upon  it.  It  is  near  after-sup- 
per ;'  seek  rest  and  ease  for  your  soul,  in  God  through  Christ, 

Believe  me  that  I  find  it  to  be  hard  wrestling  to  play  fair  with 
Christ,  and  to  keep  good  quarters  with  him,  and  to  love  him  in 
integrity  and  life,  and  to  keep  a  constant  course  of  sound,  and  solid 
daily  communion  with  Christ :  temptations  are  daily  breaking  the 
thread  of  that  course,  and  it  is  not  easy  to  cast  a  knot  again,  and 
many  knots  make  evil  work.  Oh,  how  fairly  have  many  ships 
been  plying  before  the  wind,  that,  in  an  hour's  space,  have  been 
lying  in  the  sea-bottom  !  How  many  professors  cast  a  golden 
lustre,  as  if  tliey  were  pure  gold,  and  yet  are,  under  that  skin  and 
cover,  but  base  and  reprobate  metal !  And  how  many  keep  breath 
in  their  race  many  miles,  and  yet  come  short  of  the  prize  and  the 
garland  !  Dear  sir,  my  soul  would  mourn  in  secret  for  you,  if  I 
knew  your  case  with  God  to  be  but  false  work :  love  to  have  you 
anchored  upon  Christ  maketh  me  fear  your  tottering  and  slips. 
False  under-water,"  not  seen  in  the  ground^  of  an  enlightened 
conscience,  is  dangerous ;  so  is  often  failing,  and  sinning  against 
light.  Know  this,  that  those  who  never  had  sick  nights  or  days 
in  conscience  for  sin,  cannot  have  but  such  a  peace  with  God  as 
will  undercoat s  and  break  the  flesh  again,  and  end  in  a  sad  war 
at  death.  Oh,  how  fearfully  are  thousands  beguiled  Avith  false 
hide-grovvn-over  old  sins,  as  if  the  soul  were  cured  and  healed  ! 

Dear  sir,  I  always  saw  nature  mighty,  lofty,  heady,  and  str^^ng 
in  you  ;  and,  that  it  was  more  for  j'^ou  to  be  mortified  and  dead  to 
the  world,  than  another  common  man.     Ye  will  take  a  low  ebb, 

1  Altogether.  2  Boundary. 

3  Anything  which  burns  up  suddenly,  and  is  quickly  consumed,  with  a  blazing 
flame.  <  Intermeddle. 

5  The  interval  between  supper  and  bed-time.  s  Bilge-water. 

7  Bottom.  8  Fester,  after  having  skinned  over. 


Rutherford's  letters.  143 

and  a  deep  cut,  and  a  long  lance,  to  go  to  the  bottom  of  your 
wounds,  in  saving  humiliation,  to  make  you  a  won  prey  for  Christ. 
Be  humbled  ;  walk  softly;  down,  down,  for  God's  sake,  my  dear, 
and  worthy  brother,  with  your  top-sail ;  stoop,  stoop !  it  is  a  low 
entry  to  go  in  at  Heaven's  gate.  There  is  infinite  justice  in  the 
Party  ye  have  to  do  with  ;  it  is  His  nature  not  to  acquit  the  guilty, 
and  the  sinner.  The  law  of  God  will  not  want  one  farthing  of  the 
sinner.  God  forgetteth  not  both  the  cautioner  ^  and  the  sinner ; 
and  every  man  must  pay,  either  in  his  own  person,  (oh.  Lord  save 
you  from  that  payment !)  or  in  his  cautioner,'  Christ.  It  is  vio- 
lence to  corrupt  nature  for  a  man  to  be  holy,  to  lye  down  under 
Christ's  feet,  to  quit  will,  pleasure,  worldly  love,  earthly  hope,  and 
an  itching  of  heart  after  this  farded*^  and  over-gilded  world,  and  to 
be  content  that  Christ  trample  upon  all.  Come  in,  come  in  to 
Christ,  and  see  what  ye  want,  and  find  it  in  him  : — he  is  the  short 
cut,  (as  we  used  to  say,)  and  the  nearest  way  to  an  outgate^  of 
all  your  burdens.  I  dare  avouch  that  ye  shall  be  dearly  welcome 
to  him  ;  my  soul  would  be  glad  to  take  part  of  the  joy  ye  should 
have  in  him.  I  dare  say  that  angels'  pens,  angels'  "tongues,  nay, 
as  many  worlds  of  angels,  as  there  are  drops  of  water  in  all  the 
seas,  and  fountains,  and  rivers  of  the  earth,  cannot  paint  him  out 
to  you.  I  think  his  sweetness,  since  I  was  a  prisoner,  hath  swelled 
upon  me  to  the  greatness  of  two  heavens.  Oh,  for  a  soul,  as  wide 
as  the  utmost  circle  of  the  highest  Heaven  that  containeth  all,  to 
contain  his  love!  And  yet  I  could  hold  little  of  it.  Oh,  world's 
wonder !  Oh,  if*  my  soul  might  but  lye  within  the  smell  of  his 
love,  suppose  I  could  get  no  more  but  the  smell  of  it !  Oh,  but  it 
is  long  to  that  day  when  I  shall  have  a  free  world  of  Christ's  love  ! 
Oh,  what  a  sight  to  be  up  in  Heaven,  in  that  fair  orchard  of  the 
New  Paradise ;  and  to  see,  and  smell,  and  touch,  and  kiss,  that 
fair  Field-flower,  that  ever-green  Tree  of  Life  !  His  bare  shadow 
were  enough  for  me;  a  sight  of  him  would  be  the  earnest  of 
Heaven  to  me.  Fy,  fy  upon  us  !  that  we  have  love  lying  rusting 
beside  us,  or,  which  is  worse,  wasting  upon  some  loathsome  objects, 
and  that  Christ  shoidd  lie  his  lone.s  Wo,  wo  is  me  !  that  sin  hath 
made  so  many  madmen,  seeking  the  fool's  paradise,  fire  under  ice, 
and  some  good  and  desirable  things,  without,  and  apart  from 
Christ.  Christ,  Christ,  nothing  but  Christ,  can  cool  our  love's 
burning  languor.  O  thirsty  love !  wilt  thou  set  Christ,  the  well 
of  life,  to  thy  head,  and  drink  thy  fill.  Drink,  and  spare  not ; 
drink  love,  and  be  drunken  with  Christ !  Nay,  alas  !  the  distance 
betwixt  us  and  Christ  is  a  death.  Oh,  if*  we  were  clasped  in 
other's  arms!  We  should  never  twin«  again  except  Heaven 
twinned ''  and  sundered  us — and  that  cannot  be. 

I  desire  your  children  to  seek  this  Lord.  Desire  them  from  me, 
to  be  requested,  for  Christ's  sake,  to  be  blessed  and  happy,  and  to 
come  and  take  Christ,  and  all  things  with  him.     Let  them  beware 

1  Surety.  2  Disguised  with  paint.  3  Egress.  ^  Oh,  that. 

5  By  himself  alone.  «  Part.  "<  Parted. 


144  Rutherford's  letters. 

of  glassy  and  slippery  youth,  of  foolish  young  notions,  of  worldly 
lusts,  of  deceivable  gain,  of  wicked  company,  of  cursing,  lying, 
blaspheming,  and  foohsh  talking :  let  them  be  filled  with  the  Spirit, 
acquaint  themselves  with  daily  praying,  and  with  the  store-house 
of  wisdom  and  comfort,  the  good  word  of  God.  Help  the  souls  of 
the  poor  people ;  oh,  that  my  Lord  would  bring  me  again  among 
them,  that  I  might  tell  unco  *  and  great  tales  of  Christ  to  them ! 
Receive  not  a  stranger  to  preach  any  other  doctrine  to  them. 

Pray  for  me,  His  prisoner  of  hope.  I  pray  for  you  without  ceas- 
ing. I  write  my  blessing,  earnest  prayers,  the  love  of  God,  and  the 
sweet  presence  of  Christ  to  you,  and  yours,  and  them. 

Grace,  grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Your  lawful,  and  loving  pastor,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  LXXXIIL 

to    the    earl    of    lothian. 

Right  Honorable,  and  my  very  Worthy,  and  Noble 
Lord, — Out  of  the  honorable  and  good  report  that  I  hear  of  your 
Lordship's  good-will  and  kindness,  in  taking  to  heart  the  honor- 
able cause  of  Christ,  and  his  afflicted  church  and  wronged  truth  in 
this  land.  I  make  bold  to  speak  a  word,  on  paper,  to  your  Lord- 
ship, at  this  distance,  which  1  trust  your  Lordship  will  take  in  good 
part.  It  is  your  Lordship's  honor  and  credit,  to  put-to  your  hand, 
(as  ye  do — all  honor  to  God  !)  to  the  falling  and  tottering  taber- 
nacle of  Christ,  in  this  your  mother-church,  and  to  own  Christ's 
wrongs  as  your  own  wrongs.  O  blessed  hand,  which  shall  wipe 
and  dry  the  watery  eyes  of  our  weeping  Lord,  Jesus,  now  going 
mourning  in  sackcloth  in  his  members,  in  his  spouse,  in  his  truth, 
and  in  the  prerogative  royal  of  his  kingly  power !  He  needeth 
not  service  and  help  from  men ;  but  it  pleaseth  his  wisdom  to 
make  the  wants  and  losses,  the  sores  and  wounds  of  his  spouse  a 
field  and  an  office-house  for  the  zeal  of  his  servants  to  exercise 
themselves  in  ;  therefore,  my  noble  and  dear  Lord,  go  on,  go  on  in 
the  strength  of  the  Lord,  against  all  opposition,  to  side  with 
wronged  Christ.  The  defending  and  warding  of  strokes  off  Christ's 
bride,  the  King's  daughter,  is  hke  a  piece  of  the  rest  of  the  way  to 
Heaven,  knotty,  rough,  stormy,  and  full  of  thorns.  I  Many  would 
follow  Christ,  but  with  a  reservation  that,  by  open  proclamation, 
Christ  would  cry  down  crosses,  and  cry  up  fair  weather,  and  a 
summer  sky  and  sun,  till  we  were  all  fairly  landed  at  Heaven.  I 
know  that  your  Lordship  hath  not  so  learned  Christ,  but  that  ye 
intend  to  fetch  Heaven,  suppose  that  your  father  were  standing  in 
your  way ;  and  to  take  it  with  the  wind  on  your  face ;  for  so  both 
storm  and  wind  were  on  the  fair  face  of  your  lovely  Fore-runner, 

1  Strange. 


Rutherford's  letters.  145 

Christ,  all  his  way.  It  is  possible  that  the  success  answer  not 
your  desire,  in  this  worthy  cause  :  what  then  ?  Duties  are  ours, 
but  events  are  the  Lord's  ;  and  I  hope,  if  your  Lordship,  and 
others  with  3^ou,  will  go  on  to  dive  to  the  lowest  ground  and  bottom 
of  the  knavery  and  perfidious  treachery  to  Christ  of  the  accursed, 
and  wretched  prelates,  the  Antichrist's  first-born,  and  the  first  fruit 
of  his  foul  womb,  and  shall  deal  with  our  Sovereign,  (law  going 
before  you,)  for  the  reasonable,  and  impartial  hearing  of  Christ's 
bill  of  complaints,  and  set  yourselves  singly  to  seek  the  Lord  and 
his  face,  that  your  righteousness  shall  break  through  the  clouds 
which  prejudice  hath  drawn  over  it,  and  that  ye  shall,  in  the 
strength  of  the  Lord,  bring  our  banished,  and  departing  Lord  Jesus 
home  again  to  his  sanctuary.  Neither  must  your  Lordship  advise 
with  flesh  and  blood  in  this  ;  but  wink,  and  in  the  dark  reach  your 
hand  to  Christ,  and  follow  him.  Let  not  men's  fainting  discourage 
you,  neither  be  afraid  of  men's  canny  •  wisdom,  who.  in  this  storm, 
take  the  nearest  shore,  and  go  to  the  lee  and  calm  side  of  the 
Gospel,  and  hide  Christ,  if  ever  they  had  him,  in  their  cabinets, 
as  if  they  were  ashamed  of  him,  or,  as  if  Christ  were  stolen  wares, 
and  would  blush  before  the  sun. 

My  very  dear,  and  noble  Lord,  ye  have  rejoiced  the  hearts  of 
many,  that  ye  have  made  choice  of  Christ,  and  his  Gospel,  whereas 
such  great  temptations  do  stand  in  your  way  :  but  I  love  your 
profession  the  better,  that  it  endureth  winds.  If  we  knew  our- 
selves well,  to  want  temptations  is  the  greatest  temptation  of  all. 
Neither  is  father  nor  mother,  nor  court,  nor  honor,  in  this  over- 
lustred  world,  with  all  its  paintry^  and  farding,^  anything  else, 
when  they  are  laid  in  the  balance  with  Christ,  but  feathers, 
shadows,  night-dreams,  and  straws.  Oh,  if  this  world  knew  the 
excellency,  sweetness,  and  beauty  of  that  high  and  lofty  One,  that 
Fairest  among  the  sons  of  men,  verily  they  would  see  that  if  their 
love  were  bigger  than  ten  heavens,  all  in  circles  beyond  each  other, 
it  were  all  too  little  for  Christ,  our  Lord !  I  hope  that  your  choice 
will  not  repent  you,  when  life  shall  come  to  that  twilight  betwixt 
time  and  eternity,  and  ye  shall  see  the  utmost  border  of  time,  and 
shall  draw  the  curtain,  and  look  into  eternity,  and  shall  one  day 
see  God  take  the  heavens  in  his  hands,  and  fold  them  together 
like  an  old  worn-out  garment,  and  set  on  fire  this  clay  part  of  the 
creation  of  God,  and  consume  away,  into  smoke  and  ashes,  the 
idol-hope  of  poor  fools,  who  think  that  there  is  not  a  better  coun- 
try than  this  low  country  of  dying  clay.  Children  cannot  make 
comparison  aright  betwixt  this  life  and  that  which  is  to  come; 
and,  therefore,  the  babes  of  this  world,  who  see  no  better,  mould, 
in  their  own  brain,  a  heaven  of  their  own  coining,  because  they 
see  no  further  than  the  nearest  side  of  time. 

I  dare  lay  in  pawn  my  hope  of  Heaven,  that  this  reproached 
way  is  the  only  way  of  peace.  I  find  it  is  the  Avay  that  the  Lord 
hath  sealed  with  his  comforts,  now  in  my  bonds  for  Christ ;  and  I 

1  Prudent.  2  Painted  decorations.  3  Painted  disguises. 

10 


146  Rutherford's  letters. 

verily  esteem,  and  find  chains  and  fetters  for  that  lovely  One, 
Christ,  to  be  watered '  over  with  sweet  consolations,  and  the  love- 
smiles  of  that  lovely  Bridegroom,  for  whose  coming  we  wait. 
And  when  he  cometh,  then  shall  the  blacks  and  whites  of  all  men 
come  before  the  sun  ;  then  shall  the  Lord  put  a  final  decision 
upon  the  pleas  that  Zion  hath  with  her  adversaries.  And  as 
fast  as  time  posteth  away,  (which  neither  sitteth,  nor  standeth, 
nor  sleepeth,)  as  fast  is  our  hand-breadth  of  this  short  winter- 
night  flying  away,  and  the  sky  of  our  long-lasting  day  drawing 
near  its  breaking. 

Except  your  Lordship  be  pleased  to  plead  for  me,  against  the 
tyranny  of  prelates,  I  shall  he  forgotten  in  this  prison  ;  for  they 
did  shape  my  doom  according  to  their  new,  lawless  canons,  which 
is,  that  a  deprived  minister  shall  be  utterly  silenced,  and  not 
preach  at  all ;  which  is  a  cruelty,  contrary  to  their  own  former 
practices. 

Now,  the  only  wise  God,  the  very  God  of  peace,  confirm, 
strengthen,  and  establish  your  Lordship  upon  the  Stone  laid  in 
Zion,  and  be  with  you,  forever. 

Your  Lordship's, 
At  all  respectful  obedience  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,     S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  LXXXIV. 


TO    JEAN    BROWN. 


Mistress, — Grace,  mercy  and  peace  be  to  you — I  long  to  hear 
how  your  soul  prospereth.  I  earnestly  desire  your  on-going  to- 
ward your  country.  I  know  that  ye  see  your  day  melteth  away 
by  little  and  little,  and  that  in  a  short  time  ye  shall  be  put  beyond 
time's  bovmds ;  for  life  is  a  post  that  standeth  not  still,  and  our 
joys  here  are  born  weeping,  rather  than  laughing,  and  they  die 
weeping.  Sin,  sin,  this  body  of  sin  and  corruption  embittereth, 
and  poisoneth  all  our  enjoyments.  Oh,  that  I  were  where  I  shall 
sin  no  more  !  Oh,  to  be  freed  of  these  chains  and  iron  fetters, 
which  we  carry  about  with  us  !  Lord,  loose  the  sad  prisoners. 
Who  of  the  children  of  God  have  not  cause  to  say,  tliat  they  have 
their  fill  of  this  vain  life,  and  like  a  full  and  sick  stomach,  to  wish 
at  mid-supper,  that  the  supper  were  ended,  and  the  table  drawn, 
that  the  sick  man  might  win^  to  bed,  and  enjoy  rest  ?  We  have 
cause  to  tire  at  mid-supper,  of  the  best  messes  that  this  world  can 
dress  up  for  us  ;  and  to  cry  to  God,  that  he  would  remove  the 
table,  and  put  the  sin-sick  souls  to  rest  with  himself  Oh,  for  a 
long  play-day  with  Christ,  and  our  long-lasting  vacance^  of  rest ! 
Glad  may  their  souls  be  that  are  safe  over  the  firth, ^  Christ  having 

1  Plated.  2  Get.  3  Vacation.  *  Frith,  estuary. 


Rutherford's  letters.  147 

paid  the  fraught.'  Happy  are  they  who  have  passed  their  hard 
and  wearisome  time  of  apprenticeship,  and  are  now  freemen  and 
citizens  in  that  joyful,  high  city,  the  New  Jerusalem.  Alas  !  that 
we  should  be  glad  of,  and  rejoice  in  our  fetters,  and  our  prison- 
house,  and  this  dear  inn,  a  life  of  sin,  where  we  are  absent  from 
our  Lord,  and  so  far  from  our  home.  Oh,  that  we  could  get  bonds 
and  law-suretyship  of  our  love,  that  it  fasten  not  itself  on  these 
clay-dreams,  these  clay-shadows,  and  worldly  vanities !  We 
might  be  oftener  seeing  what  they  are  doing  in  Heaven,  and  our 
hearts  more  frequently  upon  our  sweet  treasure  above.  We  smell 
of  the  smoke  of  this  lower  house  of  the  earth,  because  our  hearts 
and  our  thoughts  are  here.  If  we  could  haunt  up  with  God,  we 
should  smell  of  Heaven  and  of  our  country  above,  and  we  should 
look  like  our  country,  and  like  strangers  or  people  not  born  or 
brought  up  hereaway.^  Our  crosses  would  not  bite  upon  us  ^  if 
we  were  heavenly-minded.  I  know  of  no  obligation  which  the 
saints  have  to  this  world,  seeing  we  fare  but  upon  the  smoke  of 
it;  and,  if  there  be  any  smoke  in  the  house,  it  bloweth  upon  our 
eyes.  All  our  part  of  the  table  is  scarce  worth  a  drink  of  water ; 
and,  when  we  are  stricken,  we  dare  not  weep,  but  steal  our  grief 
away  betwixt  our  Lord  and  us,  and  content  ourselves  with  stolen 
sorrow  behind  backs.  God  be  thanked  that  we  have  many  things 
that  so  stroke  us  against  the  hair,  as  we  may  pray,  "  God  keep 
our  better  home,  God  bless  our  Father's  house  ;  and  not  this 
smoke,  that  bloweth  us  to  seek  our  best  lodging."  I  am  sure  that 
this  is  the  best  fiuit  of  the  cross,  when  we,  from  the  hard  fare  of 
the  dear  inn,  cry  the  more,  that  God  would  send  a  fair  wind,  to 
land  us,  hungered  and  oppressed  strangers,  at  the  door  of  our  Fa- 
ther's house,  Avhich  now  is  made  in  Christ  our  kindly  heritage. 
Oh !  then,  let  us  pall  up  the  stakes  and  stoups*  of  our  tent,  and 
take  our  tent  on  our  back,  and  go  with  our  flitting  ^  to  our  best 
home ;  for  here  we  have  no  continuing  city. 

I  am  waiting  in  hope  here,  to  see  what  my  Lord  will  do  with 
me.  Let  him  make  of  me  what  he  pleaseth  ;  providing  he  make 
glory  to  himself  out  of  me,  I  care  not.  I  hope,  yea,  I  am  now 
sure,  that  I  am  for  Christ,  and  all  that  I  can,  or  may  make  is  for 
him.  I  am  his  everlasting  debtor,  or  dyvour,^  and  still  shall  be ; 
for,  alas,  I  have  nothing  for  him,  and  he  getteth  but  little  service 
of  me  !  Pray  for  me,  that  our  Lord  would  be  pleased  to  give  me 
house-room,  that  I  may  serve  him  in  the  calling  which  he  hath 
called  me  unto. 

Grace  be  witli  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 

1  Freight.  2  in  this  present  life. 

3  Would  not  be  able  even  to  make  the  least  mark  with  their  teeth  upon  us. 

i  Posts.  5  Furniture  which  may  be  removed  from  one  residence  to  another. 

6  Bankrupt. 


148  Rutherford's  letters. 

LETTER  LXXXV. 

TO     JOHN      KENNEDY,      BAILLIE      OF      AYR. 

Worthy,  and  Well-beloved  Brother, — Grace,  mercy  and 
peace  be  unto  you — I  am  yet  waiting  what  our  Lord  will  do  for 
his  afflicted  Church,  and  for  my  re-entry  to  my  Lord's  house.  Oh 
that  I  could  hear  the  forfeiture  of  Christ,  (now  casten  out  of  his 
inheritance,)  recalled,  and  taken  off  by  open  proclamation  ;  and 
that  Christ  were  restored  to  be  a  free-holder  and  a  landed  heritor  ^ 
in  Scotland:  and  that  the  courts  fenced''  in  the  name  of  the  bas- 
tard prelates,  (their  godfather  the  Pope's  bailiffs  and  sheriffs)  were 
cried  down  !  Oh  how  sweet  a  sight  were  it,  to  see  all  the  Tribes 
of  the  Lord  in  this  land  fetching  home  again  oin-  banished  King, 
Christ,  to  his  own  palace,  his  sanctuary,  and  his  throne  !  I  shall 
think  it  mercy  to  my  soul,  if  my  faith  will  out-watch  all  this  win- 
ter night,  and  not  nod  nor  slumber  till  my  Lord's  summer-day 
dawn  upon  me.  It  is  much  if  faith,  and  hope,  in  the  sad  nights 
of  our  heavy  trial,  escape  with  a  whole  skin,  and  without  crack, 
or  crook.  I  confess  that  unbelief  hath  not  reason  to  be  either 
father,  or  mother  to  it,  (for  unbelief  is  always  an  irrational  thing  ;) 
but  how  can  it  be,  but  that  such  weak  eyes  as  ours  must  cast 
water  in  a  great  smoke,  or,  that  a  weak  head  should  not  turn 
giddy  when  the  water  runneth  deep,  and  strong  ?  But  God  be 
thanked,  that  Christ,  in  his  children,  can  endure  a  stress  and  a 
storm,  howbeit  soft  nature  would  fall  down  in  pieces. 

Oh  that  I  had  that  confidence  as  to  rest  on  this,  though  he 
grind  me  into  small  powder,  and  bray  me  into  dust,  and  scatter 
the  dust  to  the  four  winds  of  heaven,  that  my  Lord  would  gather 
up  the  powder,  and  make  me  up  a  new  vessel  again,  to  bear 
Christ's  name  to  the  world  !  I  am  sure  that  love,  bottomed,  and 
seated  upon  the  faith  of  his  love  to  me,  would  desire  and  endure 
this,  and  would  even  claim,  and  threep'  kindness  upon  Christ's 
strokes,  and  kiss  his  love-glooms,*  and  both  spell,  and  read  salva- 
tion upon  the  wounds  made  by  Christ's  sweet  hands.  Oh  that  I 
had  but  a  promise  made  from  the  mouth  of  Christ  of  his  love  to 
me !  and  then,  howbeit  my  faith  were  as  tender  as  paper,  I  think 
longing,  and  dwining,^  and  greening®  of  sick  desires  would  cause 
it  to  bide''  out  the  siege  till  the  Lord  came  to  fill  the  soul  with  his 
love ;  and  I  know,  also,  that,  in  that  case,  faith  would  bide "  green 
and  sappy  at  the  root,  even  at  mid-winter,  and  stand  out  against 
all  storms.  However  it  be.  I  know  that  Christ  winneth  Heaven 
in  despite  of  Hell.  But  I  owe  as  many  praises  and  thanks  to  free 
grace,  as  would  lye  betwixt  me  and  the  utmost  border  of  the  high- 
est Heaven,  suppose  ten  thousand  heavens  were  all  laid  above 

1  A  proprietor  of  land.  2  Constituted  and  opened. 

3  To  tlireep,  pertinaciously  to  persevere  in  asserting,  in  contradiction  to  denial. 

*  Love-frowns.  5  Pining.  6  Longing  with  greedy  desiie. 

I'  Hold.  8  Continue. 


Rutherford's  letters.  149 

other.  But  oh  !  I  have  nothing  that  can  hire,  or  bud  •  grace  ;  for 
if  grace  would  take  hire  it  were  no  more  grace ;  but  all  our  stabil- 
ity, and  the  strength  of  our  salvation  is  anchored  and  fastened 
upon  free  grace  ;  and  I  ara  sure  that  Christ  hath,  by  his  death 
and  blood,  casten'^  the  knot  so  fast,  that  the  fingers  of  the  devils, 
and  hell-fuls  of  sins  cannot  loose  it :  and  that  bond  of  Christ, 
(that  never  yet  was,  nor  ever  shall,  nor  can  be  registrated,^)  stand- 
eth  surer  than  Heaven,  or  the  days  of  Heaven,  as  that  sweet 
pillar  of  the  Covenant  whereon  we  all  hang.  Christ,  with  all  his 
little  ones  under  his  two  wings,  and  in  the  compass  or  circle  of  his 
arms,  is  so  sure,  that  cast  him  and  them  into  the  ground^  of  the 
sea,  he  shall  come  up  again,  and  not  lose  one.  An  odd  one  can- 
not, nor  shall  be  lost  in  the  telling. 

This  was  always  God's  aim,  since  Christ  came  into  the  play 
betwixt  him  and  us,  to  make  men  dependent  creatures,  and,  in 
the  work  of  our  salvation,  to  put  created  strength,  and  arms,  and 
legs  of  clay  quite  out  of  play,  and  out  of  office  and  court ;  and 
now  God  hath  substituted,  in  our  room,  and  accepted  his  Son,  the 
Mediator,  for  us,  and  all  that  we  can  make.  If  this  had  not  been, 
I  would  have  skinked  over^  and  foregone  my  part  of  Paradise  and 
salvation,  for  a  breakfast  of  dead,  moth-eaten  earth ;  but  now  I 
would  not  give  it,  nor  let  it  go,  for  more  than  I  can  tell ; — and 
truly  they  are  silly  fools,  and  ignorant  of  Christ's  worth,  and  so, 
full  ill-trained  and  tutored,  who  tell  Heaven  and  Christ  over  the 
board,  for  two  feathers,  or  two  straws  of  the  Devil's  painted  plea- 
sures, only  lustred  on  the  outer  side.  This  is  our  happiness  now, 
that  our  reckonings  at  night,  when  eternity  shall  come  upon  us, 
cannot  be  told  :  we  shall  be  so  far  gainers,  and  so  far  from  being 
super-expended,  (as  the  poor  fools  of  this  world  are,  who  give  out 
their  money,  and  get  in  but  black  hunger,)  that  angels  cannot 
lay  our  counts,  nor  sum  our  advantage  and  incomes.  Who  know- 
eth  how  far  it  is  to  the  bottom  of  our  Christ's  fulness,  and  to  the 
ground  *  of  our  heaven  ?  Who  ever  weighed  Christ  in  a  pair  of 
balances  ?  Who  hath  seen  the  foldings  and  plies,  and  the  heights 
and  depths  of  that  glory  which  is  in  him,  and  kept  for  us  ?  Oh 
for  such  a  heaven  as  to  stand  afar  off,  and  see,  and  love,  and  long 
for  him,  whill  time's  thread  be  cut,  and  this  great  work  of  crea- 
tion dissolved,  at  the  coming  of  our  Lord  ! 

Now  to  his  grace  I  recommend  you.  I  beseech  you  also,  to 
pray  for  a  re-entry  to  me  into  the  Lord's  house,  if  .it  be  his  good 
will. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Jan.  6, 1637. 

I  Bribe.  2  Tied.  3  Noted,  protested.  i  Bottom. 

5  Formally  renounced :  an  allusion  to  the  practice  of  a  seller's  drinking  the  health 
of  a  purchaser,  and  wishing  him  luck  in  his  bargain. 


150  Rutherford's  letters. 


LETTER  LXXXVI. 

TO     ELIZABETH     KENNEDY. 

Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you — I  have  long 
had  a  purpose  of  writing  unto  you,  but  I  have  been  hindered.  I 
heartily  desire  that  ye  would  mind  your  country,  and  consider  to 
what  airth'  your  soul  setteth  its  face;  for  all  come  not  home  at 
night,  who  suppose  that  they  have  set  their  face  heavenward.  It 
is  a  woful  thing  to  die,  and  miss  Heaven,  and  to  lose  house-room 
with  Cliri&t  at  night ; — it  is  an  evil  journey  where  travellers  are 
benighted  in  the  fields.  I  persuade  myself  that  thousands  shall 
be  deceived  and  ashamed  of  their  hope :  because  they  cast  their 
anchor  in  sinking  sands,  they  must  lose  it.  Till  now,  I  knew  not 
the  pain,  labor,  nor  difficulty  that  there  is  to  win  at^  home:  nor 
did  I.  understand  so  well,  before  this,  what  that  meaneth,  "The 
righteous  shall  scarcely  be  saved."  Oh,  how  many  a  poor  profes- 
sor's candle  is  blown  out,  and  never  lighted  again  !  I  see  that 
ordinary  profession,  and  to  be  ranked  amongst  the  children  of 
God,  and  to  have  a  name  among  men,  is  now  thought  good 
enough  to  carry  professors  to  Heaven  ;  but  certainly  a  name  is 
but  a  name,  and  will  never  bide^  a  blast  of  God's  storm.  I  coun- 
sel you  not  to  give  your  soul,  or  Christ  rest,  nor  your  eyes  sleep, 
till  ye  have  gotten  something  that  will  bide  the  fire,  and  stand  out 
the  storm.  I  am  sure,  that  if  my  one  foot  were  in  Heaven,  and, 
if  then,  he  should  say,  "Fend*  thyself,  I  will  hold  my  grips^  of 
thee  no  longer,"  I  should  go  no  farther,  but  presently  fall  down  in 
as  many  pieces  of  dead  nature. 

They  are  happy  for  evermore  who  are  over  head  and  ears  in 
the  love  of  Christ,  and  know  no  sickness  but  love-sickness  for 
Christ,  and  feel  no  pain  but  the  pain  of  an  absent,  and  hidden 
Well-beloved.  We  run  our  souls  out  of  breath,  and  tire  them  in 
coursing  and  galloping  after  our  night-dreams,  (such  are  the  rov- 
ings  of  our  miscarrying  hearts,)  to  get  some  created  good  thing  in 
this  life,  and  on  this  side  of  death.  We  would  fain  stay  and  spin 
out  a  heaven  to  ourselves,  on  this  side  of  the  water ;  but  sorrow, 
want,  changes,  crosses,  and  sin  are  both  woof  and  warp  in  that 
ill-spun  web.  Oh,  how  sweet  and  dear  are  these  thoughts  that 
are  still  upon  the  things  which  are  above  !  and  how  happy  are 
they  who  are  longing  to  have  little  sand  in  their  glass,  and  to 
have  time's  thread  cut,  and  can  cry  to  Christ,  "  Lord  Jesus,  have 
over  f  come  and  fetch  the  dreary  passenger !"  I  wish  that  our 
thoughts  were  more  frequently  than  they  are,  upon  our  country. 
Oh,  but  Heaven  casteth  a  sweet  smell  afar  off,  to  those  who  have 
spiritual  smelling  !  God  hath  made  many  fair  flowers,  but  the 
fairest  of  them  all  is  Heaven,  and  the  flower  of  all  flowers  is 

'  Point  of  the  compass.  2  Reach.  3  Endure. 

*  Shift  for.  5  Keep  hold.  6  Have  done. 


Rutherford's  letters.  151 

Christ.  Oh  !  why  do  we  not  flee  up  to  that  lovely  One?  Alas, 
that  there  is  such  a  scarcity  of  love,  and  of  lovers  of  Christ 
amongst  us  all !  Fy,  fy  upon  us,  who  love  fair  things,  as  fair 
gold,  fair  houses,  fair  lands,  fair  pleasures,  fair  honors,  and  fair 
persons,  and  do  not  pine  and  melt  away  with  love  to  Christ !  Oh, 
would  to  God,  I  had  more  love  for  his  sake !  Oh,  for  as  much  as 
would  lye  betwixt  me  and  Heaven,  for  his  sake  !  Oh,  for  as  much 
as  would  go  round  about  the  earth,  and  over  the  Heaven,  yea,  the 
Heaven  of  heavens,  and  ten  thousand  worlds,  that  I  might  let  all 
out  upon  fair,  fair,  only  fair  Christ !  But  alas,  I  have  nothing  for 
him,  yet  he  hath  much  for  me.  It  is  no  gain  to  Christ,  that  he 
getleth  my  little  feckless, ^  span-length,  and  hand-breadth  of  love. 
If  men  would  have  something  to  do  with  their  hearts  and  their 
thoughts,  that  are  always  rolling  up  and  down  like  men  with  oars 
in  a  boat,  after  sinful  vanities,  they  might  find  ^eat  and  sweet 
employment  to  their  thoughts  upon  Christ.  If  those  frothy,  fluc- 
tuating, and  restless  hearts  of  ours  would  come  all  about  Christ, 
and  look  into  his  lOve,  to  bottomless  love,  to  the  depth  of  mercy, 
to  the  unsearchable  riches  of  his  grace,  to  inquire  after,  and  search 
into  the  beauty  of  God  in  Christ,  they  would  be  swallowed  up  in 
the  depth  and  height,  length  and  breadth  of  his  goodness.  Oh, 
if2  men  would  draw  the  curtains,  and  look  into  the  inner  side  of 
the  ark,  and  behold  how  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  dwelleth  in 
him  bodily  !  Oh  !  who  would  not  say,  "Let  me  die,  let  me  die 
ten  times,  to  see  a  sight  of  him?"  Ten  thousand  deaths  were  no 
great  price  to  give  for  him.  I  am  sure  that  sick,  fainting  love 
would  heighten  the  market,  and  raise  the  price  to  the  double  for 
him.  But,  alas,  if  men  and  angels  were  rouped,'  and  sold  at  the 
dearest  price,  they  would  not  all  buy  a  night's  love,  or  a  four-and- 
twenty-hours'  sight  of  Christ.  Oh,  how  happy  are  they  who  get 
Christ  for  nothing !  God  send  me  no  more  for  my  part  of  para- 
dise than  Christ; — and  surely  I  were  rich  enough,  and  as  well 
heavened  as  the  best  of  them,  if  Christ  were  my  heaven. 

I  can  write  no  better  thing  to  you,  than  to  desire  you,  if  ever  ye 
laid  Christ  in  a  count,  to  take  him  up  and  count  him  again  ;  and 
weigh  him  over  again  and  agaiu :  and  after  this,  have  no  other  to 
court  your  love,  and  to  woo  your  soul's  delight,  than  Christ.  He 
will  be  found  worthy  of  all  your  love,  howbeit  it  should  swell  upon 
you  from  the  earth  to  the  uppermost  circle  of  the  Heaven  of 
heavens. 

To  our  Lord  Jesus,  and  his  love,  I  commend  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1G37. 

1  Feeble,  worthless.  2  oh,  that.  3  Sold  by  public  auction. 


152  Rutherford's  letters. 


LETTER  LXXXVIL 


TO     JONET     KENNEDY. 


Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  aad  peace  be  unto  you — Ye  are  not 
a  little  obliged  to  His  rich  grace,  who  hath  separated  you  for  him- 
self, and  for  the  promised  inheritance  with  tlie  saints  in  light,  from 
this  condemned  and  guilty  world.  Hold  fast  Cluist,  contend  for 
him  :  it  is  a  lawful  plea'  to  go  to  holding  and  drawing  for  Christ ; 
and  it  is  not  possible  to  keep  Christ  peaceably,  having  once  gotten 
him,  except  the  Devil  w^ere  dead.  It  must  be  your  resolution  to 
set  your  face  against  Satan's  northern  teiupests  and  storms,  for 
salvation  : — nature  would  have  heaven  come  to  us  while  sleeping 
in  our  beds.  We  would  all  buy  Christ,  so  being  we  might  make 
price  ourselves  ;  but  Christ  is  worth  more  blood  and  lives  than 
either  ye  or  I  have  to  give  him.  When  Ave  shall  come  home,  and 
enter  to  the  possession  of  our  Brother's  fair  Kingdom,  and  when 
our  heads  shall  find  the  weight  of  the  eternal  crown  of  glory,  and 
when  we  shall  look  back  to  pains  and  sufferings,  then  shall  we  see 
life,  and  sorrow,  to  be  less  than  one'  step  or  stride  from  a  prison  to 
glory ;  and  that  our  little  inch  of  time-suffering  is  not  worthy  of 
our  first  night's  welcome-home  to  Heaven.  Oh,  what  then  will 
be  the  weight  of  every  one  of  Christ's  kisses  !  Oh,  how  weighty, 
and  of  what  worth  shall  every  one  of  Christ's  love-smiles  be  !  Oh, 
when  once  he  shall  thrust  a  wearied  travellers  head  betwixt  his 
blessed  breasts,  the  poor  soul  will  think  one  kiss  of  Christ  hath 
fully  paid  home  forty,  or  fifty  years'  wet  feet,  and  all  its  sore  - 
hearts,  and  light  sufferings,  it  had  in  following  after  Christ !  Oh, 
thrice-blinded  souls,  whose  hearts  are  charmed  and  bewitched  with 
dreams,  shadow^s,  feckless  ^  things,  night- vanities,  and  night-fancies 
of  a  miserable  life  of  sin  !  Shame  on  us,  who  sit  still,  fettered  with 
the  love  and  liking  of  the  loan  of  a  piece  of  dead  clay  !  Oil,  poor 
fools,  who  are  beguiled  with  painted  things,  and  this  world's  fair- 
weather,  and  smooth  promises,  and  rotten  worm-eaten  hopes  ! 
May  not  the  Devil  laugh  to  see  us  give  out  our  souls,  and  get  in 
but  corrupt  and  counterfeit  pleasures  of  sin?  Oh  for  a  sight  of 
eternity's  glory,  and  a  little  tasting  of  the  Lamb's  marriage-sup- 
per!  Half  a  draught,  or  a  drop  of  the  wine  of  consolation,  that  is 
up  at  our  banqueting  house,  out  of  Christ's  own  hand,  would  make 
our  stomachs  loathe  the  brown  bread,  and  the  sour  drink  of  a  mis- 
erable life.  Oh,  how  far  are  we  bereaved  of  w^it,  to  chase,  and 
hunt,  and  run,  till  our  souls  be  out  of  breath,  after  a  condemned 
happiness  of  our  own  making  !  And  do  we  not  sit  far  in  our  own 
light,  to  make  it  a  matter  of  bairns'  play,  to  skink  and  drink  over  ^ 
paradise,  and  the  heaven  that  Christ  did  sweat  for,  even  for  a  blast 

1  Quarrel.  2  Achin^.  3  Unsubstantial. 

*  To  skink  and  drink  over,  formally  and  finally  to  renounce  all  claim  to ;  in  allusion 
to  the  practice  of  a  seller's  drinking  the  health  of  a  purchaser,  and  wishing  him  luck 
of  his  bargain. 


Rutherford's  letters.  153 

of  smoke,  and  for  Esau's  morning  breakfast?  Oh  that  we  were 
out  of  ourselves,  and  dead  to  this  world,  and  this  world  dead  and 
crucified  to  us  !  And,  when  we  should  be  close  ^  out  of  love  and 
conceit  of  any  masked  and  farded-  lover  whatsoever,  then  Christ 
would  win  and  conquer  to  himself  a  lodging  in  the  inmost  yolk 
of  our  heart ;  then  Christ  should  be  our  night-song,  and  our  morn- 
ing-song :  then  tiie  very  noise  and  din  of  our  Well-beloved's  feet, 
when  he  cometh,  and  his  first  knock  or  rap  at  the  door  should  be 
as  news  of  two  heavens  to  us.  Oh  that  our  eyes  and  our  soul's 
smelling  should  go  after  a  blasted  and  sun-burnt  flower,  even  this 
plastered,  fair  outsided^  world  ;  and  then  we  have  neither  eye,  nor 
smell  for  the  Flower  of  Jesse,  for  that  Plant  of  renown,  for  Christ, 
the  choicest,  the  fairest,  the  sweetest  Rose  that  ever  God  planted ! 
Oh,  let  some  of  us  die  to  smell  the  fragrance  of  him  !  and  let  my 
part  of  this  rotten  world  be  forfeited  and  sold  for  evermore,  pro- 
viding I  may  anchor  my  tottering  soul  upon  Christ !  I  know  that 
it  is  sometimes  at  this,  "Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  for  Christ?" 
But,  O  Lord,  canst  thou  be  budded,  and  propined*  with  any  gift 
for  Christ?  O  Lord,  can  Christ  be  sold?  or  rather,  may  not  a 
poor  needy  sinner  have  him  for  nothing?  If  I  can  get  no  more, 
oh,  let  me  be  pained  to  all  eternity,  with  longing  for  him  !  The 
joy  of  hungering  for  Christ  should  be  my  heaven  for  evermore. 
Alas,  that  I  cannot  draw  souls  and  Christ  together  !  But  I  desire 
the  coming  of  his  Kingdom,  and  that  Christ,  as  I  assuredly  hope 
he  will,  would  come  upon  withered  Scotland,  as  rain  upon  the 
new-mown  grass.  Oh,  let  the  King  come  !  Oh,  let  his  Kingdom 
come  !  Oh,  let  their  eyes  rot  in  their  eye-holes,^  who  will  not  re- 
ceive him  home  again  to  reign  and  rule  in  Scotland. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  LXXXVIII. 

TO     A     CHRISTIAN     GENTLEWOMAN. 

Mistress, — Grace,  mercy  and  peace  be  to  you — Though  not 
acquainted,  yet  at  the  desire  of  a  Christian  brother,  I  thought 
good  to  write  a  line  unto  you,  entreating  you,  in  the  Lord  Jesus, 
under  yt)ur  trials,  to  keep  an  ear  open  to  Christ,  who  can  speak 
for  himself,  howbeit  your  visitations,  and  your  own  sense  should 
dream  hard  things  of  His  love  and  favor.  Our  Lord  never  get- 
teth  so  kind  a  look  of  us,  nor  our  love  in  such  a  degree,  nor  our 
faith  in  such  a  measure  of  steadfastness,  as  he  getteth  out  of  the 
furnace  of  our  tempting  fears  and  sharp  trials.     I  verily  believe, 

1  Altogether.  2  Painted. 

3  Empty,  hollow;  having  nothing  but  an  outside. 

*  Bribed  and  presented.  s  Zech  xiv.  13. 


154  Rutherford's  letters. 

(and  too  sad  proofs  in  me  say  no  less,)  that  if  our  Lord  would 
grind  our  whorish  lust  into  powder,  the  very  old  ashes  of  our  cor- 
ruption would  take  life  again,  and  live,  and  hold  us  under  so  much 
bondage,  that  may  humble  us,  and  make  us  sad,  till  we  be  in  that 
country  where  we  shall  need  no  physic  at  all.  Oh,  what  violent 
means  doth  our  Lord  use  to  gain  us  to  Him,  a^  if,  indeed,  we  were 
a  prize  worthy  his  fighting  for  !  And  be  sure,  if  leading  would 
do  the  turn,  that  he  would  not  use  pulling  of  the  hair,  and  draw--^ 
ing  :  but  the  best  of  us  would  bide  ^  a  strong  pull  of  our  Lord's  right 
arm  ere  we  follow  Him.  Yet  I  say  not  this  as  if  our  Lord  always 
measured  afflictions  by  so  many  ounce-weights,  answerable  to  the 
grain- weights  of  our  guiltiness :  I  know  that  He  dotii  in  many,  (and 
possibly  in  you,)  seek  nothing  so  much  as  faith,  that  can  endure 
summer  and  winter  in  their  extremity.  Oh,  how  precious  to  the 
Lord  are  faith  and  love,  that  when  threshed,  beaten,  and  chased 
away,  and  boasted,*^  (as  it  were,)  by  God  himself,  doth  yet  look 
warm-like,  love-like,  kind-like,  and  life-like,  home-over^  to  Christ, 
and  would  be  in  at  him,  ill  and  well  as  it  may  be  ! 

Think  it  not  much,  that  your  husband,  or  the  nearest  to  you  in 
the  world,  proveth  to  have  the  bowels  and  mercy  of  the  ostrich, 
hard,  and  rigorous,  and  cruel :  for,  (Psalm  xxvii.  10,)  the  Lord 
taketh  up  such  fallen  ones  as  these.  I  could  not  wish  a  sweeter 
life,  or  more  satisfying  expressions  of  kindness,  till  I  be  up  at  that 
Prince  of  kindness,  than  the  Lord's  saints  find,  when  the  Lord 
taketh  up  men's  refuse,  and  lodgeth  this  world's  outlaws,  whom 
no  man  seeketh  after.  His  breath  is  never  so  hot.  His  love  cast- 
eth  never  such  a  flame,  as  when  this  world,  and  those  who  should 
be  the  helpers  of  our  joy,  cast  water  on  our  coal.  It  is  a  sweet 
thing  to  see  them  cast  out,  and  God  take  in  ;  and  to  see  them 
throw  us  away,  as  the  refuse  of  men,  and  God  take  us  up  as  His 
jewels  and  His  treasure.  Often  He  maketh  gold  of  dross,  as  once 
He  made  the  cast-away  Stone,  the  Stone  rejected  by  the  builders, 
the  Head  of  the  corner.  The  princes  of  this  world  would  not  have 
our  Lord  Jesus  as  a  pinning^  in  the  wall,  or  to  have  any  place  in 
the  building  ;  but  the  Lord  made  Him  the  Master-stone  of  power 
and  of  place.  God  be  thanked,  that  this  world  has  not  power  to 
cry  us  down  so  many  pounds,  as  rulers  cry  down  light  gold,  or 
light  silver :  we  shall  stand  for  as  much  as  our  Master-coiner, 
Christ,  whose  coin,  arms,  and  stamp  we  bear,  will  have  us — Christ 
hath  no  miscarrying  balance.  Thank  your  Lord,  who  chaseth 
your  love  through  two  kingdoms,  and  followeth  you  and  it  over 
sea,  to  have  you  for  himself,  as  he  speaketh,  (Hos.  iii.)  For  God 
layeth  up  his  saints,  as  the  wale  and  the  choice ^  of  all  the  world 
for  himself;  and  this  is  like  Christ  and  His  love.  Oh,  what  in 
Heaven,  or  out  of  Heaven,  is  comparable  to  the  smell  of  Christ's 
garments  !  Nay,  suppose  that  our  Lord  would  manifest  His  art, 
and  make  ten  thousand  heavens  of  good  and  glorious  things,  and 

1  Stand.  2  Threatened  with  looks  or  gestures.  3  Homewards. 

*  A  small  stone  used  in  building  to  fill  up  the  interstices  between  larger  stones. 
6  The  very  best  selection  that  could  be  made. 


Rutherford's  letters.  155 

of  new  joys,  devised  out  of  the  deep  of  infinite  wisdom,  He  could 
not  make  the  hke  of  Christ ;  for  Christ  is  God,  and  God  cannot 
be  made  :  and,  therefore,  let  us  hold  us  with  Christ,  howbeit 
we  might  have  our  wale  and  will'  of  a  host  of  lovers,  as  many 
as  tinee  heavens  could  contain.  Ob,  tbat  He  and  we  were  to- 
gether !  Oh,  when  Christ  and  ye  shall  meet  about  the  utmost 
march,*^  and  borders  of  time,  and  the  entry  into  eternity,  ye  shall 
see  heaven  in  his  face  at  the  first  look,  and  salvation  and  glory 
sitting  in  his  countenance,  and  betwixt  his  eyes.  Faint  not ; 
the  miles  to  Heaven  are  but  few  and  short ;  he  is  making  a 
green  bed  (as  the  word  speaketh.  Cant,  i.,)  of  love  for  himself 
and  you.  There  are  many  heads  lying  in  Christ's  bosom,  but 
there  is  room  for  yours  amongst  the  rest ;  and,  therefore,  go 
on,  and  let  hope  go  before  you.  Sin  not  in  your  trials,  and  the 
victory  is  yours.  Pray,  wrestle,  and  believe,  and  ye  shall  over- 
come and  prevail  with  God,  as  Jacob  did.  No  windlestraws,^  no 
bits  of  clay,  no  temptations,  which  are  of  no  longer  life  than  an 
hour,  will  then  be  able  to  withstand  you,  when  once  ye  have  pre- 
vailed with  God. 

Help  me  with  your  prayers,  that  it  would  please  the  Lord  to 
give  me  house  room  again,  to  speak  of  His  righteousness  in  the 
great  congregation,  if  it  may  seem  good  in  His  sight. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  July  6,  1637. 


LETTER  LXXXIX. 

TO     MY     LORD     CRAIGHALL. 

My  Lord,— I  received  Mr.  L.'s  letter  with  your  Lordship's,  and 
his  learned  thoughts  in  the  matter  of  ceremonies.  I  owe  respect  to 
the  man's  learning,  for  that  I  hear  him  to  be  opposed  to  Arminian 
heresies  :  but,  (with  reverence  of  that  worthy  man,)  I  wonder  to 
hear  such  popish-like  expressions  as  he  hath  in  his  letter,  as 
"Your  Lordship  may  spare  doublings,  when  the  King  and  Church 
have  agreed  in  the  settling  of  such  orders  ;  and  the  Cluuch's  di- 
rection in  things  indifferent  and  circumstantial,  (as  if  indifferent 
and  circumstantial  were  all  one,)  should  be  the  rule  of  every  pri- 
vate Christian."  I  only  viewed  the  papers  two  hours'  space,  the 
bearer  hastening  me  to  write.  I  find  the  worthy  man  not  so 
seen-  in  this  controversy,  as  some  turbulent  men  of  our  country, 
whom  he  calleth  refusers  of  conformity  :  and  let  me  say  it,  I  am 
more  confirmed  in  nonconformity,  when  I  see  such  a  great  wit 
play  the  agent  so  slenderly  ;  but  I  will  lay  the  blame  on   the 

1  Free  and  ample  liberty  of  choice.  2  Boundary. 

3  Withered  stalks  of  grass;  metaphorically,  weak  and  worthless  things. 
<  Versant,  skilled. 


156  Rutherford's  letters. 

weakness  of  the  cause,  not  on  the  meanness  of  Mr.  L.'s  learning. 
I  have  been,  and  still  am  confident,  that  Britain  cannot  answer 
one  argument  a  scandalo :  and  I  longed  mucli  to  hear  Mr.  L. 
speak  to  the  cause  :  and  I  would  say,  if  some  ordinary  divine  had 
answered  as  Mr.  L.  doth,  that  he  understood  not  the  nature  of  a 
Scandal ;  but  I  dare  not  vilify  that  worthy  man  so.  I  am  now 
upon  the  heat  of  some  other  employment.  I  shall,  (but  God  wil- 
ling,) answer  this,  to  the  satisfying  of  any  not  prejudiced. 

I  will  not  say  that  every  one  is  acquaiAted  with  the  reason,  in 
my  letter,  from  God's  presence  and  bright  shining  face,  in  suffer- 
ing for  this  cause.  Aristotle  never  knew  the  medium  of  the  con- 
clusion :  and  Christ  saith  few  know  it  (see  Rev.  ii.  17.)  I  am 
sure  that  conscience  standing  in  awe  of  the  Almighty,  and  fearing 
to  make  a  httle  hole  in  the  bottom  for  fear  of  under-wat^r,  is  a 
strong  medium  to  hold  off  an  erroneous  conclusion  in  the  least 
wing  or  litli*  of  sweet,  sweet  truth,  that  concerneth  the  royal  pre- 
rogative of  our  kingly  and  highest  Lord  Jesus;  and  my  witness 
is  in  Heaven,  that  I  saw  neither  pleasure,  nor  profit,  nor  honor, 
to  hook  me,  or  catch  me,  in  entering  into  prison  for  Christ ;  but 
the  wind  on  my  face  for  the  present ;  and  if  I  liad  loved  to  sleep 
in  a  whole  skin,  with  the  ease  and  present  delight  that  I  saw  on 
this  side  of  sun  and  moon,  I  should  have  lived  at  ease,  and  in 
good  hopes  to  fare  as  well  as  others.  The  Lord  knoweth  that  I 
preferred  preaching  of  Christ,  and  still  do,  to  anything  next  to 
Christ  hhnself.  And  their  new  canons  took  my  one,  my  only 
joy,  from  me,  which  was  to  m6  as  the  poor  man's  one  eye,  that 
had  no  moe ;  and,  alas  !  there  is  little  lodging  in  their  hearts  for 
pity  or  mercy,  to  pluck  out  a  poor  man's  one  eye  for  a  thing  in- 
different :  id  est,  for  knots  of  straw,  and  things,  (as  they  mean,) 
off  the  way  to  Heaven.  I  desire  not  that  my  name  take  journey, 
and  go  a  pilgrim  to  Cambridge,  for  fear  I  come  into  the  ears  of 
authority — I  am  sufficiently  burnt  already. 

In  the  mean  time,  be  pleased  to  try  if  the  Bishop  of  St.  An- 
drew's, and  Glasgow,  (Galloway's  Ordinary.)  will  be  pleased  to 
abate  from  the  heat  of  their  wrath,  and  let  me  go  to  my  charge. 
Few  know  the  heart  of  a  prisoner;  yet  I  hope  that  the  Lord  will 
hew  his  own  glory  out  of  as  knotty  timber  as  I  am.  Keep  Christ, 
my  dear  and  worthy  Lord.  Pretended  paper-arguments  from 
angering  the  Motlier-cliurch,  that  can  reel,  and  nod,  and  stagger, 
are  not  of  such  weight  as  peace  with  the  Father,  and  Husband. 
Let  the  wife  gloom,'^  I  care  not,  if  the  Husband  laugh. 

Remember  my  service  to  my  Lord  your  father,  and  mother, 
and  your  lady.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Jan.  21,  1G37. 

1  Joint.  -  Knit  her  brows. 


Rutherford's  letters.  157 

LETTER  XC. 
to    john    kennedy. 

My  Loving,  and  most  Affectionate  Brother  in  Christ, 
— I  salute  you  witli  grace,  mercy  and  peace  from  God,  our  Father, 
and  from  our  Lord,  Jesus  Christ. 

I  promised  to  write  to  you,  and  although  late  enough,  yet  I 
now  make  it  good.  I  heard  with  grief  of  your  great  danger  of 
perishing  by  the  sea,  and  of  your  merciful  deliverance  with  joy. 
Sure  I  am,  brother,  that  Satan  will  letwe  no  stone  unrolled,  as 
the  proverb  is,  to  roll  you  off  your  Rock,  or  at  least  to  shake  and  mi- 
settle  you  :  for,  at  that  same  time,  the  mouths  of  wicked  men  were 
opened  in  hard  speeches  against  you,  by  land,  and  the  Prince 
of  the  power  of  the  air  was  angry  with  you,  by  sea.  See 
then  how  much  ye  are  obliged  to  that  malicious  Murderer,  who 
would  beat  you  with  two  rods  at  one  time ;  but,  blessed  be  God  ! 
his  arm  is  short ;  if  the  sea  and  winds  would  have  obeyed  him, 
ye  had  never  come  to  land.  Thank  your  God,  who  saith,  (Rev. 
i.  18,)  "  I  have  the  keys  of  Hell,  and  of  death  ;"  (Deut.  xxxii.  39,) 
"  I  kill  and  I  make  alive ;"  (1  Sam.  ii.  6,)  "  The  Lord  bringeth 
down  to  the  grave,  and  bringeth  up."  If  Satan  were  jailer,  and 
had  the  keys  of  death  and  of  the  grave,  they  should  be  stored  with 
moe  prisoners.  Ye  were  knocking  at  these  black  gates,  and  ye 
found  the  doors  shut ;  and  we  do  all  welcome  you  back  again. 

I  trust  that  ye  know  it  is  not  for  nothing  that  ye  are  sent  to  us 
again.  The  Lord  knew,  that  ye  had  forgotten  something  that 
was  necessary  for  your  journey  ;  that  your  armor  was  not  as  yet 
thick  enough  against  the  stroke  of  death.  Now,  in  the  strength 
of  Jesus  dispatch  yoyr  business ;  that  debt  is  not  forgiv^en,  but 
fristed ; '  death  hath  not  bidden  you  farewell,  but  hath  only  left 
you  for  a  short  season.  End  your  journey,  ere  the  night  come 
upon  you:  have  all  in  readiness  against  the  time  that  ye  must 
sail  through  that  black  and  impetuous  Jordan  ;  and  Jesus,  Jesus, 
who  knoweth  both  those  depths  and  the  rocks,  and  all  the  coasts, 
be  your  pilot.  The  last  tide  will  not  wait  for  you  one  moment : 
if  ye  forget  anything,  when  your  sea  is  full,  and  your  foot  in  that 
ship,  there  is  no  returning  again  to  fetch  it.  What  ye  do  amiss 
in  your  life  to-day,  ye  may  amend  it  to-morrow  :  for  as  many  suns 
as  God  maketh  to  arise  upon  you,  ye  have  a&many  new  lives; 
but  ye  can  die  but  once,  and  if  ye  mar  or  spill  ^  that  business,  ye 
cannot  come  back  to  mend  that  piece  of  work  again.  No  man 
sinneth  twice  in  dying  ill ;  as  we  die  but  once,  so  we  die  but  ill  or 
well  once.  Ye  see  how  the  number  of  your  months  is  written  in 
God's  book  ;  and  as  one  of  the  Lord's  hirelings,  ye  must  work 
till  the  shadow  of  the  evening  come  upon  you,  and  ye  shall  run 
your  glass  even  to  the  last  pickle  ^  of  sand.     Fulfil  your  course 

1  Credited.  2  Spoil.  3  Grain. 


158  Rutherford's  letters. 

with  joy ;  for  we  take  nothing  to  the  grave  with  us,  but  a  good 
or  evil  conscience.  And,  aUhough  the  sky  clear  after  this  storm, 
yet  clouds  will  engender  another. 

Ye  contracted  witli  Christ,  I  hope,  when  first  ye  began  to  fol- 
low him,  that  ye  would  bear  his  cross.  Fulfil  your  part  of  the 
contract  with  patience,  and  break  not  to  Jesus  Christ.  Be  hon- 
est, brother,  in  your  bargaining  with  him:  for  who  knoweth 
better  how  to  bring  up  children  than  our  God?  For,  (to  lay 
aside  his  knowledge,  of  tlie  Avhich  there  is  no  finding  out,)  he 
hath  been  practised  in  bringing  up  his  heirs  these  five  thousand 
years,  and  his  bairns  are  all  well  brought  up.  and  many  of  them 
are  honest  men  now  at  home,  up  in  their  own  house  in  Heaven, 
and  are  entered  heirs  \o  their  Father's  inheritance.  Now,  the 
form  of  his  bringing-up  was  by  cliastisements,  scourging,  correct- 
ing, nurturing :  and  see  if  he  maketh  exception  of  any  of  his 
bairns,  (Rev.  iii.  19 ;  Heb.  xii.  7,  8.)  No :  his  eldest  Son,  and 
his  Heir,  Jesus,  is  not  excepted,  (Heb.  ii.  10.)  Suffer  we  must : 
ere  we  were  born,  God  decreed  it;  and  it  is  easier  to  complain  of 
his  decree,  than  to  change  it.  It  is  true,  terrors  of  conscience 
cast  us  down ;  and  yet  without  terrors  of  conscience  we  cannot 
be  raised  up  again  ;  fears  and  doubtings  shake  us ;  and  yet  with- 
out fears  and  doubtings  we  would  soon  sleep,  and  lose  our  grips 
of  Christ :  tribulation  and  temptations  will  almost  loosen  us  at 
the  root ;  and  yet,  without  tribulations  and  temptations,  we  can  now 
no  more  grow,  than  herbs  or  corn  without  rain.  Sin  and  Satan, 
and  the  world,  will  say,  and  cry  in  our  ears,  that  we  have  a  hard 
reckoning  to  make  in  judgment;  and  yet  none  of  these  three, 
except  they  lie,  dare  say  in  our  face,  that  our  sin  can  change  the 
tenor  of  the  New  Covenant.  Forward  then,  dear  brother,  and 
lose  not  your  grips.  Hold  fast  the  truth ;  for  the  world,  sell  not 
one  dram-weight  of  God's  truth,  especially  now,  when  most  men 
measure  truth  by  time,  like  young  seamen,  setting  their  compass 
by  a  cloud  :  for  now  Time  is  father  and  mother  to  Truth,  in  the 
thoughts  and  practices  of  our  evil  time.  The  God  of  truth  estab- 
lish us ;  for,  alas  !  now  there  are  none  to  comfort  the  prisoners  of 
hope,  and  the  mourners  in  Zion.  We  can  do  little,  except  pray  and 
mourn  for  Joseph  in  the  stocks.  And  let  their  tongue  cleave  to  the 
roof  of  their  mouth  who  forget  Jerusalem  now  in  her  day  :  and  the 
Lord  remember  Edom,  and  render  to  him  as  he  hath  done  to  us. 

Now,  brother,  I  shall  not  weary  you ;  but  I  entreat  you  to  re- 
member my  dearest  love  to  Mr.  David  Dickson,  with  whom  I  have 
small  acquaintance ;  yet,  I  bless  the  Lord,  I  know  that  lie  both 
prayeth  and  doeth  for  our  dying  Kirk.  Remember  my  dearest  love 
to  John  Stuart,  whom  I  love  in  Christ;  and  show  him  from  me, 
that  I  do  always  remember  him,  and  hope  for  a  meeting.  The 
Lord,  Jesus,  establish  him  more  and  more,  though  he  be  already 
a  strong  man  in  Christ.  Remember  my  heartiest  affection  in 
Christ  to  William  Rodger,  whom  I  also  remember  to  God.  I  wish 
that  the  first  news  I  hear  of  him,  and  you,  and  all  that  love  our 
common  Saviour,  in  those  bounds,  may  be,  that  they  are  so  knit 


Rutherford's  letters.  159 

and  linked,  and  kindly  fastened  in  love  with  the  Son  of  God,  that 
ye  may  say,  "  Now  ii"  we  would  ever  so  fain  escape  out  of  Christ's 
hands,  yet  love  hath  so  bound  us,  that  we  cannot  get  our  hands 
free  again ;  he  hath  so  ravished  our  hearts,  that  tliere  is  no  loos- 
ening of  his  grips;  the  chains  of  his  soul-ravishing  love  are  so 
strong,  that  the  grave  nor  death  will  break  them."  I  hope,  brother, 
yea,  I  doubt  not  of  it,  that  ye  lay  me,  and  my  first  entry  to  the 
Lord's  vineyard,  and  my  flock,  before  Him  who  hath  put  me  into 
his  work ;  as  the  Lord  knoweth,  since  first  I  saw  you,  1  have  been 
mindful  of  you.  Marion  Macknaught  doth  remember  most  heartily 
her  love  to  you,  and  to  John  Stuart.  Blessed  be  the  Lord  !  that 
in  God's  mercy,  I  found  in  tliis  country  such  a  woman,  to  whom 
Jesus  is  dearer  than  her  own  heart,  when  there  be  so  many  that 
cast  Christ  over  their  shoulder.  Good  brother,  call  to  mind  the 
memory  of  your  worthy  father,  now  asleep  in  Christ ;  and,  as  his 
custom  was,  pray  continually,  and  wrestle  for  the  life  of  a  dying 
breathless  kirk  :  and  desire  John  Stuart  not  to  forget  poor  Zion, — 
she  hath  few  friends,  and  few  to  speak  one  good  word  for  her. 

Now  I  commend  you,  your  whole  soul,  and  body  and  spirit,  to 
Jesus  Christ  and  his  keeping,  hoping  that  ye  will  live  and  die, 
stand  and  fall,  with  the  cause  of  our  Master,  Jesus.  The  Lord 
Jesus  himself  be  with  your  spirit. 

Your  loving  brother  in  our  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Anwoth,  Feb.  2,  1G37. 


LETTER  XCL 


TO    MY    WELL-BELOVED,    AND    REVEREND    BROTHER,    MR. 
ROBERT    BLAIR. 

Reverend,  and  dearly-beloved  Brother, — Grace,  mercy, 
and  peace  from  God  our  Father,  and  from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
be  unto  you. 

It  is  no  great  wonder,  my  dear  brother,  that  ye  be  in  heaviness 
for  a  season,  and  that  God's  will,  in  crossing  your  design  and  de- 
sires to  dwell  amongst  a  people  whose  God  is  the  Lord,  should 
move  you.  I  deny  not  that  ye  have  cause  to  inquire  what  his 
providence  speaketh  in  this  to  you  ;  but  God's  directing  and  com- 
manding will  can,  by  no  good  logic,  be  concluded  from  events  of 
providence.  The  Lord  sent  Paul  on  many  errands  for  the  spread- 
ing of  his  Gospel,  where  he  found  lions  in  his  way.  A  promise 
was  made  to  his  people  of  the  Holy  Land,  and  yet  many  nations 
were  in  the  way,  fighting  against,  and  ready  to  kill  them  who  had 
the  promise,  or  to  keep  them  from  possessing  that  good  land  which 
the  Lord  their  God  had  given  them.  I  know  that  ye  have  most 
to  do  with  submission  of  spirit ;  but  I  persuade  myself  that  ye 
have  learned,  in  every  condition  wherein  ye  are  cast,  thereui  to  be 
content,  and  to  say  "  Good  is  the  will  of  the  Lord,  let  it  be  done."    ^ 


160  Rutherford's  letters. 

I  believe  that  the  Lord  tackleth '  his  ship  often  to  fetch  the  wind, 
and  that  he  purposeth  to  bring  mercy  out  of  your  sufferings  and 
silence,  which,  (I  know  from  mine  own  experience,)  is  grievous  to 
you.  Seeing  that  he  knoweth  our  willing  mind  to  serve  him,  our 
wages  and  stipend  is  running  to  the  fore  ^  with  our  God,  even  as 
some  sick  soldiers  get  pay  when  they  are  bedfast,  and  not  able  to 
go  to  the  field  with  others.  "  Though  Israel  be  not  gathered,  yet 
shall  I  be  glorious  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord,  and  my  God  shall  be 
my  strength,"  (Isa.  xlix.  5.)  And  we  are  to  believe  it  shall  be 
thus  ere  all  the  play  be  played.  (Jer.  li.  35,)  "  The  violence  done 
to  me  and  my  flesh  be  upon  Babylon,"  and  the  Great  Whore's 
lovers,  "  shall  the  inhabitants  of  Zion  say  ;  and  my  blood  be  upon 
Chaldea,  shall  Jerusalem  say."  And,  (Zech.  xii.  2,)  "Behold  I 
will  make  Jerusalem  a  cup  of  trembling  to  all  the  people  round 
about,  when  they  shall  be  in  the  siege  both  against  Judah  and 
against  Jerusalem;"  (ver.  3,)  "And  in  that  day  will  I  make  Jeru- 
salem a  burdensome  stone  for  all  people ;  they  that  burden  them- 
selves with  it  shall  \)e  broken  in  pieces,  though  all  the  people  of 
the  earth  be  gathered  against  it."  When  they  have  eaten  and 
swallowed  us  up,  they  shall  be  sick,  and  vomit  us  out  living  men 
again : — the  Devil's  stomach  cannot  digest  the  Church  of  God. 
Suffering  is  the  other  half  of  our  ministry,  howbeit  the  hardest: 
for  we  would  be  content  that  our  King,  Jesus,  should  make  an 
open  proclamation,  and  cry  down  crosses,  and  cry  up  joy,  gladness, 
ease,  honor,  and  peace ;  but  it  must  not  be  so ;  through  many 
afflictions  we  must  enter  into  the  Kingdom  of  God.  Not  only  by 
them,  but  through  them  must  we  go  ;  and  wiles  will  not  take  us 
—  past  the  cross  : — it  is  folly  to  think  to  steal  to  Heaven  with  a  whole 
skin. 

For  myself,  I  am  here  a  prisoner  confined  in  Aberdeen,  threat- 
ened to  be  removed  to  Caithness,  because  I  desire  to  edify  in  this 
town :  and  am  openly  preached  against  in  the  pulpits  in  my  hear- 
ing, and  tempted  with  disputations  by  the  doctors,  especially  by 
D.  B.  Yet  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  garland  and  crown  of  my 
Lord  Jesus.  I  would  not  exchange  my  weeping  with  the  painted 
laughter  of  the  Fourteen  Prelates.  At  my  first  coming  here  I 
took  the  dorts  ^  at  Christ,  and  would,  forsooth,  summon  him  for 
unkindness.  I  sought  a  plea^  of  my  Lord,  and  was  tossed  with 
challenges^  whether  he  loved  me  or  not;  and  disputed  over  again 
all  that  he  had  done  to  me,  because  his  word  was  a  fire  shut  up  in 
my  bowels  and  I  was  weary  with  forbearing,  because  I  said  I  was 
cast  out  of  the  Lord's  inheritance ;  but  now  I  see  that  I  was  a 
fool.  My  Lord  miskent"^  all,  and  did  bear  with  my  foolish  jeal- 
ousies, and  miskent*  that  ever  I  wronged  his  love  ;  and  now  he  is 
come  again  with  mercy  under  his  wings.  I  passed  from  my  (oh, 
thoughtless  !)  summons  :  he  is  God,  I  see,  and  I  am  man.  Now 
it  hath  pleased  him  to  renew  his  love  to  my  soul,  and  to  dawf  his 
poor  prisoner.     Therefore,  dear  brother,  help  me  to  praise ;  and 

1  Tacketh.  2  To  account.  3  Pet.  4  Quarrel. 

*  5  Q,uestionincrs.  6  Would  not  know.  '  Fondle. 


Rutherford's  letters.  161 

show  the  Lord's  people  with  yoii  what  he  hath  done  to  my  soul, 
that  they  may  pray  and  praise  ;  and  I  charge  you,  in  the  name 
of  Christ,  not  to  omit  it :  for  this  cause  I  write  to  you,  that  my 
sufferings  may  glorify  my  royal  King,  and  edify  his  church  in  Ire- 
land. He  knoweth  how  one  of  Christ's  love-coals  hath  burnt  my 
soul  with  a  desire  to  have  my  bonds  to  preach  his  glory,  whose 
cross  I  now  bear.  God  forgive  you  if  you  do  it  not ;  but  I  hope 
the  Lord  will  move  your  heart,  to  proclaim  in  my  behalf  the  sweet- 
ness, excellency,  and  glory  of  my  royal  King.  It  is  but  our  soft 
flesh  that  hath  raised  a  slander  on  the  i^ross  of  Christ:  I  see  now 
the  white  side  of  it ;  my  Lord's  chains  are  all  over-gilded.  Oh, 
if  Scotland  and  Ireland  had  part  of  my  feast !  And  yet  I  get  not 
my  meat  but  with  many  strokes.  There  are  none  here  to  whom 
I  can  speak  :  I  dwell  in  Kedar's  tents.  Refresh  me  with  a  letter 
from  you.     Few  know  wbat  is  betwixt  Christ  and  me. 

Dear  brother,  upon  my  salvation,  this  is  his  truth  that  we  suffer 
for.  Christ  would  not  seal  a  blank  charter  to  souls.  Courage, 
courage,  joy,  joy  for  evermore  !  Oh  joy  unspeakable  and  glorious  ! 
Oh  for  help  to  set  my  crowned  King  on  high  !  Oh  for  love  to  Him 
who  is  altogether  lovely !  that  love  which  many  waters  cannot 
quench,  neither  can  the  floods  drown  ! 

I  remember  you,  and  bear  your  name  on  my  breast  to  Christ. 
I  beseech  you  forget  not  his  afflicted  prisoner.  Grace,  mercy,  and 
peace  be  with  you.  Salute,  in  the  Lord,  from  me,  Mr.  Cunning- 
ham, Mr.  Livingston,  Mr.  Ridge,  Mr.  Colwart,  &c. 

Your  brother,  and  fellow-prisoner,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Feb.  7,  1G37. 


LETTER  XCIL 

TO    HIS  REVEREND  AND  DEAR  BROTHER,  MR.  JOHN  LIVINGSTOW. 

My  Reverend  and  Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
peace  be  to  you — I  long  to  hear  from  you,  and  to  be  refreshed  with 
the  comforts  of  the  bride  of  our  Lord  Jesus  in  Ireland.  I  suffer 
with  you  in  grief  for  the  dash  that  your  desires  to  be  at  N.  E.  have 
received  of  late  ;  but  if  our  Lord,  who  hath  skill  to  bring  up  His 
children,  had  not  seen  it  your  best,  it  would  not  have  befallen  you. 
Hold  your  peace,  and  stay  yourself  upon  the  Holy  One  of  Israel. 
Hearken  to  what  He  hath  said  in  crossing  of  your  desires,  He  will 
speak  peace  to  His  people. 

I  am  here  removed  from  my  flock,  and  silenced,  and  confined  in 
Aberdeen,  for  the  testimony  of  Jesus  ;  and  I  have  been  confined 
in  spirit  also  with  desertions  and  challenges. ^  I  gave  in  a  bill  of 
quarrels,  and  complaints  of  unkindness  against  Christ,  who  seemed 
to  have  cast  me  over  the  dyke  ^  of  the  vineyard,  as  a  dry  tree,  and 
separated  me  from  the  Lord's  inheritance  :  but  high,  high  and 

»  Oh,  that.  2  Accusations.  3  Wall. 

11 


162  Rutherford's  letters. 

loud  praises  be  to  our  royal  crowned  King  in  Zion,  that  He  hath 
not  burnt  the  dry  branch — I  shall  yet  live,  and  see  His  glory. 

Your  Mother-church,  for  her  whoredom,  is  like  to  be  cast  off. 
The  bairns  may  break  their  hearts,  to  see  such  chiding  betwixt 
the  husband  and  the  wife.  Our  clergy  is  upon  a  reconciliation 
with  the  Lutherans,  and  the  doctors  are  writing  books,  and  draw- 
ing up  a  Common  Confession  at  the  Council's  command.  Our 
Service-book  ^  is  proclaimed  with  sound  of  trumpet.  The  night  is 
fallen  down  upon  the  prophets  ;  Scotland's  day  of  visitation  is 
come  :  it  is  time  for  the  bride  to  weep,  while  Christ  is  a-saying 
that  He  will  choose  another  wife.  But  our  sky  will  clear  again. 
The  dry  branch  of  cut-down  Lebanon  will  bud  again  and  be  glo- 
rious, and  they  shall  yet  plant  vines  upon  our  mountains. 

Now,  my  dear  brother,  I  write  to  you  for  this  end,  that  ye  may 
help  me  to  praise,  and  seek  help  of  others  with  you,  that  God 
be  glorified  in  my  bonds.  My  Lord  Jesus  hath  taken  the  with- 
ered dry  stranger,  and  His  prisoner  broken  in  heart,  into  His  house- 
of-wine.  Oh  !  if^  ye,  and  all  Scotland,  and  all  our  brethren  with 
you,  knew  how  I  am  feasted  !  Christ's  honeycombs  drop  com- 
forts. He  dineth  with  His  prisoner,  and  the  King's  spikenard 
casteth  a  smell.  The  Devil  cannot  get  it  denied  that  we  suffer 
for  the  apple  of  Christ's  eye.  His  royal  prerogatives  as  King  and 
Law-giver.  Let  us  not  fear  or  faint.  He  will  have  His  Gospel 
once  again  rouped^  in  Scotland,  and  have  the  matter  going  to 
voices,  to  see  who  will  say,  "  Let  Christ  be  crowned  King  in  Scot- 
land." It  is  true  that  Antichrist  stirreth  his  tail ;  but  I  love  a 
rumbling  or  raging  devil  in  the  Kirk,  (since  the  Church  militant 
cannot  or  may  not  want  a  devil  to  trouble  her,)  rather  than  a 
subtile  or  sleeping  devil.  Christ  never  yet  got  a  bride  without 
stroke  of  sword.  It  is  now  nigh  the  Bridegroom's  entering  into 
His  chamber,  let  us  awake  and  go  in  with  Him. 

I  bear  your  name  to  Christ's  door  ;  I  pray  you,  dear  brother, 
forget  me  not.  Let  me  hear  from  you  by  letter,  and  I  charge  you, 
smother  not  Christ's  bounty  towards  me.  I  write  what  I  have 
found  of  Him  in  the  house  of  my  pilgrimage.  Remember  my  love 
to  all  our  brethren  and  sisters  there. 

The  Keeper  of  the  vineyard  watch  for  His  besieged  city,  and 
for  you. 

Your  brother,  and  fellow-sufferer,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Feb.  7,  1637. 


LETTER  XCHI. 

TO     MR.     EPHRAIM     MELVIN. 

Reverend,  and  Dear  Brother, — I  received  your  letter,  and 
am  contented,  with  all  my  heart,  that  our  acquaintance  in  our 
Lord  continue. 

>  Book  of  Common  Prayer.  2  Oh  that.  3  Put  up  to  sale  by  auction. 


Rutherford's  letters.  163 

I  am  wrestling,  as  I  dow/  up  the  mount  with  Christ's  cross : 
my  Second  is  kind,  and  able  to  help. 

As  for  your  questions,  because  of  my  manifold  distractions,  and 
letters  to  multitudes,  I  have  not  time  to  answer  them.  What  shall 
be  said,  in  common  for  that,  shall  be  imparted  to  you  :  for  I  am 
upon  these  questions  :  therefore,  spare  me  a  little,  for  the  Service- 
book  ^  would  take  a  great  time.  But  I  think,  Sicut  deosculatio 
religiosa  imaginis,  aut  etiam  elementorum,  est  in  se  idololatria  ex- 
terna, etsi  intentio  deosculandi,  tota,  quanta  in  actu  est,  feratur  in 
Deum  nqbnoTvnbv  |  ita,  geniculatio  coram  pane,  quando,  nempe,  ex 
instituto,  totus  homo  externus  et  internus  versari  debeat  circa  ele- 
mentaria  signa,  est  adoratio  relativa,  et  adoratio  ipsius  panis. 
Ratio  :  Intentio  adorandi  objectum  materiale,  non  est  de  essentia 
externae  adorationis,  ut  patet  in  desoculatione  religiosa.  Sic  geni- 
culatio coram  imagine  Babylonica  est  externa  adoratio  imaginis, 
etsi  tres  pueri  mente  intendissent  adorare  Jehovam.  Sic,  qui  ex 
metu  solo,  aut  spe  pretii,  aut  inanis  glorise,  geniculatur  coram 
aureo  vitulo  Jeroboami,  (quod  ab  ipso  rege,  qui  nulla  reiigione  in- 
ductus,  sed  libidine  dominandi  tantum,  vitulum  erexit,  factitatum 
esse,  textus  satis  luculenter  clamat,)  adorat  vitulum  externa  ado- 
ratione  ;  esto  quod  putaret  vitulum  esse  meram  creaturam,  et  ho- 
nore  nullo  dignum  :  quia  geniculatio,  sive  nos  nolumus,  sive 
volumus,  ex  instituto  Dei  et  naturae,  in  actu  religioso,  est  symbo- 
lum  religiosse  adorationis :  ergo,  sicut  panis  significat  corpus 
Christi,  etsi  absit  actus  omnis  nostras  intentionis  ;  sic  religiosa 
geniculatio,  sublata  omni  intentione  human  a,  est  externa  adoratio 
panis,  coram  quo  adoramus,  ut  coram  signo  vicario  et  repreesenta- 
tivo  Dei. 

Thus  recommending  you  to  God's  tender  mercy,  I  desire  that 
ye  would  remember  me  to  God.  Sanctification  will  settle  you 
most  in  the  truth. 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  brother  in  Christ  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637, 


LETTER  XCIV. 

TO  ROBERT   GORDON,   OF   KNOCKBREX. 

My  VERY  Worthy,  and  Dear  Friend, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
peace  be  to  you — Though  all  Galloway  should  have  forgotten  me, 
I  would  have  expected  a  letter  from  you  ere  now : — but  I  will  not 
expound  it  to  be  forgetfulness  of  me. 

Now,  my  dear  brother,  I  cannot  show  you  how  matters  go  be- 
twixt Christ  and  me.  I  find  my  Lord  going  and  coming  seven 
times  a-day.  His  visits  are  short ;  but  they  are  both  frequent  and 
sweet.     I  dare  not  for  my  life  think  of  a  challenge  of  my  Lord. 

1  Am  able.  ^  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 


164  Rutherford's  letters. 

I  hear  ill  tales,  and  hard  reports  of  Christ,  from  the  Tempter,  and 
my  flesh  :  but  love  believeth  no  evil.  I  may  swear  that  they  are 
liars,  and  that  apprehensions  make  lies  of  Christ's  honest  and  un- 
alterable love  to  me.  I  dare  not  say  that  I  am  a  dry  tree,  or  that 
I  have  no  room  at  all  in  the  vineyard  :  but  yet  I  often  think  that 
the  sparrows  are  blessed,  who  may  resort  to  the  House  of  God  in 
Anwoth,  from  which  I  am  banished. 

Temptations,  that  I  supposed  to  be  stricken  dead,  and  laid  upon 
their  back,  rise  again,  and  revive  upon  me  ;  yea,  I  see  that,  while 
I  live,  temptations  will  not  die.  The  Devil  seemeth  to  brag  and 
boast  as  much,  as  if  he  had  more  court  with  Christ  than  I  have  ; 
and  as  if  he  had  charmed  and  blasted  my  ministry,  that  I  shall 
do  no  more  good  in  public  :  but  this  wind  shaketh  no  corn.'  I 
will  not  believe  that  Christ  would  have  made  such  a  minf^  to 
have  me  to  himself,  and  have  taken  so  much  pains  upon  me  as 
He  hath  done,  and  then  slip  away  so  easily  from  possession, 
and  lose  the  glory  of  what  He  hath  done.  Nay,  since  I  came  to 
Aberdeen,  I  have  been  taken  up  to  see  the  New  Land,  the  fair 
palace  of  the  Lamb  :  and,  will  Christ  let  me  see  Heaven,  to  break 
my  heart,  and  never  give  it  to  me  ?  I  shall  not  think  my  Lord 
Jesus  giveth  a  dumb  earnest,  or  putteth  His  seals  to  blank  paper, 
or  intendeth  to  put  me  off  with  fair  and  false  promises. 

I  see  that  now,  which  I  never  saw  well  before. — 1.  I  see  faith's 
necessity  in  a  fair  day  is  never  known  aright ;  but  now  I  miss 
nothing  so  much  as  faith.  Hunger  in  me  runneth  to  fair  and 
sweet  promises  ;  but,  when  I  come,  I  am  like  a  hungry  man  that 
wanteth  teeth,  or  a  weak  stomach  having  a  sharp  appetite  that 
is  filled  with  the  very  sight  of  meat,  or  like  one  stupified  with  cold 
under  the  water,  that  would  fain  come  to  land,  but  cannot  grip^ 
anything  casten^  to  him.  I  can  let  Christ  grip  me,  but  I  cannot 
grip  him.  I  love  to  be  kissed  and  sit  on  Christ's  knee  ;  but  I 
cannot  set  my  feet  to  the  ground,  for  afflictions  bring  the  cramp 
upon  my  faith.  All  that  I  dow^  do  is  to  hold  out  a  lame  faith  to 
Christ,  like  a  beggar  holding  out  a  stump,  instead  of  an  arm,  or 
leg,  and  crying,  "  Lord  Jesus  work  a  miracle  !"  Oh,  what  would 
I  give  to  have  hands  and  arms,  to  grip  ^  strongly,  and  fold  heart- 
somely,"  about  Christ's  neck,  and  to  have  my  claim  made  good 
with  real  possession  !  I  think  that  my  love  to  Christ  hath  feet  ir\ 
abundance,  and  runneth  swiftly  to  be  at  him,  but  it  wanteth 
hands  and  fingers  to  apprehend  him.  I  think  that  I  would  give 
Christ  every  morning  my  blessing,  to  have  as  much  faith  as  I 
have  love  and  hunger  ;  at  least,  I  miss  faith  more  than  love  or 
hunger. 

2.  I  see  that  mortification,  and  to  be  crucified  to  the  world,  is 
not  so  highly  accounted  of  by  us  as  it  should  be.  Oh,  how  heaven- 
ly a  thing  it  is  to  be  dead,  and  dumb,  and  deaf  to  this  world's 
sweet  music  !     I  confess  it  hath  pleased  his  Majesty  to  make  me 

•  A  proverbial  expression,  intimating  that  liis  efforts  avail  nothing. 

2  Intimation,  by  word  or  signs,  of  an  intention.  3  Lay  hold  of. 

*  Thrown.  5  Am  able  to.  6  Cordially, 


Rutherford's  letters.  165 

laugh  at  children,  who  are  wooing  this  world  for  their  match.  I 
see  men  lying  about  the  world,  as  nobles  about  a  king's  court ; 
and  I  wonder  what  they  are  all  doing  there.  As  I  am  at  this 
present  I  would  scorn  to  court  such  a  feckless '  and  petty  princess, 
or  buy  this  world's  kindness  with  a  bow  of  my  knee.  I  scarce 
now  either  hear  or  see  what  it  is  that  this  world  offereth  me ;  I 
know  that  it  is  little  which  it  can  take  from  me,  and  as  little  that 
it  can  give  me.  I  recommend  mortification  to  5'^ou  above  any- 
thing ;  for,  alas  !  we  but  chase  feathers  flying  in  the  air,  and  tire 
our  own  spirits  for  the  froth  and  over-gilded  clay  of  a  dying  life. 
One  sight  of  what  my  liOrd  hath  let  me  see  within  this  short 
time,  is  worth  a  world  of  worlds. 

3.  I  thought  courage  in  the  time  of  trouble  for  Christ's  sake,  a 
thing  that  I  might  take  up  at  my  foot ;  I  thought  that  the  very 
remembrance  of  the  honesty  of  the  cause  would  be  enough  ;  but  I 
was  a  fool  in  so  thinking.  I  have  much  ado  now  to  win  to"  one 
smile.  But  I  see  that  joy  groweth  up  in  Heaven,  and  it  is  above 
our  short  arm.  Christ  will  be  steward  and  dispenser  himself,  and 
none  else  but  he ;  therefore,  now,  I  count  much  of  one  drachm- 
weight  of  spiritual  joy.  One  smile  of  Christ's  face  is  now  to  me 
as  a  kingdom,  and  yet  he  is  no  niggard  to  rae  of  comforts.  Truly 
I  have  no  cause  to  say  that  I  am  pinched  with  penury,  or  that 
the  consolations  of  Christ  are  dried  up :  for  he  hath  poured  down 
rivers  upon  a- dry  wilderness,  the  like  of  me,  to  my  admiration: 
and  in  my  very  swoonings,  he  holdeth  up  my  head,  and  stayeth 
me  with  flagons  of  wine,  and  comforteth  me  with  apples.  My 
house  and  bed  are  strewed  with  kisses  of  love.  Praise,  praise 
with  me.  Oh,  if  ye  and  I  betwixt  us  could  lift  up  Christ  upon  his 
throne,  howbeit  all  Scotland  should  cast  him  down  to  the  ground ! 

My  brother's  case  toucheth  me  near.  I  hope  that  ye  will  be 
kind  to  him,  and  give  him  your  best  counsel. 

Remember  my  love  to  your  brother,  to  your  wife,  and  G.  M. 
Desire  him  to  be  faithful,  and  to  repent  of  his  hypocrisy ;  and  say 
that  I  wrote  it  to  you.  1  wish  him  salvation.  Write  to  me  your 
mind  anent  C.  E.,  and  C.  Y.,  and  their  wives,  and  I.  G.,  or  any 
others  in  my  parish.  I  fear  that  I  am  forgotten  amongst  them ; 
but  I  cannot  forget  them. 

The  prisoner's  prayers  and  blessings  come  upon  you.  Grace, 
grace  be  with  you. 

Your  brother,  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Feb.  9,  1637. 

1  Worthless.  2  To  attaio  to. 


166  Rutherford's  letters. 


LETTER  XCV. 

TO  THE  HONORABLE,  AND  TRULY    NOBLE  LADY,  THE    VISCOUNT- 
ESS   OP    KENMURE. 

Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  your  Ladyship— I 
long  to  hear  from  you.  I  am  here  waiting,  if  a  good  wind,  long- 
looked-for,  will  at  length  blow  into  Christ's  sails,  in  this  land. 
But  I  wonder  if  Jesus  be  not  content  to  suffer  more  yet  in  his 
members  and  cause,  and  in  the  beauty  of  his  house,  rather  than 
he  should  not  be  avenged  upon  this  land.  I  hear  that  many 
worthy  men,  (who  see  more  in  the  Lord's  dealings,  than  I  can 
take  up  with  my  dim  sight,)  are  of  a  contrary  mind,  and  do  be- 
lieve that  the  Lord  is  coming  home  again,  to  his  House  in  Scot- 
land. I  hope  he  is  on  his  journey  that  way ;  yet  I  look  not  but 
that  he  will  feed  this  land  with  their  own  "blood,  before  he  estab- 
lish his  throne  amongst  us.  I  know  that  your  Honor  is  not  look- 
ing after  things  hereaway.^  Ye  have  no  great  cause  to  think 
that  your  stock  and  principal  is  under  the  roof  of  these  visible 
heavens  ;  and  I  hope  that  ye  would  think  yourself  a  beguiled  and 
cozened  soul  if  it  were  so.  I  sliould  be  sorry  to  counsel  your 
Ladyship,  to  make  a  covenant  with  time,  and  this  life  ;  but  rather 
desire  you  to  hold  in  fair  generals,  and  afar  off  from  this  ill-  # 
founded  heaven,  that  is  on  this  side  of  the  water.  It  speaketh 
somewhat,  when  our  Lord  bloweth  the  bloom  ^  off  our  daft^  hopes 
in  this  hfe,  and  loppeth  the  branches  off  our  worldly  joys,  well 
nigh  the  root,  on  purpose  that  they  should  not  thrive.  Lord 
spill  ^  my  fool's  heaven  in  this  life,  that  I  may  be  saved  forever. 
A  forfeiture  of  the  saint's  part  of  the  yolk  and  marrow  of  short- 
laughing  worldly  happiness,  is  not  such  a  real  evil  as  our  blinded 
eyes  conceive. 

I  am  thinking  long*  now  for  some  deliverance  more  than  be- 
fore. But  I  know  that  I  am  in  an  error.  It  is  possible  I  am  not 
come  to  that  measure  of  trial  which  the  Lord  is  seeking  in  his 
work.  If  my  friends  in  Galloway  would  effectually  do«  for  my 
deliverance,  I  should  exceedingly  rejoice ;  but  I  know  not  but  the 
Lord  hath  a  way,  whereof  he  will  be  the  only  reaper  of  praises. 

Let  me  know  with  the  bearer  how  the  child  is.  The  Lord  be 
his  tutor,  and  your  only  comforter.  There  is  nothing  here  where 
I  am,  but  profanity,  and  atheism.  Grace,  grace  be  with  your 
Ladyship. 

Your  Ladyship's,  at  all  obliged  obedience,  in  Christ,       S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Feb.  13,  1G37. 

1  In  this  present  state.  2  Blossom.  3  Insane,  foolish. 

*  Spoil,  ruin.  ^  Longing.  «  Exert  themselves. 


Rutherford's  letters.  167 


LETTER  XCVI. 

TO  THE  NOBLE,  AND  CHRISTIAN  LADY,  THp  VISCOUNTESS  OP 

KENMURE. 

Madam, — Grace,  mercy  and  peace  be  to  you — I  would  not 
omit  the  occasion  to  write  to  your  Ladyship  with  the  bearer.  I 
am  glad  that  the  child  is  well.  God's  favor,  even  in  the  eyes  of 
men,  be  seen  upon  him ! 

I  hope  that  your  Ladyship  is  thinking  upon  these  sad  and 
woful  days  wherein  we  now  live;  when  our  Lord,  in  his  right- 
eous judgment,  is  sending  the  Kirk  the  gate'  she  is  going,  to 
Rome's  b'rothel-house,  to  seek  a  lover  of  her  own,  seeing  that  she 
hath  given  up  with  Christ  her  husband.     Oh,  what  sweet  com- 
fort, what  rich  salvation,  are  laid  up  for  those  who  had  rather 
wash  and  roll  their  garments  in  their  own  blood,  than  break  out 
from  Christ  by  apostasy!     Keep  yourself  in  the  love  of  Christ, 
and  stand  far  aback  from  the  pollutions  of  the  world.     Side  not 
with  these  times,  and  hold  off  from  coming  nigh  the  signs  of  a 
conspiracy  with  tliose  that  are  now  come  out  against  Christ,  that 
ye  may  be  one  kept  for  Christ  only.     I  know  that  your  Ladyship 
thinketh  upon   this,  and  how  you' may  be  humbled  for  yourself, 
and  this  backsliding  land  ;    for  I  avouch,  that  wrath  from  the 
Lord  is  gone  out  against  Scotland.     I  think  aye  the  longer  the 
better  of  my  royal  and  wortliy  Master.     He  is  become  a  new 
Well-beloved  to  me  now,  in  renewed  consolations,  by  the  presence 
of  the  Spirit  of  grace  and  glory.     Christ's  garments  smell  of  the 
powder  of  the  merchant,  when  he  cometh  out  of  his  ivory  cham- 
bers.    Oh,  his  perfumed  face,  his  fair  face,  his  lovely  and  kindly 
kisses,  have  made  me,  a  poor  prisoner,  see,  that  there  is  more  to 
be  had  of  Christ  in  this  life  than  I  had  believed  !     We  think  all 
is  but  a  little  earnest,  a  four-hours',^  a  small  tasting,  which  we 
have,  or  that  is   to  be   had  in  this  life,  (which  is  true  compared 
with  the  inheritance  ;)  but  yet  I  know  it  is  more,  it  is  the  King- 
dom of  God  within  us.     Wo,  wo  is  me,  that  I  have  not  ten  loves 
for  that  one  Lord  Jesus ;  and  that  love  faileth,  and  drieth  up  in 
loving  him  :  and  that  I  find  no  way  to  spend  my  love  desires,  and 
the  yolk  of  my  heart  upon  that  fairest  and  dearest  One.     I  am 
far  behind  with  my  narrow  heart.     Oh,  how  ebb^  a  soul  have  I 
to  take  in  Christ's  love  !  for,  let  w^orlds  be  multiphed,  according  to 
angels'  understanding,  in  millions.  whill<  they  weary  themselves, 
these  worlds  would  not  contain  the  thousandth  part  of  his  love. 
Oh,  if*  I  could  yoke  in«  amongst  the  thick'  of  angels,  and  sera- 
phims,  and  now  glorified  saints,  and  could  raise  a  new  love-song 
of  Christ,  before  all  the  world  !— I  am  pained  with  wondering  at 
new-opened  treasures  in  Christ.     If  every  finger,  member,  bone, 

>  Road.  2  a  slight  afternoon  refreshment.  3  Shallow.  *  Till. 

5  Oh,  that.  5  To  yoke  in,  to  join  in  with  energy.  '  Throng. 


168  Rutherford's  letters. 

and  joint,  were  a  torch  burning  in  the  hottest  fire  in  Hell,  I  would 
that  they  could  all  send  out  love  praises,  high  songs  of  praise,  for 
evermore,  to  that  Plant  of  Renown,  to  that  royal  and  high  Prince, 
Jesus  my  Lord.  But  alas  !  his  love  swelleth  in  me  and  findeth 
no  vent,  Alas !  what  can  a  dumb  prisoner  do,  or  say  for  him  ! 
Oh,  for  an  ingine'  to  write  a  book  of  Christ  and  his  love  !  Nay, 
I  am  left  of  him  bound,  and  chained  with  his  love.  I  cannot  find 
a  loosed  soul  to  lift  up  his  praises  and  give  them  out  to  others. 
But,  oh  !  my  day-light  hath  thick  clouds  ;  I  cannot  shine  in  his 
praises.  I  am  often  like  a  ship  plying  about  to  seek  the  wind  :  I 
sail  at  great  leisure,  and  cannot  be  blown  upon  that  loveliest  Lord. 
Oh,  if^  I  could  turn  my  sails  to  Christ's  right  airth  :^  and  that  I 
had  my  heart's  wishes  of  his  love  !  But,  I  but  mar  his  praises : 
nay,  I  know  no  comparison  of  what  Christ  is,  and  what  his  worth 
is ;  all  the  angels,  and  all  the  glorified,  praise  him  not  so  much 
as  in  halves — who  can  advance  him,  or  utter  all  his  praises?  I 
want  nothing :  unknown  faces  favor  me  :  enemies  must  speak 
good  of  the  truth  :  my  Master's  cause  purchaseth  commendations. 

The  hopes  of  my  enlargement,  from  appearances,  are  cold.  My 
faith  hath  no  bed  to  sleep  upon  but  omnipoteucy.  The  good-will 
of  the  Lord,  and  his  sweetest  presence,  be  with  you  and  that  child. 
Grace,  and  peace,  be  yours. 

Your  Ladyship's,  in  all  duty  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,     S.  R. 
Aberdeen,  1G37. 


LETTER  XCVIL 


TO   THE    RIGHT    HONORABLE    AND    CHRISTIAN    LADY,    THE    VIS- 
COUNTESS   OF    KENMURE. 

Madam, — Grace,  merc}'^,  and  peace,  be  to  your  Ladyship — I 
would  not  omit  to  write  a  line  with  this  Christian  bearer,  one  in 
your  Ladyship's  own  case,  driven  near  to  Christ,  in,  and  by  her 
affliction.  I  wish  that  my  friends  in  Galloway  forget  me  not. 
However  it  be,  Christ  is  so  good  that  I  will  have  no  other  tutor, 
suppose  I  could  have  wale  *  and  choice  of  ten  thousand  beside.  I 
think  now,  five  hundred  heavy  hearts  for  him  too  little.  I  wish 
that  Christ,  now  weeping,  suffering,  and  contemned  of  men,  were 
more  dear  and  desirable  to  many  souls  than  he  is.  I  am  sure 
that  if  the  saints  wanted ^  Christ's  cross,  so  profitable,  and  so 
sweet,  they  might,  for  the  gain  and  glory  of  it,  wish  it  were  law- 
ful, either  to  buy  or  borrow  his  cross.  But  it  is  a  mercy  that  the 
saints  have  it  laid  to  their  hand  for  nothing  ;  for  I  know  no  sweeter 
way  to  Heaven,  than  through  free  grace,  and  hard  trials  together ; 
and  one  of  these  cannot  well  want«  another.  Oh,  that  time  would 
post  faster,  and  hasten  our  looked-for  communion  with  that  Fair- 

1  Genius.  2  oh,  that.  3  Point  of  the  compass,  direction. 

*  Choice,     Wale  and  choice,  liberty  of  choice,  with  full  and  ample  store  to  choose  from. 
5  Were  without.  6  Do  without. 


Rutherford's  letters.  169 

est,  Fairest  among-  the  sons  of  men !  Oh,  that  the  day  would 
favor  us  and  come,  and  put  Christ  and  us  into  each  other's  arms ! 
I  am  sure  that  a  few  years  will  do  our  turn,  and  the  soldier's  hour- 
glass will  soon  run  out. 

Madam,  look  to  your  lamp,  and  look  for  your  Lord's  coming, 
and  let  your  heart  dwell  aloof  from  that  sweet  child.  Christ's 
jealousy  will  not  admit  of  two  equal  loves  in  your  Ladyship's 
heart.  He  must  have  one,  and  that  the  greatest ;  a  little  one  to 
a  creature,  may,  and  must  suffice  a  soul  married  to  him.  "  Thy 
maker  is  thy  Husband,"  (Isa.  hv.  5.)  I  would  wish  you  well,  and 
my  obligations  these  many  years  by-gone  ^  speak  no  less  to  me ; 
but  more  I  can  neither  wish  nor  pray,  nor  desire  for  your  Lady- 
ship, than  Christ  singled  and  waled  ^  out  from  all  created  good 
things,  or  Christ,  howbeit,  wet  in  his  own  blood,  and  wearing  a 
crown  of  thorns.  I  am  sure  that  the  saints,  at  their  best,  are  but 
strangers  to  the  weight  and  worth  of  the  incomparable  sweetness 
of  Christ.  He  is  so  new,  so  fresh  in  excellency,  every  day  so  new, 
to  those  that  search  more  and  more  in  him,  as  if  Heaven  could 
furnish  us  as  many  new  Christs,  (if  I  may  so  speak,)  as  there  are 
days  betwixt  him  and  us,  and  yet  he  is  one  and  the  same.  Oh, 
we  love  an  unknown  lover,  when  we  love  Christ ! 

Let  me  hear  how  the  child  is  every  way.  The  prayers  of  a 
prisoner  of  Christ  be  upon  him. — Grace  for  evermore,  even  whill 
glory  perfect  it,  be  with  your  Ladyship. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,        S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  XCVHL 


TO    THE    NOBLE,    AND    CHRISTIAN    LADY,    THE    VISCOUNTESS    OF 

KENMURE. 

Madam, — Notwithstanding  the  great  haste  of  the  bearer,  I 
would  bless  your  Ladyship  on  paper,  desiring,  that  since  Christ 
hath  ever  envied  that  the  world  should  have  your  love  by  ^  him, 
that  ye  give  yourself  out  for  Christ,  and  that  ye  may  be  for  no 
other.     I  know  none  worthy  of  you  but  Christ. 

Madam,  I  am  either  suffering  for  Christ,  and  this  is  either  the 
sure  and  good  way,  or  I  have  done  with  Heaven,  and  shall  never 
see  God's  face,  (which  I  bless  him  cannot  be.) 

I  write  ray  blessing  to  that  sweet  child,  that  ye  have  borrowed 
from  God.  He  is  no  heritage  to  you,  but  a  loan :  love  him  as 
folks  do  borrowed  things.     My  heart  is  heavy  for  you. 

They  say  that  the  Kirk  of  Christ  hath  neither  son  nor  heir, 
and,  therefore,  that  her  enemies  shall  possess  her.  But  I  know 
that  she  is  not  that^  ill-friended  ;6  her  Husband  is  her  heir,  and 
she  his  heritage. 

1  By  past.  2  Chosen,  culled.    >  3  Past. 

*  So.  5  Destitute  of  relatives. 


170  Rutherford's  letters. 

If  my  Lord  would  be  pleased,  I  should  desire  that  some  were  dealt 
with,  for  my  return  to  Anwoth  :  but  if  that  never  be,  I  thank  God 
Anwoth  is  not  Heaven  ;  preaching  is  not  Christ — I  hope  to  wait  on. 

Let  me  hear  how  the  child  is,  and  your  Ladyship's  mind  and 
hopes  of  him  ;■  for  it  would  ease  my  heart  to  know  that  he  is  well. 

I  am  in  good  terms  with  Christ ;  but  oh,  my  guiltiness !  yet  he 
bringeth  not  pleas  betwixt  him  and  me  to  the  streets,  and  before  , 
the  sun. 

Grace,  grace  for  evermore,  be  with  your  Ladyship. 

Your  Ladyship's,  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1G37. 


LETTER  XCIX. 


TO  ALEXANDER  GORDON,  OP  EARLSTON. 

Much  Honored  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you — I 
received  your  letter,  which  refreshed  me.  Except  from  your  son, 
and  my  brother,  I  have  seen  few  letters  from  my  acquaintance  in 
that  country,  which  maketh  me  heavy.  But  I  have  the  company 
of  a  Lord,  who  can  teach  us  all  to  be  kind,  and  hath  the  right 
gate '  of  it ;  for  though,  for  the  present,  I  have  severe  ups  and 
downs  every  day,  yet  I  am  abundantly  comforted  and  feasted  with 
my  King  and  Well-beloved  daily.  It  pleaseth  him  to  come  and 
dine  Avith  a  sad  prisoner,  and  a  solitary  stranger  ;  his  spikenard 
casteth  a  smell ;  yet  my  sweet  hath  some  sour  mixed  with  it, 
wherein  I  must  acquiesce  ;  for  there  is  no  reason  that  his  comforts 
be  too  cheap,  seeing  they  are  delicates  ; — why  should  he  not  make 
them  so  to  his  own  ')  But  I  verily  think  now  that  Christ  hath  led 
me  up  to  a  nick'^  in  Christianity  that  I  was  never  at  before  ;  I  think 
all  before  was  but  childhood  and  bairns'  play.  Since  I  departed 
from  you,  I  have  been  scalded,  whill  the  smoke  of  Hell's  lire  went 
in  at  my  throat,  and  I  would  have  bought  peace  with  a  thousand 
years'  torment  in  Hell ;  and  I  have  been  up  also,  after  these  deep 
down-castings  and  sorrows,  before  the  Lamb's  white  throne,  in  my 
Father's  inner  court,  the  Great  King's  dining-hall ;  and  Christ  did 
cast  a  covering  of  love  on  me  ;  he  hath  casten  a  coal  into  my  soul, 
and  it  is  smoking  among  the  straw,  and  keeping  the  heartli  warm. 
I  look  back  to  what  I  was  before,  and  I  laugh  to  sec  the  sand- 
houses^  I  built  when  I  was  a  child. 

At  first,  the  remembrance  of  the  many  fair  feast-days  with  my 
Lord  Jesus  in  public,  which  are  now  changed  into  silent  sabbaths, 
Taised  a  great  tempest,  and,  (if  I  may  speak  so,)  made  the  Devil 
ado  in  my  soul.  The  Devil  came  in,  and  would  prompt  me  to 
make  a  plea  with  Christ,  and  to  lay  the  blame  on  him  as  a  hard 
master :  but  now  these  mists  are  blown  away,  and  I  am  not  only 

1  Way.  2  Notch,  degree. 

3  Houses  built  by  children  of  the  sand  on  the  sea-shore,  which  are  swept  away  by 
the  returning  tide :  metaphorically,  illusory,  fleeting  expectations. 


Rutherford's  letters.  171 

silenced  as  to  all  quarreling,  but  fully  satisfied.  Now,  I  wonder 
that  any  man  living  can  laugh  upon  the  world,  or  give  it  a  hearty 
good-day.  The  Lord  Jesus  hath  handled  me  so,  that,  as  I  am  now 
disjDosed,  I  think  never  to  be  in  this  world's  commons'  again  for  a 
night's  lodging.  Christ  bearetli  me  good  company  ;  he  hath  eased 
me,  when  1  saw  it  not,  lifting  the  cross  off  my  shoulders,  so  that  I 
think  it  to  be  but  a  feather,  because  vmderneath  are  everlasting 
arms.  God  forbid  it  come  to  bartering  or  niffering^  of  crosses; 
for  I  think  my  cross  so  sweet,  that  I  know  not  where  I  would  get 
the  like  of  it.  Christ's  honey-combs  drop  so  abundantly,  that  they 
sweeten  my  gall.  Nothing  breaketh  my  lieart,  but  that  I  cannot 
get  the  daughters  of  Jerusalem,  to  tell  them  of  my  Bridegroom's 
glory.  I  charge  you  in  the  name  of  Christ,  that  ye  tell  all  tliatye 
come  to  of  it ; — and  yet  it  is  above  telling  and  understanding. 
Oh,  if  2  all  the  kingdom  were  as  I  am,  except  my  bonds !  They 
know  not  the  love-kisses  that  my  only  Lord  Jesus  wasteth  on  a 
dawted^  prisoner.  On  my  salvation,  this  is  the  only  way  to  the 
New  City.  I  know  that  Christ  hath  no  dumb  seals.  Would  he 
put  his  privy-seal  upon  blank  paper?  He  hath  sealed  my  suffer- 
ings with  his  comforts.  I  write  this  to  confirm  you.  I  write  now 
what  I  have  seen  as  well  as  heard.  Now  and  then  my  silence 
burnetii  up  my  spirit ;  but  Christ  hath  said,  "  Thy  stipend  is  run- 
ning up  with  interest  in  Heaven,  as  if  thou  wert  preaching ;"  and 
this  from  a  King's  mouth  rejoiceth  my  heart.  At  other  times,  I 
am  sad,  dwelling  in  Kedar's  tents. 

There  are  none,  (that  I  yet  know  of,)  but  two  persons  in  this 
town  that  I  dare  give  my  word  for;  and  the  Lord  hath  removed 
my  brethren  and  my  acquaintance  far  from  me ;  and  it  may  be, 
that  I  shall  be  forgotten  in  the  place  where  the  Lord  made  me  the 
instrument  to  do  some  good.  But  I  see  that  this  is  vanity  in  me ; 
let  him  make  of  me  what  he  pleaseth,  if  he  make  salvation  out 
of  it  to  me.  I  am  tempted  and  troubled,  that  all  the  Fourteen 
Prelates  should  have  been  armed  of  God  against  me  only,  while 
the  rest  of  my  brethren  are  still  preaching ;  but  I  dare  not  say  one 
word  but  this — "  It  is  good,  Lord  Jesus,  because  thou  hast  done  it." 

Wo  is  me  for  the  Virgin-daughter !  wo  is  me  for  the  desolation 
of  the  Virgin-daughter  of  Scotland  !  Oh,  if^  my  eyes  were  a 
fountain  of  tears,  to  weep  day  and  night  for  that  poor  Widow-kirk, 
that  poor  miserable  Harlot !  Alas,  that  my  Father  hath  put-to  the 
door  my  poor  Harlot-mother  !  Oh  for  that  cloud  of  black  wrath,  and 
fury  of  the  indignation  of  the  Lord,  that  is  hanging  over  the  land. 

Sir.  write  to  me,  I  beseech  you :  I  pray  you  also,  be  kind  to  my 
afflicted  brother.  Remember  my  love  to  your  wife  ;  and  the  prayer 
and  blessing  of  the  prisoner  of  Christ  be  on  you.  Frequent  your 
meetings  for  prayer  and  communion  with  God : — they  would  be 
sweet  meetings  to  me. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Feb.  IG,  1637. 

1  That  is,  under  obligation  to  this  world.  2  Exchanging. 

3  Oh,  that.  *  Fondled. 


172  Rutherford's  letters. 


LETTER  C. 

TO   THE    WORTHY,    AND    MUCH-HONORED    MR.    ALEXANDER 
COLVILLE,    OF    BLAIR, 

Much  Honored  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you — 
The  bearer  hereof,  Mr.  R.  F.,  is  most  kind  to  me :  I  desire  you  to 
thank  him.  But  none  is  so  kind  as  my  only  royal  King  and 
Master,  whose  cross  is  my  garland.  The  King  dineth  with  his 
prisoner,  and  his  spikenard  casteth  a  smell.  He  hath  led  me  up 
to  such  a  pitch  and  nick'  of  joyful  communion  with  himself,  as  I 
never  knew  before.  When  I  look  back  to  by-gones,^  I  judge  my- 
self to  have  been  a  child  at  A,  B,  C,  with  Christ.  Worthy  sir, 
pardon  me,  I  dare  not  conceal  it  from  you,  it  is  as  a  fire  in  my 
bowels,  in  His  presence  who  seeth  me  I  speak  it !  I  am  pained, 
pained  with  the  love  of  Christ ;  he  hath  made  me  sick,  and  wounded 
me  ;  hunger  for  Christ  outrunneth  faith  ;  I  miss  faith  more  than 
love.  Oh,  if3  the  Three  Kingdoms  would  come  and  see  !  Oh,  if^ 
they  knew  his  kindness  to  my  soul !  It  hath  pleased  him  to  bring 
me  to  this,  that  I  will  not  strike  sails  to  this  world,  nor  flatter  it, 
nor  adore  this  clay-idol  that  fools  worship.  As  I  am  now  disposed, 
I  think  that  I  shall  neither  borrow  nor  lend  with  it ;"  and  yet  I 
get  my  meat  from  Christ  with  nurture  j^  for  seven  times  a  day  I 
am  lifted  up,  and  casten  down.  My  dumb  sabbaths  burden  my 
heart,  and  make  it  bleed.  I  am  not  without  fearful  challenges^ 
and  jealousies''  sometimes  of  Christ's  love,  that  he  hath  casten 
me  over  the  dyke^  of  the  vineyard  as  a  dry  tree.  But  this  is  my 
infirmity  ;  by  his  grace  I  take  myself*  in  these  ravings :  it  is  kindly 
that  faith  and  love  both  be  sick,  and  fevers  are  kindly  to  most 
joyful  communion  with  Christ. 

Ye  are  blessed  who  avouch  Christ  openly  before  the  Prince  of 
this  Kingdom,  whose  eyes  are  upon  you.  It  is  your  glory  to  lift 
him  up  on  his  throne,  to  carry  his  train,  and  bear  up  the  hem  of 
his  royal  robe.  He  hath  an  hiding-place  for  Mr.  Alex.  Colville 
against  the  storm :  go  on,  and  fear  not  what  man  can  do.  The 
saints  seem  to  have  the  worst  of  it,  (for  apprehensions  can  make 
a  lie  of  Christ  and  his  love,)  but  it  is  not  so.  Providence  is  not 
rolled  upon  unequal  and  crooked  wheels  ;  all  things  work  together 
for  the  good  of  those  who  love  God,  and  are  called  according  to 
his  purpose.  Ere  it  be  long,  we  shall  see  the  white  side  of  God's 
providence. 

My  brother's  case  hath  moved  me  not  a  little.  He  wrote  to  me 
your  care  and  kindness.  Sir,  the  prisoner's  blessing  and  prayers, 
I  trust,  shall  not  go  past  you.     He  that  is  able  to  keep  you,  and  to 

1  Degree.  2  Matters  by-passed.  ^  Oh,  that. 

*  Shall  have  no  dealings  whatever  with.  ^  Correction. 

6  Questionings.  ">  Suspicions.  *  Wall. 

'  To  take  oneself,  to  retract  one's  word. 


Rutherford's  letters.  173 

present  you  before  the  presence  of  his  face  with  joy,  establish  your 
heart  in  the  love  of  Christ. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  19  Feb.,  1637. 


LETTER  CI. 

TO    earlston,    younger.. 

Honored,  and  dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be 
to  you — I  received  your  letter,  which  refreshed  my  soul. 

I  thank  God,  that  the  court  is  closed,  I  think  shame  of  my  part 
of  it ;  I  pass  now  from  my  unjust  summons  of  unkindness,  libelled 
against  Christ  my  Lord.  He  is  not  such  a  Lord  and  Master  as  I 
took  him  to  be  ;  verily  he  is  God,  and  I  am  dust  and  ashes.  I  took 
Christ's  glooms '  to  be  as  good  as  Scripture  speaking  wrath  ;  but 
I  have  seen  tiie  other  side  of  Christ,  and  the  white  side  of  his  cross 
now.  I  behooved  to  come  to  Aberdeen,  to  learn  a  new  mystery  in 
Christ,  that  his  promise  is  better  to  be  believed  than  his  looks,  and 
that  the  Devil  can  cause  Christ's  glooms '  to  speak  a  lie  to  a  weak 
man.  Nay,  verily,  I  was  a  child  before :  all  by-gones  ^  are  but 
bairns'  play.  I  would  I  could  begin  to  be  a  Christian  in  sad  ear- 
nest.^ I  need  not  blame  Christ  if  I  be  not  one  ;  for  he  hath  showed 
me  heaven  and  hell  in  Aberdeen ;  but  the  truth  is,  for  all  my  sor- 
row, Christ  is  nothing  in  my  debt,  for  comforts  have  refreshed  my 
soul.  I  have  heard  and  seen  him  in  hi-s  sweetness,  so,  as  I  am 
almost  saying,  it  is  not  he  that  I  was  wont  to  meet  with.  He 
smileth  more  cheerfully,  his  kisses  are  more  sweet  and  soul-refresh- 
ing, than  the  kisses  of  the  Christ  I  saw  before  were,  (though  he 
be  the  same ;)  or  rather  the  King  hath  led  me  up  to  a  measure  of 
joy  and  communion  with  my  Bridegroom  that  I  never  attained  to 
before ;  so  that  often  I  think,  that  I  will  neither  borrow  nor  lend< 
with  this  world :  I  will  not  strike  sail  to  crosses,  nor  flatter  them 
to  be  quit  of  them,  as  I  have  done.  Come  all  crosses,  welcome, 
welcome !  so  that  I  may  get  my  heartful  of  my  Lord  Jesus.  I 
have  been  so  near  him  that  I  have  said,  "  I  take  instruments^  that 
this  is  the  Lord.  Leave  a  token  behind  thee,  that  I  may  never 
forget  this."  Now,  what  can  Christ  do  more  to  dawt^  one  of  his 
poor  prisoners?  Therefore,  sir,  I  charge  you,  in  the  name  of  my 
Lord  Jesus,  praise  with  me,  and  show  unto  others  what  he  hath 
done  unto  my  soul.  This  is  the  fruit  of  my  sufferings,  that  I  de- 
sire Christ's  name  may  be  spread  abroad  in  this  kingdom,  in  my 
behalf  I  hope  in  God  not  to  slander  him  again ;  yet  in  this,  I 
get  not  my  feasts  without  some  mixture  of  gall ;  neither  am  I  free 

I  Frowns.  2  By-passed  matters.  3  Sober  earnest. 

*  That  is,  have  any  dealings  whatever. 

5  That  is,  I  declare,  and  I  claim  that  the  declaration  be  recorded,  in  order  that  it 
may  become  evidence.  ^  Fondle. 


174  Rutherford's  letters. 

of  old  jealousies ;  for  he  hath  removed  my  lovers  and  friends  far 
from  me:  he  hath  made  my  congregation  desolate,  and  taken 
away  my  crown :  and  my  dumb  sabbaths  are  like  a  stone  tyed  to 
a  bird's  foot,  that  wanteth  not  wings  ;  they  seem  to  hinder  me  to 
flee  1  were  it  not  that  I  dare  not  say  one  word,  but,  "  Well  done, 
Lord  Jesus." 

We  can,  in  our  prosperity,  sport  ourselves,  and  be  too  bold  with 
Christ;  yea,  be  that^  insolent,  as  to  chide  with  him;  but  under 
the  water  we  dare  not  speak.  I  wonder  now  of  my  sometimes ' 
boldness,  to  chide  and  quarrel  Christ,  to  nickname  providence, 
when  it  stroked  me  against  the  hair ;  but  now,  swhnming  in  the 
waters,  I  think  my  will  is  fallen  to  the  ground^  of  the  water;  I 
have  lost  it.  I  thinic  that  I  would  fain  let  Ciirist  alone,  and  give 
him  leave  to  do  with  me  what  he  pleaseth,  if  he  would  smile  upon 
me.  Verily,  w^e  know  not  what  an  evil  it  is  to  spilP  and  indulge 
ourselves,  and  to  make  an  idol  of  our  will.  I  was  once  that  I 
would  not  eat,  except  I  had  waled ^  meat;  now  I  dare  not  com- 
plain of  the  crumbs  and  parings  under  his  table.  I  was  once  that 
I  would  make  the  house  ado,  if  I  saw  not  the  world  carved,  and 
set  in  order  to  my  liking ;  now  I  am  silent,  when  I  see  God  hath 
set  servants  on  horseback,  and  is  fattening  and  feeding  the  chil- 
dren of  perdition.  I  pray  God,  that  I  may  never  find  my  will 
again.  Oh,  if  Christ  w^ould  subject  my  will  to  his,  and  trample 
it  under  his  feet,  and  liberate  me  from  that  lawless  lord ! 

Now.  sir,  in  your  youth  gather  fast ;  your  sun  will  mount  to  the 
meridian  quickly,  and  thereafter  decline.  Be  greedy  of  grace. 
Study  above  anything,  my  dear  brother,  to  mortify  your  lusts. 
Oh,  but  pride  of  youth,  vanity,  lust,  idolizing  of  the  world,  and 
charming  pleasures,  take  long  time  to  root  them  out !  As  far  as 
ye  are  advanced  in  the  way  to  Heaven,  as  near  as  ye  are  to  Christ, 
as  much  progress  as  ye  have  made  in  the  way  of  mortification,  ye 
will  find  that  ye  are  far  behind,  and  have  most  of  your  work  before 
you.  I  never  took  it  to  be  so  hard  to  be  dead  to  my  lusts  and  to 
this  world.  When  tlie  day  of  visitation  cometh,  and  your  old  idols 
come  weeping  about  you,  ye  will  have  much  ado  not  to  break  your 
heart :  it  is  best  to  give  up  in  time  with  them,  so  as  ye  could  at  a 
call  quit  your  part  of  this  world  for  a  drink  of  water,  or  a  thing  of 
nothing.  Verily  I  have  seen  the  best  of  this  world,  a  moth-eaten, 
thread-bare  coat ;  I  purpose  to  lay  it  aside,  being  now  old  and  full 
of  holes.     Oh,  for  my  house  above,  not  made  with  hands  ! 

Pray  for  Christ's  prisoner;  and  write  to  me.  Remember  my 
love  to  your  mother.  Desire  her,  from  me,  to  make  ready  for  re- 
moving ;  the  Lord's  tide  will  not  bide  her ;  and  to  seek  an  heav- 
enly mind,  that  her  heart  may  be  often  there.  Grace  be  with  you. 
Yours,  and  Christ's  Prisoner,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Feb.  20,  1637. 

»  To  fly.  2  So.  3  Former.  <  Bottom. 

5  To  spoil.  6  Carefully  selected.  ^  Oh,  that. 


Rutherford's  letters.  175 


LETTER  GIL 

to    the    lady    cardoness. 

My  Dearly-beloved,  and  Longed-for  in  the  Lord, — 
Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you — I  long  to  hear  how  your 
soul  prospereth,  and  how  the  Kingdom  of  Christ  thriveth  in  you. 
I  exhort  you  and  beseech  you  in  the  bowels  of  Christ,  faint  not, 
weary  not.  There  is  a  great  necessity  of  Heaven  ;  ye  must  needs 
have  it:  all  other  things,  as  houses,  lands,  children,  husband, 
friends,  country,  credit,  health,  wealth,  honor,  may  be  wanted  ; 
but  Heaven  is  your  one  thing  necessary,  the  good  part  that  shall 
not  be  taken  from  you.  See  that  ye  buy  the  field  where  the  Pearl 
is.  Sell  all,  and  make  a  purchase  of  salvation.  Think  it  not 
easy,  for  it  is  a  steep  ascent  to  eternal  glory  :  many  are  lying  dead 
by  the  way,  that  are  slain  with  security. 

I  have  now  been  led  by  my  Lord  Jesus  to  such  a  nick '  in  Chris- 
tianity, as  I  think  little  of  former  things.  Oh,  what  I  want  !  I 
want  so  many  things,  that  I  am  almost  asking  if  I  have  anything 
at  all.  Every  man  thinketh  he  is  rich  enough  in  grace,  till  he 
take  out  his  purse,  and  tell  his  money,  and  then  he  findeth  his 
pack  but  poor  and  hglit  in  the  day  of  a  heavy  trial.  I  found  that 
I  had  not  to  bear  my  expenses,  and  I  should  have  fainted,  if  want 
and  penury  had  not  chased  me  to  the  Store-house  of  all.  I  be- 
seech you  make  conscience  of  your  ways.  Deal  kindly,  and  with 
conscience  with  your  tenants.  To  fill  a  breach,  or  a  hole,  make 
not  a  greater  breach  in  the  conscience.  I  wish  plenty  of  love  to 
your  soul.  Let  the  world  be  the  portion  of  bastards,  make  it  not 
yours :  after  the  last  trumpet  is  blown,  the  world  and  all  its  glory 
will  be  like  an  old  house  that  is  burnt  to  ashes,  and  like  an  old 
fallen  castle,  without  a  roof  Fy,  fy  upon  us,  fools  !  who  think 
ourselves  debtors  to  the  world  !  My  Lord  hath  brought  me  to  this, 
that  I  would  not  give  a  drink  of  cold  water  for  this  world's  kind- 
ness. I  wonder  that  men  long  after,  love,  or  care  for  these  feath- 
ers. It  is  almost  an  unco*^  world  to  me,  to  think,  that  men  are  so 
mad  as  to  block  ^  with  dead  earth  :  to  give  out  conscience,  and  get 
in  clay  again,  is  a  strange  bargain. 

I  have  written  my  mind,  at  length,  to  your  husband.  Write  to 
me  again  his  case.  I  cannot  forget  him  in  my  prayers  :  I  am  look- 
ing.^ Christ  hath  some  claim  to  him.  My  counsel  is,  that  ye 
bear  with  him  when  passion  overtaketh  him.  A  soft  answer  put- 
teth  away  wrath.  Answer  him  in  what  he  speaketh,  and  apply 
yourself  in  the  fear  of  God  to  him ;  and  then  ye  will  remove  a 
pound  weight  of  your  heavy  cross,  that  way,  and  so  it  shall  be- 
come light. 

When  Christ  hideth  himself,  wait  on,  and  make  din  till  he  re- 

i  Degree.  2  Strange.  3  Bargain. 

*  That  is,  for  an  answer.     Ps.  v.  3. 


176  Rutherford's  letters. 

turn ;  it  is  not  time  then  to  be  carelessly  patient.  I  love  to  be 
grieved  when  he  hideth  his  smiles ;  yet  believe  his  love  in  a  pa- 
tient on-waiting  and  believing  in  the  dark.  Ye  must  learn  to 
swim  and  hold  up  your  head  above  the  water,  even  when  the 
sense  of  his  presence  is  not  with  you  to  hold  up  your  chin  :  I  trust 
in  God  that  he  will  bring  your  ship  safe  to  land.  I  counsel  you 
to  study  sanctification,  and  to  be  dead  to  this  world.  Urge  kind- 
ness on  Knockbrex.  Labor  to  benefit  by  his  company — the  man 
is  acquainted  with  Christ. 

I  beg  the  help  of  your  prayers,  for  I  forget  not  you.  Counsel 
your  husband  to  fulfil  my  joy,  and  to  seek  the  Lord's  face.  Show 
him,  from  me,  that  my  joy  and  desire  is  to  hear  that  he  is  in  the 
Lord.  God  casteth  hira  often  in  my  mind  ;  I  cannot  forget  him. 
I  hope  Christ  and  he  have  something, to  do  together.  Bless  John 
from  me.  I  write  blessings  to  him,  and  to  your  husband,  and  to 
the  rest  of  your  children.  Let  it  not  be  said,  "  I  am  not  in  your 
house,"  through  neglect  of  the  sabbath-exercise. 

Your  lawful,  and  loving  pastor  in  his  only,  only  Lord,     S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Feb.  20,  1637. 


LETTER  CIIL 

TO     JONET     MACCULLOCH. 


Dear  Sister, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace,  be  to  you — I  long  to 
hear  how  your  soul  prospereth. 

I  am  as  well  as  a  prisoner  of  Christ  can  be,  feasted  and  made 
fat  with  the  comforts  of  God.  Christ's  kisses  are  made  sweeter  to 
my  soul  than  ever  they  were.  I  would  not  change  my  Master 
with  all  the  kings  of  clay  upon  the  earth.  Oh  !  my  Well-beloved 
is  altogether  lovely,  and  loving.     I  care  not  Avhat  flesh  can  do. 

I  persuade  my  soul  that  I  delivered  the  truth  of  Christ  to  you. 
Slip  not  from  it  for  any  boasts '  or  fear  of  men.  If  ye  go  against 
the  truth  of  Christ  that  I  now  suffer  for,  I  shall  bear  witness 
against  you  in  the  day  of  Christ. 

Sister,  fasten  your  grips  fast  on  Christ.  Follow  not  the  guises 
of  this  sinful  world.  Let  not  this  clay  portion  of  earth  take  up 
your  soul :  it  is  the  portion  of  bastards,  and  ye  are  a  child  of  God  ; 
and,  therefore,  seek  your  Father's  heritage.  Send  up  your  heart 
to  see  the  dwelling  house  and  fair  rooms  in  the  New  City.  Fy,  fy, 
upon  those  who  cry,  "  Up  with  the  world,  and  down  with  con- 
science and  Heaven  !"  We  have  bairns'  wuts,  and  therefore  we 
cannot  prize  Christ  aright.  Counsel  your  husband,  and  mother  to 
make  them  ready  for  eternity — that  day  is  drawing  nigh. 

Pray  for  me,  the  prisoner  of  Christ ;  I  cannot  forget  you. 

Your  lawful  pastor,  and  brother,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Feb.  20,  1637. 

1  Threatenings. 


Rutherford's  letters.  177 

LETTER  CIV. 

TO  ALEXANDER  GORDON  OF  KNOCKGRAY. 

Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy  and  peace  be  to  you — I  long 
to  hear  how  your  soul  prospereth.  I  expected  letters  from  you 
ere  now. 

As  for  myself,  I  am  here  in  good  case,  well  feasted  with  a  great 
King.  At  my  first  coming  here,  I  was  that  ^  bold  as  to  take  up  a 
jealousy  of  Christ's  love.  I  said  I  was  cast  over  the  dyke  ^  of  the 
Lord's  vineyard,  as  a  dry  tree  ;  but  I  see  that  if  I  had  been  a 
v/ithered  branch,  the  fire  would  have  burned  me  long  ere  now  : — 
blessed  be  His  high  name,  who  hath  kept  sap  in  the  dry  tree. 
And  now,  as  if  Christ  had  done  the  wrong,  he  hath  made  amends, 
and  hath  miskent  ^  my  ravings ;  (for  a  man  under  the  water  can- 
not well  command  his  judgment,  far  less  his  faith  and  love  ;)  be- 
cause it  was  a  fever,  my  Lord  Jesus  forgave  me  that  amongst  the 
rest.  He  knoweth  that  in  our  aflOlictions  we  can  find  a  spot  in  the 
fairest  face  that  ever  was,  even  in  Christ's  face.  I  would  not 
have  believed  that  a  gloom  ^  should  have  made  me  to  rnisken^ 
my  old  Master  ;  but  we  must  be  whiles  sick.  Sickness  is  but 
kindly  to  both  faith  and  love.  But  oh,  how  exceedingly  is  a  poor 
dawted^  prisoner  obliged  to  sweet  Jesus  !  My  tears  are  sweeter 
to  me  than  the  laughter  of  the  Fourteen  Prelates  is  to  them.  The 
worst  of  Christ,  even  his  chaff,  is  better  than  the  world's  corn. 

Dear  brother,  I  beseech  you,  I  charge  you  in  the  name  and  au- 
thority of  the  Son  of  God,  to  help  me  to  praise  his  Highness  ;  and 
I  charge  you,  also,  to  tell  all  your  acquaintance,  that  my  Master 
may  get  many  thanks.  Oh,  if «  my  hairs,  all  my  members,  and 
all  my  bones,  were  well-tuned  tongues,  to  sing  the  high  praises  of 
my  great  and  glorious  King  !  Help  me  to  lift  Christ  up  upon  his 
throne,  and  to  lift  Him  up  above  all  the  thrones  of  the  clay-kings, 
the.dying  sceptre-bearers  of  this  world.  The  prisoner's  blessing, 
the  blessing  of  him  that  is  separate  from  his  brethren,  be  upon 
them  all  who  will  lend  me  a  lift  in  this  work.  Show  this  to  that 
people  with  you  to  whom  I  sometimes  preached. 

Brother,  my  Lord  hath  brought  me  to  this,  that  I  will  not  flatter 
the  world  for  a  drink  of  water.  I  am  no  debtor  to  clay  ;  Christ 
hath  made  me  dead  to  that ;  I  now  wonder  that  ever  I  was  such 
a  child,  long  since,  as  to  beg  at  such  beggars  !  Fy  upon  us,  who 
woo  such  a  bla(;lc-skinned  harlot,  when  we  may  get  such  a  fair, 
fair  match  in  Heaven  !  Oh,  that  I  could  give  up  with  this  clay- 
idol,  this  masked,  painted,  over-gilded  dirt,  that  Adam's  sons 
adore  !  We  make  an  idol  of  our  will.  As  many  lusts  in  us,  as 
many  gods  ;  we  are  all  god-makers  :  we  are  all  like  to  lose  Christ 
the  true  God,  in  the  throng  of  these  new,  and  false  gods.     Scot- 

•  So.  2  Wall.  3  To  misken,  not  to  know. 

*  Frown.  s  Fondled.  6  oh,  that. 

12 


178  Rutherford's  letters. 

land  hath  cast  her  crown  off  her  head  ;  the  Virgin-daughter  hath 
lost  her  garland.  Wo,  wo  to  our  Harlot-mother.  Our  clay  is  com- 
ing, a  time  when  women  shall  wish  they  had  been  childless,  and 
fathers  shall  bless  miscarrying  wombs  and  dry  breasts  ; — many 
houses  great  and  fair  shall  be  desolate.  This  Kirk  shall  sit  on 
the  ground  all  the  night,  and  the  tears  shall  run  down  her  cheeks. 
The  sun  hath  gone  down  upon  her  prophets.  Blessed  are  the 
prisoners  of  hope,  who  can  run  into  their  stronghold,  and  hide 
themselves  for  a  little  till  the  indignation  be  overpast. 

Commend  me  to  your  wife,  your  daughters,  your  son-in-law, 
and  to  A.  T.  Write  to  me  the  case  of  your  Kirk.  Grace  be  with 
you. 

I  am  much  moved  for  my  brother.  I  entreat  for  your  kindness 
and  counsel  to  him. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Feb.  23,  1637. 


LETTER  CV. 

TO  THE  LADY  CARDONESS,  ELDER, 


Worthy,  and  Well-beloved  in  the  Lord, — Grace,  mercy, 
and  peace  be  to  you — I  long  to  hear  from  you  on  paper,  that  I 
may  know  how  your  soul  prosper eth.  My  desire  and  longing  is, 
to  hear  that  ye  walk  in  the  truth,  and  that  ye  are  content  to  follow 
the  despised,  but  most  lovely  Son  of  God. 

I  cannot  but  recommend  him  unto  you,  as  your  Husband,  your 
Well-beloved,  your  Portion,  your  Comfort,  and  your  Joy.  I  speak 
this  of  that  lovely  One,  because  I  praise  and  commend  the  ford,  (as 
we  use  to  speak,)  as  I  find  it.  He  hath  watered  with  his  sweet 
comforts  an  oppressed  prisoner  :  He  was  always.kind  to  my  soul, 
but  never  so  kind  as  now,  in  my  greatest  extremities.  I  dine  and 
sup  with  Christ :  He  visiteth  my  soul  with  the  visitations  of  love, 
in  the  night-watches. 

I  persuade  my  soul  that  this  is  the  way  to  Heaven,  and  his 
own  truth  I  now  suffer  for.  I  exhort  you,  in  the  name  of  Christ, 
to  continue  in  the  truth,  which  I  delivered  unto  you.  Make  Christ 
sure  to  your  soul ;  for  your  day  draweth  nigh  to  an  end.  Many 
slide  back  now,  who  seemed  to  be  Christ's  friends,  and  prove  dis- 
honest to  Him  ;  but  be  ye  faithful  to  the  death,  and  ye  shall  have 
the  crown  of  life.  This  span-length  of  your  days,  whereof  the 
Spirit  of  God  speaketh,  (Psalm  xxxix.,)  shall,  within  a  short  time, 
come  to  a  finger-breadth,  and  at  length  to  nothing.  Oh,  how 
sweet  and  comfortable  will  the  feast  of  a  good  conscience  be  to 
you,  when  your  eye-strings  shall  break,  your  face  wax  pale,  and 
the  breath  turn  cold,  and  your  poor  soul  come  sighing  to  the 
windows  of  the  house  of  clay  of  your  dying  body,  and  shall  long 
to  be  out,  and  to  have  the  jailer  to  open  the  door,  that  the  prisoner 


Rutherford's  letters.  179 

may  be  set  at  liberty  !  Ye  draw  nigh  the  water  side  :  look  your 
accounts:  ask  for  your  Guide  to  take  you  to  the  other  side.  Let 
not  the  world  be  your  portion  ;  what  have  ye  to  do  with  dead 
clay  ?  Ye  are  not  a  bastard,  but  a  lawfully  begotten  child ;  there- 
fore, set  your  heart  on  the  inheritance.  Go  up  before-hand,  and 
see  your  lodging.  Look  through  all  your  Father's  rooms  in 
Heaven  :  in  your  Father's  house  are  many  dwelling-places — men 
take  a  view  of  lands  ere  they  buy  them.  I  know  that  Christ  hath 
made  the  bargain  already  ;  but  be  kind  to  the  house  ye  are  going 
to,  and  see  it  often.  Set  your  heart  on  things  that  are  above, 
where  Christ  is  at  the  right  hand  of  God. 

Stir  up  your  husband  to  mind  his  own  country  at  home.  Coun- 
sel him  to  deal  mercifully  with  the  poor  people  of  God  under  him. 
They  are  Christ's,  and  not  his  ;  therefore,  desire  him  to  show  them 
merciful  dealing  and  kindness,  and  to  be  good  to  their  souls,  I  de- 
sire you  to  write  to  me.  It  may  be,  that  my  parish  forget  me ; 
but  my  witness  is  in  Heaven  that  I  dow'  not,  I  do  not  forget  them : 
they  are  my  sighs  in  the  night,  and  my  tears  in  the  day.  I  think 
myself  like  a  husband  plucked  from  the  wife  of  his  youth.  O 
Lord,  be  my  Judge,  what  joy  it  would  be  to  my  soul,  to  hear  that 
my  ministry  hath  left  the  Son  of  God  among  them,  and  that  they 
are  walkkig  in  Christ !  Remember  my  love  to  your  son  and 
daughter.  Desire  them  from  me  to  seek  the  Lord  in  their  youth, 
and  to  give  him  the  morning  of  their  days.  Acquaint  them  with 
the  word  of  God  and  prayer. 

Grace  be  with  you.  Pray  for  the  prisoner  of  Christ :  in  my 
heart  I  forget  you  not. 

Your  lawful,  and  loving  pastor. 

In  his  only  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  6,  1637. 


^ 


LETTER  CVI. 

TO   THE    RIGHT    HONORABLE,  AND   CHRISTIAN    LADY,    MY  LADY 
VISCOUNTESS    OF    KENMURE. 

Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  to  you — I  am  refreshed  with 
your  letter.  The  right  hand  of  Him,  to  whom  belong  the  issues 
from  death,  hath  been  gracious  to  that  sweet  child  :  I  dow'  not,  I 
do  not  forget  him  and  your  Ladyship  in  my  prayers. 

Madam,  as  to  your  own  case,  I  love  careful,  and  withal  doing 
complaints  ^  of  want  of  practice  ;  because  I  observe  many  who 
think  it  holiness  enough  to  complain,  and  set  themselves  at  noth- 
ing ;  as  if  to  say  "  I  am  sick,"  could  cure  them — they  think  com- 
plaints a  good  charm  for  guiltiness.  I  hope  that  ye  are  wrestling 
and  struggling  on,  in  this  dead  age,  wherein  folks  have  lost  tongue, 
and  legs,  and  arms  for  Christ.     I  urge  upon  you,  madam,  a  nearer 

1  Am  not  able.  2  Complaints  accompanied  by  exertion. 


180  Rutherford's  letters. 

communion  with  Christ,  and  a  growing  communion.  There  are 
curtains  to  be  drawn  by'  in  Christ,  tliat  we  never  saw,  and  new 
foldings  of  love  in  him.  I  despair  that  ever  I  sliall  win^  to  the  far- 
end^  of  that  love,  there  are  so  many  plies  in  it.  Therefore,  dig 
deep ;  and  sweat  and  labor,  and  take  pains  for  him  ;  and  set  by 
as  much  time  in  the  day  for  him  as  you  can*:  he  will  be  won  with 
labor. 

I,  his  exiled  prisoner,  sought  him  and  he  hath  rued  upon  me, 
and  hath  made  a  moan  for^  me,  as  he  doth  for  his  oAvn, 
(Jer.  xxxi.  20  ;  Isaiah  xlv.  11 ;)  and  I  know  not  what  to  do  with 
Christ ;  his  love  surroundeth  and  surchargeth  me.  I  am  burdened 
with  it,  but  oh,  how  sweet  and  lovely  is  that  burden  !  I  cannot 
keep  it  within  me :  I  am  so  in  love  with  his  love,  that  if  his  love 
were  not  in  Heaven,  I  should  be  unwilling  to  go  thither.  Oh, 
what  weighing,  and  what  telling  is  in  Christ's  love  !  I  fear  noth- 
ing now  so  much  as  the  laughing  of  Christ's  cross,  and  the  love- 
showers  that  accompany  it.  I  wonder  what  he  meaneth  to  put 
such  a  slave  at  the  board-heard,^  at  his  own  elbow.  Oh,  that 
I  should  lay  my  black  mouth  to  such  a  fair,  fair,  fair  face  as 
Christ's  !  But  I  dare  not  refuse  to  be  loved  :  the  cause  is  not  in 
me,  why  he  hath  looked  upon  me,  and  loved  me  ;  for  he  got  neither 
bud,*^  nor  hire  of  me ;  it  cost  me  nothing,  it  is  good-cheap'  love. 
Oh,  the  many  pound-weights  of  his  love,  under  which  I  am  sweetly 
pressed  ! 

Now,  madam,  I  persuade  you,  that  the  greatest  part  but  play 
with  Christianity  ;  they  put  it  by-hand^  easily.  I  thought  it  had 
been  an  easy  thing  to  be  a  Christian,  and  that  to  seek  God  had 
been  at  the  next  door ;  but  oh,  the  windings,  the  turnings,  the  ups 
and  the  downs  that  he  hath  led  me  throughj  and  I  see  yet  much 
way  to  the  ford.  He  speaketh  with  my  reins  in  the  night  season  ; 
and  in  the  morning,  when  I  awake,  I  find  his  love-arrows,  that 
he  shot  at  me,  sticking  in  my  heart.  Who  will  help  me  to  praise  ? 
who  will  come  to  lift  up  with  me,  and  set  on  high  his  great  love  ? 
and  yet  I  find  that  a  fire-flaught^  of  challenges  will  come  out  at 
midsummer,  and  question  me — but  it  is  only  to  keep  a  sinner  in 
order. 

As  for  friends,  I  will  not  think  the  world  to  be  the  world,  if  that 
well  go  not  dry.  I  trust  in  God,  to  use  the  world  as  a  canny'"  or 
cunning  master  doth  a  knave-servant,  (at  least  God  give  me 
grace  to  do  so  ;)  he  giveth  him  no  handling  nor  credit,  only  he 
entrusteth  him  with  common  errands,  wherein  he  cannot  play 
the  knave,  I  pray  God  that  I  may  not  give  this  world  the  credit 
of  my  joys,  and  coinforts,  and  confidence — that  were  to  put  Christ 
out  of  his  oflice.  Nay,  I  counsel  you,  madam,  from  a  little  ex- 
perience, let  Christ  keep  the  great  seal,  and  entrust  him  so  as  to 
hing''  your  vessels  great  and  small,  and  pin  your  burdens  upon 

'  Aside.  2  Get.  3  Farther  end.  *  Bemoaned. 

6  Head  of  the  table.  e  Bribe.  t  Gratuitous, 

8  Easily,  but  hastily,  and  in  a  superficial  manner,  discharge  its  duties. 

9  Lightning-flash.  i"  Prudent,  skilful.  "  Hang, 


Rutherford's  letters.  181 

the  Nail  fastened  in  David's  house,  (Isaiah  xxii.  23.)  Let  me  not 
be  well,  if  ever  they  get  the  tutoring  of  my  comforts.  Away, 
away  with  irresponsal '  tutors,  that  would  play  me  a  slip,  and  then 
Christ  would  laugh  at  me,  and  say,  "  Well-wared  ;2  try  again  ere 
ye  trust."  Now  wo  is  me,  for  my  whorish  Mother,  the  Kiik  of 
Scotland  !     Oh,  who  will  bewail  her  ! 

Now  the  presence  of  the  great  Angel  of  the  Covenant  be  with 
you,  and  that  sweet  child. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  7,  1637. 


LETTER  CVIL 

TO  A  GENTLEWOMAN,  UPON  THE  DEATH  OP  HER  HUSBAND. 

Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you — I  cannot  but 
rejoice,  and  withal  be  grieved,  at  your  case.  It  hath  pleased  the 
Lord  to  remove  your  husband,  (my  friend,  and  this  Kirk's  faithful 
professor,)  soon  to  his  rest ;  but,  shall  we  be  sorry  that  our  loss  is 
his  gain,  seeing  his  Lord  would  want  his  company  no  longer  ? 
Think  not  much  of  short  summons  ;  for,  seeing,  he  walked  with 
his  Lord  in  his  life,  and  desired  that  Christ  should  be  magnified 
in  him,  at  his  death,  ye  ought  to  be  silent  and  satisfied.  When 
Christ  Cometh  for  his  own,  he  runneth  fast :  mercy,  mercy  to  the 
saints  goeth  not  at  leisure  ;  love,  love  in  our  Redeemer  is  not 
slow,  and  withal  he  is  homely'  with  you,  who  cometh  at  his 
own  hand  to  your  house,  and  intromitteth,^  as  a  friend,  with  any- 
thing that  is  yours.  I  think  he  would  fain  borrow  and  lend  with 
you.  Now  he  shall  meet  with  the  solacious^  company,  the  fair 
flock  and  blessed  bairn-teme  °  of  the  first-born,  banqueting  at  the 
marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb.  It  is  a  mercy  that  the  poor  wan- 
dering sheep  get  a  dyke-side  in  this  stormy  day,  and  a  leaking 
ship  a  safe  harbor,  and  a  sea-sick  passenger  a  sound  and  soft  bed 
ashore.  Wrath,  wrath,  wrath  from  the  Lord,  is  coming  upon  this 
land,  that  he  hath  left  behind  him.  Know,  therefore,  that  the 
wounds  of  your  Lord  Jesus  are  the  wounds  of  a  lover,  and  that 
he  will  have  compassion  upon  a  sad-hearted  servant ;  and  that 
Christ  hath  said,  he  will  have  the  husband's  room  in  your  heart : 
he  loved  you  in  your  first  husband's  time,  and  he  is  but  wooing 
you  still.  Give  him  heart  and  chair,  house  and  all ;  he  will  not 
be  made  companion  with  any  other  ;  love  is  full  of  jealousies  ;  he 
will  have  all  your  love — and  who  should  get  it  but  he  1  I  know 
that  ye  allow  it  upon  him.  There  are  comforts  both  sweet  and 
satisfying,  laid  up  for  you  :  wait  on.  Frist ''  Christ ;  he  is  an  hon- 
est debtor. 

Now  for  mine  own  case,  I  think  some  poor  body  would  be  glad 

1  Irresponsible.  2  Well-deserved.  3  Familiar.  *  Intermeddleth. 

5  Solacing.  6  Whole  family  of  children.  '  Give  credit  to. 


182  Rutherford's  letters. 

of  a  dawted  ^  prisoner's  leavings.  I  have  no  scarcity  of  Christ's 
love  :  he  hath  wasted  more  comforts  upon  his  poor  banished  ser- 
vant, than  would  have  refreshed  many  souls.  My  burden  was 
once  so  heavy,  that  one  ounce-weight  would  have  casten  the  bal- 
ance, and  broken  my  back  ;  but  Christ  said,  "  Hold,  hold  !"  to  my 
sorrow,  and  hath  wiped  a  bluthered'^  face,  which  was  foul  with 
weeping.  I  may  joyfully  go  my  Lord's  errands,  with  wages  in 
my  hands.  Deferred  hopes  need  not  make  my  dead-sweir,^  (as 
we  use  to  say ;)  my  cross  is  both  my  cross  and  my  reward.  Oh, 
that  men  would  sound  his  high  praises  !  I  love  Christ's  worst  re- 
proaches, his  glooms,*  his  cross,  better  than  all  the  world's  plastered 
glory ;  my  heart  is  not  longing  to  be  back  again  from  Christ's 
country  ;  it  is  a  sweet  soil  I  am  come  to.  I,  (if  any  in  the  world,) 
have  good  cause  to  speak  much  good  of  him.  Oh,  Hell  were  a 
good-cheap 5  price  to  buy  him  at!  Oh,  if«  all  the  Three  King- 
doms were  witnesses  to  my  pained,  pained  soul,  overcome  with 
Christ's  love  ! 

I  thank  you  most  kindly,  my  dear  sister,  for  your  love  to,  and 
tender  care  of  my  brother.  I  shall  think  myself  obliged  to  you,  if 
ye  continue  his  friend.  He  is  more  to  me  than  a  brother  now, 
being  engaged  to  suffer  for  so  honorable  a  Master  and  cause. 

Pray  for  Christ's  Prisoner  ;  and  grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  7,  1637. 


LETTER  CVHL 


TO   THE    RIGHT    HONORABLE    AND    CHRISTIAN    LADY, 
MY    LADY    KENMURE. 

Madam, — Upon  the  oflfered  opportunity  of  this  worthy  bearer,  I 
could  not  omit  to  answer  the  heads  of  your  letter. 

Istly,  I  think  not  much  to  set  down  on  paper  some  good  things 
anent  Christ,  that  Sealed  and  Holy  Thing ;  and  to  feed  my  soul 
with  raw  wishes  to  be  one  with  Christ ;  for  a  wish  is  but  broken 
and  half  love  ;  but  verily  to  obey  this,  "  Come  and  see,"  is  a  hard- 
er matter  !  But  oh,  I  have  rather  smoke  than  fire,  and  guessings 
rather  than  real  assurances  of  him.  I  have  little  or  nothing  to 
say,  that  I  am  as  one  who  hath  found  favor  in  his  eyes  ;  but  there 
is  some  pining  and  mismannered''  hunger,  that  maketh  me  mis- 
call ^  and  nickname  Christ  as  a  changed  Lord;  but  alas!  it  is 
ill-flitten.^  I  cannot  believe  without  a  pledge.  I  cannot  take 
God's  word  without  a  caution,'"  as  if  Christ  had  lost  and  sold  his 

1  Cockered.  2  Blurred.  3  Extremely  reluctant.  *  Frowns. 

5  Gratuitous.  6  oh,  that.  7  Unmannerly. 

8  To  miscall,  to  call  names,  to  abuse. 

8  Denoting  that  the  criminations  or  reprehensions  of  a  rebuker  come  with  a  very 
bad  grace  from  him,  because  of  his  being  supposed  to  be  equally,  or  more  guilty  in  the 
eame,  or  in  a  similar  respect.  ">  Surety. 


Rutherford's  letters.  183 

credit,  and  were  not  in  my  books  responsaV  and  law-biding  r^  but 
this  is  my  way;  for  his  way  is,  (Eph.  i.  13,)  "After  that  ye  be- 
heved,  ye  were  sealed  with  the  Holy  Spirit  of  promise." 

2ndly,  Ye  write  that  I  am  filled  with  knowledge,  and  stand  not 
in  need  of  these  warnings ;  but  certainly  my  light  is  dim,  when 
it  Cometh  to  handy-grips ; '  and  how  many  have  full  coffers  and 
yet  empty  bellies  !  Light,  and  the  saving  use  of  light,  are  far 
different.  Oh,  what  need  then  have  I  to  have  the  ashes  blown 
away  from  my  dying-out  fire  !  I  may  be  a  bookman,  and  be  an 
idiot  and  stark  fool  in  Christ's  way  !  Learning  will  not  beguile 
Christ.  The  Bible  beguiled  the  Pharisees,  and  so  may  I  be  mis- 
led. Therefore,  as  night-watchers  hold  one  another  waking,  by 
speaking  to  one  another,  so  have  we  need  to  hold  one  another  on 
foot :  sleep  stealeth  away  the  light  of  watching,  even  the  light 
that  reproveth  sleeping.  I  doubt  not  but  moe  would  fetch  Heaven, 
if  they  believed  not  Heaven  to  be  at  the  next  door.  The  world's 
negative  holiness,  no  adulterer,  no  murderer,  no  thief,  no  cozener, 
maketh  men  believe  they  are  already  glorified  saints :  but  the 
sixth  chapter  to  the  Hebrews  may  affright  us  all,  when  we  hear 
that  men  may  take  of  the  gifts  and  common  graces  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  a  taste  of  the  powers  of  the  life  to  come,  to  Hell  with 
them.  Here  is  reprobate  silver,  which  yet  seemeth  to  have  the 
king's  image  and  superscription  upon  it. 

3rdly,  I  find  you  complaining  of  yourself,  and  it  becometh  a 
sinner  so  to  do.  I  am  not  against  you  in  that ;  sense  of  death  is 
a  sib  friend,^  and  of  kin  and  blood  to  life ;  the  more  sense,  the 
more  life ;  the  more  sense  of  sin,  tbe  less  sin.  I  would  love  my 
pain  and  soreness,  and  my  wounds,  howbeit  these  should  bereave 
me  of  my  night's  sleep,  better  than  my  wounds  without  pain. 
Oh,  how  sweet  a  thing  it  is,  to  give  Christ  his  handful  of  broken 
arms  and  legs,  and  disjointed  bones  ! 

4tbly,  Be  not  afraid  for  little  grace ;  Christ  soweth  his  living 
seed,  and  he  will  not  lose  his  seed  :  if  he  have  the  guiding  of  my 
stock  and  state,  it  shall  not  miscarry.  Our  spilled^  works,  losses, 
deadness,  coldness,  wretchedness,  are  the  ground  upon  which  the 
Good  Husbandman  laboreth. 

5thly,  Ye  write  that  his  compassions  fail  not,  notwithstanding 
that  your  service  to  Christ  miscarrieth ;  to  the  which  I  answer, 
"God  forbid  that  there  were  buying  and  selling,  and  blocking*  for 
as  good  again,  betwixt  Christ  and  us :  for  then  free  grace  might 
go  to  play,  and  a  Saviour  sing  dumb,''  and  Christ  go  to  sleep.  But 
we  go  to  Heaven  with  light  shoulders,  and  all  the  bairn-teme,^  and 
the  vessels  great  and  small  that  we  have,  are  fastened  upon  the 
safe  Nail,"  (Isa.  xxii.  23,  24.)  The  only  danger  is,  that  we  give 
grace  more  to  do  than  God  giveth  it,  that  is,  by  turning  his  grace 
into  wantonness. 

6tlily,  Ye  write,  that  few  see  your  guiltiness,  and  that  ye  can- 

•  Responsible.  2  Awaitin<r,  or  standing  by  a  sentence  of  law. 

3  Close  struggling.  ^  Near  relative.  s  Spoiled,  ruined. 

6  Planning  of  bargains.  '?  Be  silenced.  8  Whole  family  of  children. 


184  Rutherford's  letters. 

not  be  free  with  many,  as  with  me  :  I  answer,  "  Blessed  be  God, 
that  Christ  and  we  are  not  heard  before  men's  courts  ;  it  is  at  home 
betwixt  him  and  us,  that  pleas  are  taken  away." 
Grace  be  witii  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen. 


LETTER  CIX. 

TO    THE    RIGHT    HONORABLE,    AND    CHRISTIAN    LADY,    MY 
LADY    BOYD. 

Madam,— Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you,  from  God  our 
Father,  and  from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

I  cannot  but  thank  your  Ladyship,  for  your  letter,  that  hath  re- 
freshed my  soul.  I  think  myself  many  ways  obliged  to  your  Lady- 
ship foi-  your  love  to  my  afflicted  brother,  now  embarked  with  me 
in  that  same  cause.  His  Lord  hath  been  pleased  to  put  him  on 
truth's  side.  I  hope  that  your  Ladyship  will  befriend  him  with 
your  counsel  and  countenance  in  that  country,  where  he  is  a 
strang-er ;  and  your  Ladyship  needeth  not  fear  but  your  kindness 
to  his  own  will  be  put  up  into  Christ's  accounts. 

Now,  madam,  for  your  Ladyship's  case,  I  rejoice  exceedingly, 
that  the  Father  of  hghts  hath  made  you  see  that  there  is  a  nick ' 
in  Christianity,  which  ye  contend  to  be  at ;  and  that  is,  to  quit  the 
right  eye,  and  the  right  hand,  and  to  keep  the  Son  of  God.  I  hope 
your  desire  is  to  make  him  your  garland,  and  that  your  eye  look- 
eth  up  the  mount,  Avhich  certainly  is  nothing  but  the  new  creature. 
Fear  not,  Christ  will  not  cast  Avater  upon  your  smoking  coal ;  and 
then,  who  else  dare  do  it  if  he  say  nay  ?  Be  sorry  at  corruption, 
and  be  not  secure.  That  companion  lay  with  you  in  your  mother's 
womb,  and  was  as  early  friends  with  you  as  the  breath  of  life ; 
and  Christ  will  not  have  it  otherwise ;  for  he  delighteth  to  take  up 
fallen  bairns,  and  to  mend  broken  brows ; — binding  up  of  wounds 
is  his  office,  (Isaiah,  Ixi.)  First,  I  am  glad  that  Christ  will  get 
employment  of  his  calling  in  you.  Many  a  whole  soul  is  in 
Heaven,  which  was  sicker  than  ye  are.  He  is  content,  that  ye  lay 
broken  arms  and  legs  on  his  knee,  that  he  may  spelk^  them. 
Secondly,  Hiding  of  his  face  is  wise  love, — his  love  is  not  fond, 
doting,  and  reasonless, — to  give  your  head  no  other  pillow,  whill 
ye  be  in  at  Heaven's  gates,  but  to  lye  between  his  breasts,  and  lean 
upon  his  bosom.  Nay,  his  bairns  must  often  have  the  frosty  cold 
side  of  the  hill,  and  set  down  both  their  bare  feet  among  thorns : 
his  love  hath  eyes,  and  in  the  meantime  is  looking  on.  Our  pride 
must  have  winter  weather  to  rot  it.  But  I  know  that  Christ  arid 
ye  will  not  be  heard.  Ye  will  whisper  it  over  betwixt  yourselves, 
and  agree  again  ;  for  the  anchor-tow  ^  abideth  fast  within  the  veil : 
the  end  of  it  is  in  Christ's  ten  fingers — who  dare  pull  if  he  hold  ? 

1  Notch,  degree.  2  J'o  spelk,  to  bind  up  with  splints.  3  Cable. 


Rutherford's  letters.  185 

"I,  the  Lord  thy  God,  will  hold  thy  right, hand,  saying,  Fear  not, 
I  will  help  thee.  Fear  not,  Jacob."  (Isa.  xli.  13,  14.)  The  sea- 
sick passenger  shall  come  to  land- — Christ  will  be  the  first  that  will 
meet  you  on  the  shore.  I  hope  that  your  Ladyship  will  keep  the 
King's  highway.  Go  on,  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord,  in  haste,  as 
if  ye  had  not  leisure  to  speak  to  the  inn-keepers  by  the  way — He 
is  over  beyond  time  on  the  other  side  of  the  water,  w^io  thinketh 
long '  for  you. 

For  my  nnfaithful  self,  madam,  I  must  say  a  word.  At  my  first 
coming  hither,  the  Devil  made  many  a  black  lie  of  my  Lord  Jesus, 
and  said  the  court  was  changed,  and  he  was  angry,  and  would 
give  an  evil  servant  his  leave ^  at  mid-term.  But  he  gave  me 
grace  not  to  take  my  leave  f  I  resolved  to  bide  summons,  and  sit, 
howbeit  it  was  suggested  and  said,  "What  should  be  done  with  a 
withered  tree,  but  over  the  dyke^  with  it?"  But  now,  now,  (I 
dare  not,  I  dow  not^  keep  it  up,)  who  is  feasted  as  his  poor  exiled 
prisoner?  I  think  shame  of  the  board-head ^  and  the  first-mess, 
and  the  royal  King's  dining-hall,  and  that  my  black  hand  should 
come  upon  such  a  ruler's  table.  But  I  cannot  mend  it,  Christ 
must  have  his  will :  only  he  paineth  my  soul  so,  sometimes  wuth 
his  love,  that  I  have  been  nigh  to  pass  modesty,  and  to  cry  out,  he 
hath  left  a  smoking,  burning  coal  in  my  heart,  and  gone  to  the 
door  himself,  and  left  me  and  it  together.  Yet  it  is  not  desertion  : 
I  know  not  what  it  is,  but  I  was  never  so  sick  for  him  as  now.  I 
durst  not  challenge  ^  my  Lord,  if  I  got  no  more  for  Heaven,  it  is  a 
dawting"  cross.  I  know  he  hath  other  things  to  do  than  to  play 
with  me,  and  trindle^  an  apple  with  me,  and  that  this  feast  will 
end.  Oh,  for  instruments  ^  in  God's  name,  that  this  is  he  !  and 
that  I  may  make  use  of  it,  when  it  may  be,  a  near  friend  within 
me  will  say,  and  when  it  will  be  said  by  a  challenging '°  devil, 
"  Where  is  thy  God  ?"  Since  I  know  that  it  will  not  last,  I  desire 
but  to  keep  broken  meat :  but  let  no  man  after  me  slander  Christ 
for  Ins  cross. 

The  great  Lord  of  the  Covenant,  who  brought  from  the  dead 
the  great  Shepherd  of  his  sheep,  by  the  blood  of  the  Eternal  Cove- 
nant, establish  you,  and  keep  you  and  yours,  to  his  appearance  ! 
Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  7,  1637. 


LETTER  ex. 

TO     THE      LADY      KASKIBERRY. 

Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace,  be  to  you — I  long  to  hear 
how  your  Ladyship  is.     I  know  not  how  to  requite  your  Lady- 

1  Longeth.  2  Discharge  from  service.  3  Wall.  *  Am  not  able. 

s  Head  of  the  table.  6  Upbraid.  7  Fondling. 

8  To  trundle.  ^  Documents  in  proof.  "  Upbraiding. 


186  xxi^therford's  letters. 

ship's  kindness ;  but  your  love  to  the  saints,  madam,  is  laid  up  in 
Heaven :  I  know  it  is  for  your  well-beloved  Christ's  sake,  that  ye 
make  his  friends  so  dear  to  you,  and  concern, yourself  so  much  in 
them. 

I  am  in   this  house   of  pilgrimage,  every  way  in  good  ease : 
Christ  is  most  kind  and  loving  to  my  soul.     It  pleaseth  him  to 
feast,  with   his    unseen   consolations,   a    stranger  and  an   exiled 
prisoner:  and  I  would  not  exchange  my  Lord  Jesus  with  all  the"' 
comfort  out  of  Heaven. — His  yoke  is  easy,  and  his  burden  is  light. 

This  is  his  truth  which  I  now  suffer  for ;  for  he  hath  sealed  it 
with  his  blessed  presence :  I  know  that  Christ  shall  yet  win  the 
day,  and  gain  the  battle  in  Scotland.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  7,  1637. 


LETTER  CXL 

TO      THE      LADY      EARLSTON. 

Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you — I  long  to  hear 
how  your  soul  prospereth.  I  exhort  you  to  go  on  in  your  journey  ; 
your  day  is  short,  and  your  afternoon-sun  will  soon  go  down. 
Make  an  end  of  your  accounts  with  your  Lord  ;  for  death  and 
judgment  are  tides  that  bide '  no  man.  Salvation  is  supposed  to 
be  at  the  door,  and  Christianity  is  thought  an  easy  task :  but  I 
find  it  hard,  and  the  way  strait  and  narrow,  were  it  not  that  my 
Guide  is  content  to  wait  on  me,  and  to  care  for  a  tired  traveller. 
Hurt  not  your  conscience  with  any  known  sin.  Let  your  children 
be  as  so  many  flowers,  borrowed  from  God.  If  the  flowers  die  or 
wither,  thank  God  for  a  summer  loan  of  them,  and  keep  good 
neighborhood,  to  borrow  and  lend  "^  with  him.  Set  your  heart  upon 
Heaven,  and  trouble  not  your  spirit  with  this  clay-idol  of  the  world, 
which  is  but  vanity,  and  hath  but  the  lustre  of  the  rainbow  in  the 
air,  which  cometh  and  goeth  with  a  flying  March-shower : — clay 
is  the  idol  of  bastards,  not  the  inheritance  of  tlie  children. 

My  Lord  hath  been  pleased  to  make  many  unknown  faces  laugh 
upon  me,  and  hath  made  me  well-content  of  a  borrowed  fire-side, 
and  a  borrowed  bed.  I  am  feasted  with  the  joys  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  my  royal  King  beareth  my  charges  honorably.  I  love 
the  smell  of  Christ's  sweet  breath  better  than  the  world's  gold.  I 
would  I  had  help  to  praise  him. 

The  great  Messenger  of  the  Covenant,  the  Son  of  God,  establish 
you  on  your  Rock,  and  keep  you  to  the  day  of  his  coming. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  7,  1637. 

'  To  hide,  to  wait  for.  2  To  be  on  the  most  ultimate  terms  with. 


Rutherford's  letters.  187 

LETTER  CXII. 

TO  HIS    REVEREND,   AND    DEAR    BROTHER,  MR.    DAVID    DICKSON. 

Reverend,  and  Dearest  Brother, — What  joy  have  I  out 
of  Heaven's  gates,  but  that  my  Lord  Jesus  be  glorified  in  my 
bonds  ?  Blessed  be  ye  of  the  Lord,  who  contribute  anything  to 
my  obliged  and  indebted  praises.  Dear  brother,  help  me,  a  poor 
dyvour,'  to  pay  the  interest,  for  I  cannot  come  nigh  to  render  the 
principal.  It  is  not  jest  nor  sport  which  maketh  me  to  speak  and 
write  as  I  do :  I  never  before  came  to  that  nick  *  or  pitch  of  com- 
munion with  Christ,  that  I  have  now  attained  to.  For  my  con- 
firmation, I  have  been  these  two  Sabbaths  or  three  in  private, 
taking  instruments  ^  in  the  name  of  God,  that  my  Lord  Jesus  and 
I  have  kissed  each  other  in  Aberdeen,  the  house  of  my  pilgrimage. 
I  seek  not  an  apple  to  play  me  with.  He  knoweth,  whom  I  serve 
in  the  Spirit,  but  a  seal.  I  but  beg  earnest,  and  am  content  to 
suspend  and  frist^  glory  whill  supper-time.  I  know  that  this 
world  will  not  last  with  me ;  for  my  moonlight  is  noon-day  light, 
and  my  four-hours ^  above  my  feasts,  when  I  was  a  preacher;  at 
which  times,  also,  I  was  embraced  very  often  in  his  arms.  But 
who  can  blame  Christ  to  take  me  on  behind  him,  if  I  may  say  so, 
on  his  white  horse,  or  in  his  chariot,  paved  with  love,  through  a 
water  ?  Will  not  a  father  take  his  little  dawted  Davie « in  his 
arms,  and  carry  him  over  a  ditch  or  a  mire  ?  My  short  legs  could 
not  step  over  this  lair,''  or  sinking  mire  ;  and,  therefore,  my  Lord 
Jesus  will  bear  me  through.  If  a  change  come,  and  a  dark  day, 
so  being  that  he  will  keep  my  faith  without  flaw  or  crack,  I  dare 
not  blame  him,  howbeit  I  get  no  more  whill  I  come  to  Heaven. 
But  ye  know  that  the  physic  behooved  to  have  sugar  ;  my  faith 
was  fallen  aswoon,^  and  Christ  but  held  up  a  swooning  man's 
head.  Indeed  I  pray  not  for  a  daw^ted  »  bairn's  diet ;  he  knoweth 
that  I  would  have  Christ,  sour  or  sweet ;  any  way,  so  being  it  be 
Christ  indeed.  I  stand  not  now  upon  pared  apples,  or  sugared 
dishes  ;  but  I  cannot  blame  him  to  give.  I  must  gape  and  make 
a  wide  mouth.  Since  Christ  will  not  pantry  up'"  joys,  he  must  be 
welcome,  who  will  not  bide  away.  I  seek  no  other  fruit,  than  that 
he  may  be  glorified  ;  he  knoweth  that  I  would  take  hard  fare  to 
have  his  name  set  on  high. 

I  bless  you  for  your  counsel.  I  hope  to  live  by  faith,  and  swim 
without  a  mass  or  bundle  of  joyful  sense  under  my  chin ;  at  least, 
to  venture,  albeit  I  should  be  ducked. 

1  Bankrupt.  2  Notch,  degree. 

3  To  take  instruments,  is  for  a  person  who  has  an  interest  in  a  court  to  declare,  upon 
a  decision,  that  he  claims  the  benefit  of  that  decision,  and  views  the  matter  as  finished. 
<  Tofrist,  to  postpone,  in  the  hope,  however,  of  ultimately  possessing. 
5  Slight  afternoon's  repasts.  ^  Little  fondled  boy. 

T  Bog,  in  which  one  must  sink.  8  in  a  swoon. 

9  Fondled.  '"  That  is,  lock  up  in  the  pantry. 


RUTHERFORD  S    LETTERS. 

Now  for  my  case  :  I  think  that  the  coimcil  should  be  essayed, 
and  the  event  referred  to  God  : — duties  are  ours,  and  events  are 
God's. 

I  shall  go  through  5^ours  upon  the  Covenant  at  leisure,  and 
write  to  you  my  mind  there-anent ; '  and  anent  the  Arminian 
contract  betwixt  the  Father  and  the  Son.  I  beseech  you,  set  to,* 
to  go  through  Scripture.  Yours  on  the  Hebrews  is  in  great  re- 
quest with  all  who  would  be  acquainted  with  Christ's  Testament. 
I  purpose,  God  wilhng,  to  set  about  Hosea,  and  to  try  if  I  can  get 
it  to  the  press  here. 

It  refresheth  me  much,  that  ye  are  so  kind  to  my  brother.  I 
hope  your  council  will  do  him  good.  I  recommend  him  to  you, 
since  1  am  so  far  from  him.  I  am  glad  that  the  dying  servant  of 
God,  famous  and  faithful  Mr.  Cunningham,  sealed  your  ministry 
before  he  fell  asleep. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  7,  1637. 


LETTER  CXIIL 

TO     JEAN     BROWN, 


Well-beloved,  and  Dear  Sister, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace 
be  to  you — I  received  your  letter,  which  I  esteem  an  evidence  of 
your  Christian  affection  to  me,  and  of  your  love  to  my  honorable 
Lord  and  Master.  My  desire  is,  that  your  communion  with  Christ 
may  grow,  and  that  your' reckonings  may  be  put  by  hand^  with 
your  Lord  ere  ye  come  to  the  water-side. 

Oh,  who  knoweth  how  sweet  Christ's  kisses  are  !  Who  hath 
been  more  kindly  embraced  and  kissed  than  I,  his  banished  pris- 
oner? If  the  comparison  could  stand,  I  would  not  exchange 
Christ  with  Heaven  itself  He  hath  left  a  dart  and  arrow  of  love 
in  my  soul,  and  it  paineth  me  till  he  come  and  taketh  it  out.  I 
find  pain  of  these  wounds,  because  I  would  have  possession.  I 
know  now  that  this  worm-eaten  apple,  the  plastered,  rotten  world, 
which  the  silly  children  of  this  world  are  beating  and  buffeting, 
and  pulling  each  other's  ears  for,  is  a  portion  for  bastards  good 
enough  ;  and  that  it  is  all  they  have  to  look  for.  I  am  not  of- 
fended that  my  adversaries  stay  at  home  at  their  own  fireside,  with 
more  yearly  rent  than  I.  Should  I  be  angry  that  the  Good- 
man of  this  house  of  the  world  casteth  a  dog  a  bone  to  hurt 
his  teeth  ?  He  hath  taught  me  to  be  content  with  a  borrowed 
fire-side,  and  an  unco^  bed  ;  and  I  think  I  have  lost  nothing,  the 
income  is  so  great.  Oh,  what  telhng  is  in  Christ !  Oh,  how 
weighty  is  my  fair  garland,  my  crown,  my  fair  supping-hall  in 

1  Concerning  it.  2  To  set  to,  to  determine,  to  begin. 

3  Concluded.  *  Strange. 


Rutherford's  letters 


189 


glory,  where  I  shall  be  above  the  blows  and  buffetings  of  prelates! 
Let  this  be  your  desire,  and  let  your  thoughts  dwell  much  upon 
that  blessedness  that  abidetli  you  in  the  other  world.  The  fair 
side  of  the  world  will  be  turned  to  you  quickly,  when  ye  shall 
see  the  crown.  I  hope  that  ye  are  near  your  lodging.  Oh !  but 
I  would  think  myself  blessed,  for  my  part,  to  win  to '  the  house 
before  the  shower  come  on  !  for  God  hath  a  quiver  full  of  arrows 
to  shoot  at,  and  shower  down  upon  Scotland. 

Ye  have  the  prayers  of  a  prisoner  of  Christ.  I  desire  Patrick 
to  give  Christ  his  young  love,  even  the  flowers  of  it,  and  to  put  it 
by  all  others.  It  were  good  to  start  soon  to  the  way  ;  he  should 
thereby  have  a  great  advantage  in  the  evil  day.     Grace  be  with 

you. 

Yours,  in  his  only  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,' March  7,  1637. 


LETTER  CXIV. 

TO     MR.     JOHN      FERGUSHILL. 

Reverend,  and  Well-beloved  in  the  Lord, — I  was  re- 
freshed with  your  letter.  I  am  sorry  for  that  lingering  and  long- 
some  visitation  that  is  upon  your  wife ;  but  I  know  that  ye  take 
it  as  the  mark  of  a  lawfully  begotten  child,  and  not  of  a  bastard, 
to  be  under  your  Father's  rod.  Till  ye  be  in  Heaven,  it  will  be 
but  foul  weather — one  shower  up  and  another  down.  The  lintel- 
stone  and  pillars  of  the  New  Jerusalem  suffer  more  knocks  of 
God's  hammer  and  tool  than  the  common  side-wall  stones:  and 
if  twenty  crosses  be  written  for  you  in  God's  book,  they  will  come 
to  nineteen,  and  then,  at  last,  to  one,  and  after  that  to  nothing ; 
but  your  head  shall  he  betwixt  Christ's  breasls  for  evermore,  and 
his  own  soft  hand  shall  dry  your  face  ;  and  wipe  away  your  tears. 
As  for  public  sufferings  for  his  truth,  your  Master  also  will  see  to 
these.  Let  us  put  him  into  his  own  office,  to  comfort  and  deliver. 
The  gloom^  of  Christ's  cross  is  worse  than  itself 

I  cannot  keep  up  what  he  hath  done  to  my  soul.  My  dear 
brother,  will  I  not  get  help  of  you  to  praise,  and  to  lift  Christ  up 
on  high  ?  He  hath  pained  me  with  his  love,  and  hath  left  a  love- 
arrow  in  my  heart,  that  hath  made  a  wound,  and  swelled  me  up 
with  desires,  so  that  I  am  to  be  pitied  for  want  of  real  possession. 
Love  would  have  the  company  of  the  party  loved  :  and  my  great- 
est pain  is  the  want  of  him,  not  of  his  joys  and  comforts,  but  of  a 
near  union  and  communion. 

This  is  his  truth,  I  am  fully  persuaded,  which  I  now  suffer  for : 
for  Christ  hath  taken  upon  him  to  be  witness  to  it  by  his  sweet 
comforts  to  my  soul ;  and  shall  I  think  him  a  false  witness,  or 
that  he  would  subscribe  blank  paper?      I  thank   his  high  and 

'  Reach.  2  Frown. 


190  Rutherford's  letters. 

dreadful  name  for  what  he  hath  given.  I  hope  to  keep  his  seal 
and  his  pawn  till  he  come  and  loose  it  himself.  I  defy  Hell  to  put 
me  off  it.  But  he  is  Christ,  and  he  hath  met  with  his  prisoner, 
and  I  took  instruments  in  his  own  hand  '  that  it  was  he,  and  none 
other  for  him.  When  the  Devil  fenceth^  a  bastard-court  in  my 
Lord's  ground,  and  giveth  me  forged  summons,  it  will  be  my 
shame  to  misbelieve,^  after  such  a  fair,  broad  seal :  and  yet  Satan 
and  my  apprehension  sometimes  make  a  lie  of  Christ,  as  if  he 
hated  me  ;  but  I  dare  believe  no  evil  of  Christ.  If  he  would  cool 
my  love-fever  for  himself  with  real  presence  and  possession,  I  would 
be  rich  ;  but  I  dare  not  be  mislearned,^  and  seek  more  in  that  kind, 
howbeit  it  be  no  shame  to  beg  at  Christ's  door.  I  pity  my  adver- 
saries. I  grudge  not  that  my  liOrd  keepeth  them  at  their  own 
fire-side,  and  hath  given  me  a  borrowed  bed  and  a  borrowed  fire- 
side : — let  the  good-man  of  the  house  cast  the  dog  a  bone  !  why 
should  I  take  offence  ?  I  rejoice  that  the  broken  bark  shall  come 
to  land,  and  that  Christ  will,  on  the  shore,  welcome  the  sea- sick 
passenger.  We  have  need  of  a  great  stock  against  this  day  of 
trial  that  is  coming.  There  is  neither  chaff  nor  corn  in  Scotland, 
but  it  shall  once  pass  through  God's  sieve.  Praise,  praise,  and 
pray  for  me ;  for  I  cannot  forget  you.  I  know  that  ye  will  be 
friendly  to  nsy  afTi'  cd  'lother,  who  is  now  embarked  in  the  same 
cause  with  me.     Let  him  have  your  counsel  and  comforts. 

Remember  ray  love  in  Christ  to  your  wife  ;  her  health  is  coming, 
and  her  salvation  sleepeth  not.  Ye  have  the  prayers  and  blessing 
of  a  prisoner  in  Christ.  Sow  fast,  deal  bread  plentifully.  The 
pantry-door  will  be  locked  on  the  bairns,  in  appearance,  ere  long. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  7,  1637. 


LETTER  CXV. 


TO    HIS  REVEREND  AND  DEAR  BROTHER,  MR.  ROBERT    DOUGLAS. 

My  very  Reverend,  and  Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy, 
and  peace  be  to  you — I  long  to  see  you  on  paper.  I  cannot  but 
write  you,  that  this  which  I  now  suffer  for  is  Christ's  truth ;  be- 
cause he  hath  been  pleased  to  seal  my  sufferings  with  joy  un- 
speakable and  glorious.  I  know  that  he  will  not  put  his  seal  upon 
blank  paper  ;  Christ  hath  not  dumb  seals,  neither  will  he  be  a 
witness  to  a  lie.  I  beseech  you,  my  dear  brother,  to  help  me  to 
praise,  and  to  lift  Christ  up  on  his  throne  above  the  shields  of 
the  earth.  I  am  astonished  and  confounded  at  the  greatness  of 
his  kindness  to  such  a  sinner.  I  know  that  Christ  and  I  shall 
never  be  even  f  I  shall  die  in  his  debt.     He  hath  left  an  arrow  in 

I  That  is,  I  declared,  and  claimed  that  the  declaration  might  be  recorded  for  evi- 
dence. 2  Openeth.  3  Not  to  believe  aright. 
*  Ill-bred.                     s  Quits. 


Rutherford's  letters.  191 

my  heart  that  paineth  me  for  want  of  real  possession  ;  and  Hell 
cannot  quench  this  coal  of  God's  kindling.  I  wish  no  man  to 
slander  Christ,  or  his  cross,  for  my  cause :  for  I  have  much  cause 
to  speak  much  good  of  him  ;  he  hath  brought  me  to  a  nick '  and 
degree  of  communion  with  himself  that  I  knew  not  before.  The 
din  and  gloom  ^  of  our  Lord's  cross  is  more  fearful  and  hard  than 
the  cross  itself  He  takeththe  bairns  in  his  arms  when  they  come 
to  a  deep  water;  at  least,  when  they  lose  ground,  and  are  put  to 
swim,  then  his  hand  is  under  their  chin. 

Let  me  be  helped  by  your  prayers  ;  and  remember  my  love  to 
your  kind  wife.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  Brother,  and  Christ's  Prisoner,         S.  R. 
Aberdeen,  March  7,  1637. 


LETTER  CXVI. 

TO    THE    MUCH    HONORED    WILLIAM    RIGGE,    OF    ATHERNIE. 

Much  Honored  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you — I 
received  your  long-looked-for  and  short  letter  •,  I  woidd  that  ye  had 
spoken  more  to  me,  who  stand  in  need.  I  find  Christ,  as  ye  write, 
aye  the  longer  the  better,  and,  therefore,  cannot  but  rejoice  in  His 
salvation,  who  hath  made  my  chains  my  wings,  and  hath  made 
me  a  king  over  my  crosses,  and  over  my  adversaries  : — glory,  glory, 
glory  to  his  high,  high  and  holy  name  !  Not  one  ounce,  not  one 
grain-weight  more  is  laid  on  me  than  he  hath  enabled  me  to  bear ; 
and  1  am  not  so  much  wearied  to  suffer  as  Zion's  haters  are  to 
persecute.  Oh,  if^  I  could  find  a  way  in  any  measure,  to  strive 
to  be  even  with  Christ's  love  !  but  that  I  must  give  over.  Oh, 
who  would  help  a  dyvour^  to  pay  praises  to  the  King  of  saints, 
who  triumpheth  in  his  weak  servants  ! 

I  see  that  if  Christ  but  ride  upon  a  worm  or  feather,  his  horse 
will  neither  stumble  nor  fall.  The  worm  Jacob  is  made  by  him  a 
new,  sharp,  threshing  instrument,  having  teeth  to  thresh  the 
mountains,  and  beat  them  small,  and  to  make  the  hills  as  chaff, 
and  to  fan  them,  so  as  the  wind  shall  carry  them  away,  and  the 
whirlwind  shall  scatter  them,  (Isa.  xli.  14,  15,  16.)  Cbrist's  ene- 
mies are  but  breaking  their  own  heads  in  pieces,  upon  the  Rock 
laid  in  Zion,  and  the  Stone  is  not  removed  out  of  its  place.  Faith 
hath  cause  to  take  courage  from  our  very  aflllictions  ;  the  Devil  is 
but  a  whetstone  to  sharpen  the  faith  and  patience  of  the  saints. 
I  know  that  he  but  heweth  and  polisheth  stones  all  this  time  for 
the  New  Jerusalem. 

But  in  all  this,  three  things  have  much  moved  me,  since  it  hath 
pleased  my  Lord  to  turn  my  moon-light  into  day-light.  First  he 
hath  yoked ^  me  to  work,  to  wrestle  with  Christ's  love  of  longing, 

1  Degree.  2  Frown.  3  oh,  that. 

*  Bankrupt.  s  Bound. 


193  Rutherford's  letters. 

wherewith  I  am  sick,  pained,  fainting,  and  like  to  die,  because  I 
cannot  get  himself,  which  I  think  a  strange  sort  of  desertion ;  for 
I  have  not  himself,  (whom  if  I  had,  my  love-sickness  would  cool, 
and  my  fever  go  away ;  at  least,  I  should  know  the  heat  of  the 
fire  of  complacency,  which  would  cool  the  scorching  heat  of  the 
fire  of  desire,)  and  yet  I  have  no  penury  of  his  love ;  and  so  I 
dwine,^  1  die,  and  he  seemeth  not  to  rue  on  me.  I  take  instru- 
ments in  his  hand, 2  that  I  would  have  him,  but  I  cannot  get  him  ; 
and  my  best  cheer  is  black  hunger ; — I  bless  him  for  that  feast. 

Secondly,  Old  challenges^  now  and  then  revive,  and  cast  all 
down  ;  I  go  halting  and  sighing,  fearing  there  be  an  unseen  pro- 
cess yet  coming  out,  and  that  heavier  than  I  can  answer.  I  can- 
not read  distinctly  my  surety's  act  of  cautionry^  for  me  in  partic- 
ular, and  my  discharge ;  and  sense,  rather  than  faith,  assureth 
me. of  what  I  have ; — so  unable  am  I  to  go,^  but  by  a  hold.  I 
could,  Avith  reverence  of  my  Lord,  forgive  Christ,  if  he  would  give 
me  as  much  faith  as  I  have  hunger  for  him.  I  hope  the  pardon 
is  now  obtained,  but  the  peace  is  not  so  sure  to  me  as  I  would 
wish:  yet,  one  thing  I  know,  there  is  not  a  way  to  Heaven  but 
the  way  which  he  hath  graced  me  to  profess  and  suffer  for. 

Thirdly,  Wo,  wo  is  me  for  the  Virgin-daughter  of  Scotland, 
and  for  the  fearful  desolation  and  wrath  appointed  for  this  land  ; 
and  j^et  all  are  sleeping,  eating,  and  drinking,  laughing  and  sport- 
ing, as  if  all  were  well.  Oh  our  dim  gold  !  our  dumb,  blind  pas- 
tors !  the  sun  is  gone  down  upon  them,  and  our  nobles  bid  Christ 
fend  for'  himself,  if  he  be  Christ.  It  were  good,  that  we  should 
learn  in  time,  the  way  to  our  stronghold. 

Sir,  howbeit  not  acquainted,  remember  my  love  to  your  wife. 
I  pray  God  to  establish  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  9,  1637. 


LETTER  CXVIL 

TO      MR.      ALEXANDER      HENDERSON. 

My  Reverend,  and  Dear  Brother, — I  received  your  letters. 
They  are  as  apples  of  gold  to  me,  for  with  my  sweet  feasts,  (and 
they  are  above  the  deserving  of  such  a  sinner,  high  and  out  of 
measure.)  I  have  sadness  to  ballast  me,  and  weight ''  me  a  little. 
It  is  but  his  boundless  wisdom  which  hath  taken  the  tutoring  of 
His  witless  child  ;  and,  he  knoweth  that  to  be  drunken  with 
comforts  is  not  safest  for  our  stomachs.  However  it  be,  the  din, 
and  noise,  and  glooms  ^  of  Christ's  cross  are  weightier  than  itself 

1  Pine  away. 

2  That  is,  I  declare  in  Christ's  court,  and  I  claim  that  the  declaration  be  recorded 
in  order  that  it  may  become  evidence.  3  Self-accusations.  *  Suretyship. 

5  Walk.  6  Shift  for.  ^  Depress.  8  Frowns.    . 


Rutherford's  letters.  193 

I  protest  to  you,  (my  witness  is  in  Heaven,)  that  I  could  wish 
many  pound-weights  added  to  my  cross,  to  know  that  by  my 
sufferiuGi's  Christ  were  set  forward  in  his  kingly  office  in  this 
land.  Oh !  what  is  my  skin  to  his  glory  ;  or  my  losses,  or  my 
sad  heart,  to  the  apple  of  the  eye  of  our  Lord,  and  his  beloved 
spouse,  his  precious  truth,  his  royal  privileges,  the  glory  of  mani- 
fested justice  in  giving  of  his  foes  a  dash,  the  testimony  of  his 
faithful  servants,  who  do  glorify  him,  when  he  rideth  upon  poor 
weak  worms,  and  triumpheth  in  them  ?  I  desire  you  to  pray, 
that  I  may  come  out  of  this  furnace  with  honesty,  and  that  I  may 
leave  Christ's  truth  no  worse  than  I  found  it ;  and  that  this  most 
honorable  cause  may  neither  be  stained  nor  weakened. 

As  for  3'our  cause,  my  reverend,  and  dearest  brother,  ye  are  the 
talking  of  the  north  and  south  ;  and  looked  to  so  as  if  ye  were  all 
crystal  glass.  Your  motes  and  dust  would  soon  be  proclaimed, 
and  trumpets  blown  at  yoiu"  slips ;  but  I  know  that  ye  have  laid 
help  upon  One  that  is  mighty.  Intrust  not  your  comforts  to  men's 
airy  and  frothy  applause,  neither  lay  your  down-castings  on  the 
tongues  of  salt '  mockers  and  reproachers  of  godhness.  "  As  de- 
ceivers, and  yet  true  ;  as  unknown,  and  yet  still  known,"  God  hath 
called  you  to  Christ's  side,  and  the  wind  is  now  in  Christ's  face  in 
this  land  ;  and  seeing  ye  are  with  him,  ye  cannot  expect  the  lee- 
side,  or  the  sunny  side  of  the  brae.^  But  I  know  that  ye  have 
resolved  to  take  Christ  upon  any  terms  whatsoever.  I  hope  that 
ye  do  not  rue,  though  your  cause  be  hated,  and  prejudices  are 
taken  up  against  it.  The  shields  of  the  world  think  our  Master 
cumbersome  wares,  and  that  he  maketh  too  great  din,  and  that 
his  cords  and  yokes  make  blains  and  deep  scores  in  their  neck ; 
therefore,  they  kick.  They  say  "This  man  shall  not  reign  over 
us." 

Let  us  pray  one  for  another.     He,  who  hath  made  you  a  chosen 
arrow  in  his  quiver,  hide  you  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand  !     I  am 
Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  9,  1G37. 


LETTER  CXVm. 

TO    THE    RIGHT    HONORABLE    MY    LORD    LOUDON. 

My  VERY  Noble,  and  Honorable  Lord, — Grace,  mercy, 
and  peace  be  to  you.  I  make  bold  to  write  to  your  Lordship,  that 
you  may  know  the  honorable  cause  which  ye  are  graced  to  pro- 
fess, is  Christ's  own  truth.  Ye  are  many  ways  blessed  of  God, 
who  have  taken  upon  you  to  come  out  to  the  streets  with  Christ 
on  your  forehead,  when  so  many  are  ashamed  of  him,  and  hide 
him,  as  it  were,  under  their  cloak,  as  if  he  were  a  stolen  Christ. 

1  Bitter. 

2  Slope.  Sunny  side  of  the  brae,  the  most  warm,  sheltered,  and  comfortable  situa- 
tion. ' 

13 


194 


RUTHERFORD'S    LETTERS. 


If  this  faithless  generation,  (and  especially  the  nobles  of  this  king- 
dom,) thought  not  Christ  dear  wares,  and  religion  expensive, 
hazardous,  and  dangerous,  they  would  not  slip  from  liis  cause  as 
they  do,  and  stand  looking  on  with  their  hands  folded  behind 
their  back  when  louns  ^  are  running  with  the  spoil  of  Zion  on 
their  back,  and  the  boards  of  the  Son  of  God's  tabernacle.  Law 
and  justice  are  to  be  had  by  any,  especially  for  money  and  moyen  ;  ^ 
but  Christ  can  get  no  law,  good-cheap,^  or  dear.  It  were  the  glory 
and  honor  of  you,  who  are  the  nobles  of  this  land,  to  plead  for 
your  wronged  Bridegroom,  and  his  oppressed  spouse,  as  far  as 
zeal,  and  standing  law  will  go  with  you.  Your  ordinary  logic 
from  the  event,  that  it  will  do  no  good  to  the  cause,  and,  therefore, 
silence  is  best,  till  the  Lord  put-to  his  own  hand,  is  not,  (with  rev- 
erence to  your  Lordship's  learning,)  worth  a  straw.  Events  are 
God's.  Let  us  do,  and  not  plead  against  God's  office.  Let  Him 
sit  at  his  own  helm,  who  moderateth  all  events.  It  is  not  a  good 
course  to  complain  that  we  cannot  get  a  providence  of  gold,  when 
our  laziness,  cold  zeal,  temporizing,  and  faithless  fearfulness  spil- 
leth^  good  providence. 

Your  Lordship  will  pardon  me ;  I  am  not  of  that  mind,  that 
tumults  or  arms  is  the  way  to  put  Christ  on  his  throne :  or  that 
Christ  will  be  served,  and  truth  vindicated,  only  with  the  arm  of 
flesh  and  blood :  nay,  Christ  doth  his  turn  with  less  din,  than 
with  garments  rolled  in  blood.  But  I  would  that  the  zeal  of  God 
were  in  the  nobles  to  do  their  part  for  Christ :  and  I  must  be  par- 
doned to  write  to  your  Lordship  this. 

I  dow  not,^  I  dare  not,  but  speak  to  others  what  God  hath  done 
to  the  soul  of  his  poor,  afflicted  exile  Prisoner.  His  comfort  is 
more  than  I  ever  knew  before ;  he  hath  sealed  the  honorable 
cause  which  I  now  suffer  for,  and  I  shall  not  believe  that  Christ 
will  put  his  amen,  and  ring^  upon  an  imagination.  He  hath 
made  all  his  promises  good  to  me,  and  hath  filled  vrp  all  the  blanks 
with  his  own  hand.  I  would  not  exchange  my  bonds  with  the 
plastered  joy  of  this  whole  world.  It  hath  pleased  him  to  make  a 
sinner,  the  like  of  me,  an  ordinary  banqueter  in  his  house-of-wine, 
with  that  royal  princely  One,  Christ  Jesus.  Oh  what  weighing ! 
Oh  what  telling  is  in  his  love  !  How  sweet  must  he  be,  when 
that  black  and  burdensome  tree,  his  own  cross,  is  so  perfumed 
with  joy  and  gladness  !  Oh,  for  help  to  lift  him  up  by  praises  on 
his  royal  throne  !  I  seek  no  more  than  that  his  name  may  be 
spread  abroad  in  me,  that  meikle^  good  may  be  spoken  of  Christ 
on  my  behalf;  and  this  being  done,  my  losses,  place,  stipend, 
credit,  ease,  and  liberty,  shall  all  be  made  up  to  my  full  content- 
ment and  joy  of  heart. 

I  shall  be  confident  that  your  Lordship  will  go  on  in  the  strength 
of  the  Lord,  and  keep  Christ,  and  avouch  him,  that  he  may  read 

I  Scoundrels,  low,  worthless  fellows.  2  Interest. 

3  Very  cheap,  gratuitous.  *  Spoileth. 

5  I  am  not  able,  indeed  I  have  not  courage  to  refrain  from  speaking. 
*  Assure  as  by  the  marriage  covenant.  i  Much. 


Rutherford's  letters.  195 

your  name  publicly  before  men  and  angels.  I  shall  entreat,  your 
Lordship  to  exhort  and  encourage  that  Nobleman,  your  Chief/  to 
do  the  same  ;  bat  T  am  wo  ^  that  many  of  you  find  a  new  Avisdom, 
which  deserveth  not  such  a  name — it  were  better  that  men  would 
see  that  their  wisdom  be  holy,  and  their  holiness  wise. 

I  must  be  bold  to  desire  your  Lordship  to  add  to  your  former 
favors  to  me,  (for  the  which  your  Lordship  hath  a  prisoner's  bless- 
ing and  prayers,)  this,  that  ye  would  be  pleased  to  befriend  my 
brother,  now  suffering  for  the  same  cause ;  foi-  as  he  is  to  dwell 
nigh  your  Lordship's  bounds,  your  Lordship's  word  and  counte- 
nance may  help  him. 

Thus  recommending  your  Lordship  to  the  saving  grace,  and 
tender  mercy  of  Christ  Jesus,  our  Lord,  I  rest, 

Your  Lordship's  obliged  servant  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  9,  1637. 


LETTER  CXIX. 


TO    MR.    WILLIAM    DALGLEISH,    MINISTER    OF    THE    GOSPEL. 

Reverend,  and  Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace 
be  to  you — I  am  well.  My  Lord  .Tesus  is  kinder  to  me  than  ever 
he  was.  It  pleaseth  him  to  dine  and  sup  with  his  afflicted  prisoner  : 
a  King  feasteth  me,  and  his  spikenard  casteth  a  sweet  smell.  Put 
Christ's  love  to  the  trial,  and  put  upon  it  our  burdens,  and  then  it 
will  appear  love  indeed :  we  employ  not  his  love,  and,  therefore, 
we  know  it  not.  I  verily  count  the  sufferings  of  my  Lord  more 
than  this  world's  lustred  ^  and  over-gilded  glory.  I  dare  not  say 
but  my  Lord  Jesus  hath  fully  recompensed  my  sadness  with  his 
joys,  my  losses  with  his  own  presence.  I  find  it  a  sweet  and  rich 
thing  to  exchange  my  sorrows  with  Christ's  joys,  my  afflictions 
with  that  sweet  peace  I  have  with  himself. 

Brother,  this  is  his  own  truth  I  now  suffer  for.  He  hath  sealed 
my  sufferings  with  his  own  comforts,  and  I  know  that  he  will  not 
put  his  seal  upon  blank  paper  ;  his  seals  are  not  dumb  nor  delu- 
sive, to  confirm  imaginations  and  lies.  Go  on,  my  dear  brother,  in 
the  strength  of  the  Lord,  not  fearing  man,  who  is  a  worm,  nor  the 
son  of  man  that  shall  die.  Providence  hath  a  thousand  keys,  to 
open  a  thousand  sundry  doors  for  the  dehverance  of  his  own,  when 
it  is  even  come  to  a  conclmnatuin  est.*  Let  us  be  faithful ;  and 
care  for  our  own  part,  which  is  to  do  and  suffer  for  him,  and  lay 
Christ's  part  on  himself,  and  leave  it  there.     Duties  are  ours, 

1  The  Earl  of  Argyll,  Chief  of  the  Clan  Campbell.  2  Grieved. 

3  Lustrous. 

<  That  is,  when  it  is  quite  desperate,  when  it  is  given  up  for  lost.  A  form  of  speeeh 
taken  from  a  custom  among  the  Romans,  of  calling  upon  a  person,  who  had  died, 
several  times  by  his  name.  Hence  those,  who  had  given  up  a  friend  for  lost,  or  who 
supposed  him  to  be  dead,  were  said  eum  condamavisse ;  in  like  manner  it  was  said  of 
a  thing  when  it  was  reckoned  quite  desperate,  condamatum  est,  "  all  is  over." 


196  Rutherford's  letters. 

events  are  the  Lord's.  When  our  faith  goeth  to  meddle  with 
events,  and  to  hold  a  court  (if  I  may  so  speak)  upon  God's  provi- 
dence, and  beginneth  to  say,  ''How  wilt  thou  do  this  and  that?" 
we  lose  ground.  We  have  nothing  to  do  there.  It  is  our  part  to 
let  the  Almighty  exercise  his  own  office,  and  steer  his  own  helm. 
There  is  nothing  left  to  us,  but  to  see  how  we  may  be  ajjproved 
of  him,  and  how  we  may  roll  the  weight  of  our  weak  souls  in 
well-doing  upon  Him,  who  is  God  omnipotent :  and  when  what 
we  thus  essay  miscarrieth,  it  will  neither  be  our  sin  nor  cross. 

Brother,  remember  the  Lord's  word  to  Peter ;  "Simon,  lovest 
thou  me?  Feed  my  sheep."  No  greater  testimony  of  our  love  to 
Christ  can  be,  than  to  feed  carefully  and  faithfully  his  lambs. 

I  am  in  no  better  neighborhood  with  the  ministers  here  than 
before  :  they  cannot  endure  that  any  speak  of  me,  or  to  me.  Thus 
1  am,  in  the  meantime,  silent,  which  is  my  greatest  grief.  Dr. 
Barron  hath  often  disputed  with  me,  especially  about  Arminian 
controversies,  and  for  the  ceremonies.  Three  yokings  *  laid  him 
by ;  and  I  have  not  been  troubled  with  him  since.  Now,  he  hath 
appointed  a  dispute  before  witnesses  ;  I  trust  that  Christ  and  truth 
will  do  for  themselves. 

I  hope,  brother,  that  ye  will  help  my  people ;  and  write  to  me 
what  you  hear  the  Bishop  is  to  do  with  them.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  brother  in  bonds,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen. 


LETTER  CXX. 


TO    MR.    HUGH    MACKAIL,    MINISTER    OF    THE    GOSPEL. 

Reverend,  and  Dear  Brother, — I  bless  you  for  your  letter. 
— He*^  is  come  down  as  rain  upon  the  mown  grass;  he  hath  re- 
vived my  withered  root ;  and  he  is  the  dew  of  herbs. ,  I  am  most 
secure  in  this  prison  :  salvation  is  for  walls  in  it ;  and  what  think 
ye  of  these  walls?  He  maketh  the  dry  plant  to  bud  as  the  lily, 
and  to  blossom  as  Lebanon  ; — the  great  Husbandman's  blessing 
Cometh  down  upon  the  plants  of  righteousness.  Who  may  say 
this,  my  dear  brother,  if  I,  his  poor  exiled  stranger  and  prisoner, 
may  not  say  it  ?  Howbeit  all  the  world  should  be  silent,  I  cannot 
hold  my  peace.  Oh,  how  many  black  accounts  have  Christ  and 
I  rounded  over  together  in  the  house  of  my  pilgrimage !  and  how 
fat  a  portion  he  hath  given  to  a  hungry  soul !  I  had  rather  have 
Christ's  four-hours,3  than  have  dinner  and  supper  both  in  one  from 
any  other — his  dealing,  and  the  way  of  his  judgments  are  past 
finding  out.  No  preaching,  no  book,  no  learning  could  give  me 
that,  which  it  behooved  me  to  come  and  get  in  this  town.  But 
what  of  all  this,  if  I  were  not  misted,*  and  confounded,  and  aston- 

1  A  set-to.     Yoking  is  properly  the  time  during  which  a  horse  is  in  the  yoke. 

2  In  the  Scottish  dialect,  He  is  often  used,  as  X1M  is  in  Hebrew,  as  a  name  of  God. 
8  Slight  afternoon  refreshment.  *  Bewildered. 


Rutherford's  letters.  197 

ished  how  to  be  thankful,  and  how  to  get  hira  praised  for  ever- 
more ?  And,  what  is  more,  he  hath  been  pleased  to  pain  me  with 
his  love,  and  my  pain  groweth  through  want  of  real  possession. 

Some  have  written  to  me,  that  I  am  possibly  too  joyful  of  the 
cross ;  but  jny  joy  overleapeth  the  cross,  it  is  bounded  and  termi- 
nated upon  Christ.  I  know  that  the  sun  will  over-cloud  and 
eclipse,  and  that  I  shall  again  be  put  to  walk  in  the  shadow  :  but 
Christ  must  be  welcome  to  come  and  go,  as  he  thinketh  meet. 
Yet  he  would  be  more  welcome  to  me,  I  trow,  to  come,  than  to  go ; 
and  I  hope  he  pitieth  and  pardoneth  me,  in  casting  apples  to  me, 
at  such  a  fainting  time  as  this — holy,  and  blessed  is  his  name.  It 
was  not  my  flattering  of  Christ  that  drew  a  kiss  from  his  mouth : 
but  he  would  send  me  as  a  spy  into  this  wilderness  of  suffering, 
to  see  tlie  land,  and  try  the  ford ;  and  I  cannot  make  a  lie  of 
Christ's  cross  ;  I  can  report  nothing  but  good  both  of  him  and  it, 
lest  others  should  faint.  1  hope,  when  a  change  cometh,  to  cast 
anchor  at  midnight  upon  the  Rock,  (which  he  hath  taught  me  to 
know  in  this  day-light,)  whither  I  may  run,  when  I  must  say  my 
lesson  without  book,  and  believe  in  the  dark.  I  am  sure  it  is  sin 
to  tarrow  ^  at  Christ's  good  meat,  and  not  to  eat  when  he  saith, 
"  Eat,  O  well-beloved,  and  drink  abundantly."  If  he  bear  me  on 
his  back,  or  carry  me  in  his  arms  over  this  water,  I  hope  for  grace 
to  set  down  my  feet  on  dry  ground,  when  the  way  is  better :  but 
this  is  slippery  ground  ;  my  Lord  thought  good  I  should  go  by  a 
hold,  and  lean  on  my  Well-beloved's  shoulder — it  is  good  to  be 
ever  taking  from  him.  I  desire  that  he  may  get  the  fruit  of 
praises,  for  dawting,''  and  thus  dandling  me  on  his  knee :  and  I 
may  give  my  bond  of  thankfulness,  so  being  I  have  Christ's  back- 
bond ^  again  for  my  relief,  that  I  shall  be  strengthened  by  his 
powerful  grace,  to  pay  my  vows  to  him.  But,  truly,  I  find  that  we 
have  the  advantage  of  the  brae*  upon  our  enemies  :  we  are  more 
than  conquerors  through  Him  who  loved  us ;  and  they  know  not 
wherein  our  strength  lyeth. 

Pray  for  me.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  brother  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen. 


LETTER  CXXI. 


TO  MY   LADY  BOYD, 


Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  unto  you — The  Lord  hath 
brought  me  to  Aberdeen,  where  1  see  God  in  few.  This  town  hath 
been  advised  upon  of  purpose  for  me ;  it  consisteth  of  Papists,  or 

1  To  feel  reluctance,  especially  from  some  pettish  humor. 

2  Fondling,  making  much  of 

3  A  bond  given  by  one  who  has  received  a  previous  bond,  engaging  that  the  person 
who  gave  the  previous  bond  shall  not,  in  consequence  of  it,  come  to  any  loss  or  dam- 
age. *  Slope,  decUvity. 


198  Rutherford's  letters. 

men  of  Gallic's  noughty '  faith.  It  is  counted  wisdom,  in  the  most, 
not  to  countenance  a  confined  minister !  but  I  find  Christ  neither 
strange  nor  unkind  ;  for  I  have  found  many  faces  smile  upon  me 
since  I  came  hither. 

I  am  heavy  and  sad,  considering  what  is  betwixt  the  Lord  and 
my  soul,Avliich  none  seeth  but  he.  I  find  men  have  mistaken  me  ; 
it  would  be  no  art  (as  I  now  see)  to  spin  small,-  and  make  hypoc- 
risy seem  a  goodly  web,  and  go  through  the  market  as  a  saint 
among  men,  and  yet  steal  quietly  to  Hell,  without  observation  ;  so 
easy  is  it  to  deceive  men.  I  have  disputed  whether  or  no  I  ever 
knew  anything  of  Christianity,  save  the  letters  of  that  name. 
Men  see  but  as  men,  and  they  call  ten  twenty,  and  twenty  a  hun- 
dred ;  but,  oh  !  to  be  approved  of  God  in  the  heart  and  in  sincer- 
ity, is  not  an  ordinary  mercy.  My  neglects  while  I  had  a  pulpit, 
and  other  things  whereof  I  am  ashamed  to  speak,  meet  me  now, 
so  as  God  maketh  an  honest  cross  my  daily  sorrow ;  and,  for  fear 
of  scandal  and  stumbling,  I  must  hide  this  day  of  the  law's  plead- 
ing :  I  know  not  if  this  court,  kept  within  my  soul,  be  fenced  ^  in 
Christ's  name.  If  certainty  of  salvation  were  to  be  bought,  God 
knoweth  that  if  I  had  ten  earths,  I  would  not  prig^  with  God. 
Like  a  fool,  I  believed,  under  sufferings  for  Christ,  that  I  myself 
should  keep  the  key  of  Christ's  treasures,  and  take  out  comforts 
when  I  listed,  and  eat,  and  be  fat ;  but  I  see  now  that  a  sufferer 
for  Christ  shall  be  made  to  know  himself,  and  shall  be  holden  at 
the  door,  as  well  as  another  poor  sinner :  and  will  be  fain  to  eat 
with  the  bairns  and  take  the  by-board,'  and  glad  to  do  so.  My 
blessing  on  the  cross  of  Christ,  that  hath  made  me  to  see  this. 
Oh,  if^  we  could  take  pains  for  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  !  But  we 
sit  down  upon  some  ordinary  marks  of  God's  children,  thinking  we 
have  as  much  as  will  separate  us  from  a  reprobate,  and  thereupon 
we  take  the  play,  and  cry  "Holiday;"  and  thus  the  Devil  casteth 
water  on  our  fire,  and  blunteth  our  zeal  and  care.  But  I  see  that 
Heaven  is  not  at  the  next  door ;  and  I  see  that,  howbeit  my  chal- 
lenges'^  be  many,  I  suffer  for  Christ  and  dare  hazard  my  salvation 
upon  it ;  for  sometimes  my  Lord  cometh  with  a  fair  hour,  and,  oh  ! 
but  his  love  is  sweet,  delightful,  and  comfortable  !  Half  a  kiss  is 
sweet :  but  our  doting  love  will  not  be  content  with  a  right  to 
Christ,  unless  we  get  possession  ;  like  the  man  who  will  not  be 
content  with  rights^  to  bought  land,  except  he  get  also  the  ridges 
and  acres  laid  upon  his  back,  to  carry  home  with  him.  However 
it  be,  Christ  is  wise ;  and  we  are  fools  to  be  browden^  and  fond  of 
a  pawn  in  the  loof '"  of  our  hand  :  living  on  trust  by  faith  may  well 
content  us.  Madam,  I  know  that  your  Ladyship  knoweth  this, 
and  that  made  me  bold  to  write  of  it,  that  others  might  reap  some- 
what by  my  bonds  for  the  truth ;  for  I  would  desire,  and  aim  at 

1  Havinw  nothing  in  it.  _      ^  Fine. 

3  To  fence,  to  open  a  court  by  proclaiming  the  principles  on  which  it  is  constituted. 

*  Higgle,  challer.  5  Side-table.  «  Oh,  that. 

'  Self- accusations.  ^  Title-deeds. 

9  Unreasonably,  and  somewhat  childishly  intent  upon  a  thing. 

1"  The  palm  of  the  hand. 


Rutherford's  letters.  199 

this,  to  have  my  Lord  well-spoken  of  and  honored,  howbeit  he 
should  make  nothing-  of  me  but  a  bridge  over  a  water. 

Thus  recommending  your  Ladyship,  your  son  and  children,  to 
His  grace,  vvho  hath  honored  you  with  a  name  and  room  among 
the  living  in  Jerusalem  ;  and  wishing  grace  to  be  with  your  Lady- 
ship, I  rest, 

Your  Ladyship's  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen. 


LETTER  CXXIL 

TO     MR.     DAVID     DICKSON. 

Reverend,  and  Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace 
be  unto  you — I  find  that  great  men,  especially  old  friends,  scaur  '■ 
to  speak  for  me  ;  but  my  kingly  and  royal  Master  biddeth  me  to 
try  his  moyen^  to  the  uttermost,  and  I  shall  find  a  friend  at  hand. 
I  still  depend  upon  Him  ;  His  court  is  as  before  ;  the  prisoner  is 
welcome  to  Him  ;  the  black,  crabbed  tree  of  my  Lord's  cross  hath 
made  Christ  and  mj'^  soul  very  entire.;  ^  He  is  my  song  in  the 
night.  I  am  often  laid  in  the  dust  with  challenges,'*  and  appre- 
hensions of  His  anger,  and  then,  if  a  mountain  of  iron  were  laid 
upon  me,  I  cannot  be  heavier ;  and  with  much  wrestling  I  win^ 
into  the  king's  house-of-wine,  and  then,  for  the  most  part,  my  life 
is  joy,  and  such  joy  through  his  comforts,  as  I  have  been  afraid 
lest  I  should  shame  myself  and  cry  out,  for  I  can  scarce  bear  what 
I  get.  Christ  giveth  me  a  measure  heaped  up,  pressed  down,  and 
running  over  ;  and,  believe  it,  his  love  paineth  more  than  prison 
and  banishment.  I  cannot  get  the  way  of  Christ's  love.  Had  I 
known  what  He  was  keeping  for  me,  T  should  never  have  been  so 
faint-hearted.  In  my  heaviest  times,  when  all  is  lost,  the  memory 
of  His  love  maketh  me  think  Christ's  glooms'  are  but  for  the 
fashion.''  I  seek  no  more  than  a  vent  to  my  wine  ;  I  am  smoth- 
ered and  ready  to  burst  for  want  of  vent.  Think  not  much  of 
persecution.  It  is  before  you  ;  but  it  is  not  as  men  conceive  of  it; 
my  sugared  cross  forceth  me  to  say  this  to  you,  ye  shall  have 
waled  8  meat — the  sick  bairn  is  ofttimes  the  spilled  °  bairn — ye  shall 
command  all  the  house.  I  hope  that  ye  help  a  tired  prisoner  to 
praise  and  pray.  Had  I  but  the  annual  of  annual '"  to  give  to  my 
Lord  Jesus,  it  would  ease  my  pain.  But,  alas !  I  have  nothing  to 
pay,  he  will  get  nothing  of  poor  me  ;  but  I  am  wo"  that  I  have 
not  room  enough  in  my  heart  for  such  a  stranger.  I  am  not  cast 
down  to  go  farther  north.     I  have  good  cause  to  work  for  my  Mas- 

I  Boggle.  2  Interest. 

3  That  is,  Iiath  united  them  in  most  intimate  acquaintance  and  friendship. 

*  Self-accusations.  s  Get.  ^  Frowns. 

7  For  the  customary  appearance.  8  Carefully  selected. 

9  Spoiled.  1°  Q,uit-rent  of  quit-rent,  that  is,  the  smallest  sum. 

"  Grieved. 


200  Rutherford's  letters. 

ter,  for  I  am  well-paid  before-hand  ;  I  am  not  behind,  howbeit  1 
should  get  one  smile  more,  till  my  feet  be  up  within  the  King-'s 
dining-hall. 

I  have  gone  through  yours  upon  the  Covenant ;  it  hath  edified 
my  soul,  and  refreshed  a  hungry  man.  I  judge  it  sharp,  sweet, 
quick,  and  profound.  Take  me  at  my  word,  1  fear  that  it  get  no 
lodging  in  Scotland. 

The  brethren  of  Ireland  write  not  to  me — chide  with  them  for 
that.  I  am  sure  that  I  may  give  you  and  them  a  commission, 
(and  I  will  abide  by  it,)  tliat  you  tell  my  Beloved  that  I  am  sick 
of  love.  I  hope  in  God  to  leave  some  of  my  rust  and  superfluities 
in  Aberdeen.  I  cannot  get  a  house  in  this  town  wherein  to  leave 
drink-silver'  in  my  Master's  name,  save  one  only  :  there  is  no  sale 
for  Christ  in  the  north  ;  he  is  like  to  lye  long  on  my  hand,  ere  any 
accept  him. 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen. 


LETTER  CXXin. 

TO     MR.     MATTHEW     MO  WAT. 

Reverend,  and  Dear  Brother, — I  am  a  very  far  mistaken 
man.  If  others  knew  how  poor  my  stock  was,  they  would  not 
think  upon  the  like  of  me  but  with  compassion  ;  for  I  am  as  one 
kept  under  a  strict  tutor  ;  I  would  have  more  than  my  tutor  al- 
loweth  me,  but  it  is  good  that  a  bairn's  wit  is  not  the  rule  which 
regulateth  my  Lord  Jesus.  Let  him  give  what  he  will,  it  shall 
aye  be  above  merit,  and  my  ability  to  gain  therewith.  I  would 
not  wish  a  better  stock,  wliill  Heaven  be  my  stock,  than  to  live 
upon  credit  at  Christ's  hands,  daily  borrowing.  Surely,  running-- 
over  love,  that  vast,  huge,  boundless  love  of  Christ,  (that  there  is 
telling  in  for  man  and  angels,)  is  the  only  thing  I  most  fain  would 
be  in  hands  with.  He  knoweth  that  I  have  little  but  the  love  of 
that  love  ;  and  that  I  shall  be  happy,  suppose  I  never  get  another 
heaven,  but  only  an  eternal,  lasting  feast  of  that  love.  But  sup- 
pose my  wishes  were  poor,  he  is  not  poor ;  Christ,  all  the  seasons 
of  the  year,  is  dropping  sweetness.  If  I  had  vessels,  I  might  fill 
them,  but  my  old,  riven,  and  running-out  dish,  even  when  I  am 
at  the  well,  can  bring  little  away.  Nothing  but  glory  will  make 
tiglit  and  fast  our  leaking  and  rifty*^  vessels.  Alas!  I  have 
skailed^  more  of  Christ's  grace,  love,  faitii,  humility,  and  godly 
sorrow  than  I  have  brought  with  me.  How  little  of  the  sea  can 
a  child  carry  in  his  hand  !  as  little  dow  i  I  take  way  of  my  great 
Sea,  my  boundless  and  running-over  Christ  Jesus. 

'  Drink  money.  Rutherford  means  that  he  could  not  find  any  house,  save  only  one, 
in  which  he  could  leave,  on  his  departure  Irom  it, any  expression  or  token  of  his  regard 
for  Christ.  2  Full  of  rifts  or  rents.  2  Spilled,  scattered.  ■»  Am  able  to. 


-  '  Rutherford's  letters.  201 

I  have  not  lighted  upon  the  right  gate'  of  putting  Christ  to  the 
bank,  and  malting  myself  rich  with  him  :  my  misguiding  and 
childish  traflicking  with  that  matchless  Pearl,  tliat  Heaven's  Jewel, 
the  Jewel  of  the  Fatlier's  dehghts,  hath  put  me  to  a  great  loss. 
Ob,  that  he  would  take  a  loan  of  me,  and  my  stock,  and  put  his 
name  in  all  my  bonds,  and  serve  himself  heir  to  the  poor  mean 
portion  Avhicii  I  have,  and  be  accountable  for  the  talent  himself! 
Gladly  would  I  put  Christ  into  my  room,  to  guide  all;  and  let  me 
be  but  a  servant  to  run  errands,  and  act  by  his  direction — let  me 
be  his  interdicted  heir.  Lord  Jesus  work  upon  my  minority,  and 
let  him  win  a  pupil's  blessing.  Oh,  how  would  I  rejoice  to  have 
this  work  of  my  salvation  legally  fastened  upon  Christ !  A  back- 
bond^ of  my  Lord  Jesus  that  it  should  be  forthcoming^  to  the  or- 
phan, would  be  my  happiness  :  dependency  on  Christ  weve  my 
surest  way  ;  if  Christ  were  my  foundation  I  were  sure  enough.  I 
thought  the  guiding  of  grace  had  been  no  art ;  ^  I  thought  it  would 
come  of  will  ;^  but  I  would  spill «  my  own  heaven  yet,  if  I  bad  not 
burdened  Christ  with  all.  I  but  lend  my  bare  name  to  the  sweet 
covenant ;  Christ,  behind  and  before,  and  on  either  side,  maketb 
all  sure.  God  will  not  take  an  Arminian  cautioner.'^  Free-will, . 
a  weather-cock,  turning  at  a  serpent's  tongue,  a  tutor  that  cowped^ 
our  father,  Adam,  unto  us  ;  and  brought  down  the  house,  and  sold 
the  land  ;  and  sent  the  father,  the  mother,  and  all  the  bairns 
through  the  earth,  to  beg  their  bread :  nature  in  the  Gospel,  hath 
but  cracked  a  credit.  Oh,  well  to  my  poor  soul  for  evermore,  that 
my  Lord  called  grace  to  the  council,  and  put  Christ  Jesus  with 
free  merits,  and  the  blood  of  God  foremost  in  the  chase,  to  draw 
sinners  after  a  Ransomer !  Oh,  what  a  sweet  block  °  was  it,  by 
way  of  buying  and  selling,  to  give,  and  tell  down  a  ransom  for 
grace  and  glory  to  dyvours ! '"  Oh,  would  to  my  Lord  that  I  could 
cause  paper  and  ink  to  speak  the  worth  and  excellency,  the  high 
and  loud  praises  of  a  Brother-ransomer  !  The  Ransomer  needeth 
not  my  report ;  but  oh,  if  he  would  take  it,  and  make  use  of  it ! 
I  should  be  happy,  if  I  had  an  errand  to  this  world,  but  for  some 
few  years,  to  spread  proclamations  and  outcries,  and  love-letters, 
of  the  highness,  the  highness  for  evermore,  the  glory,  the  glory  for 
evermore,  of  the  Ransomer,  whose  clothes  were  wet  and  dyed  in 
blood  I  albeit,  after  I  had  done  that,  my  soul  and  body  should  go 
back  to  the  mother.  Nothing  that  their  Creator  brought  them 
once  out  from,  as  from  their  I3eginning.  But  why  sliould  I  pine 
away,  and  pain  myself  with  wishes  ;  and  not  believe  rather, 
that  Christ  will  hire  such  an  outcast  as  I  am,  a  masterless  body,'* 
put  out  of  the  house  by  the  sons  of  my  mother,  and  give  me  em- 

1  Way,  manner. 

2  A  bond,  given  by  one  who  tias  received  a  previous  bond,  enjrairing  that  the 
person  who  gave  the  previous  bond  shall  not,  in  consequence  of  it,  come  to  any  loss 
or  damage. 

3  Producible.  ^  That  is,  required  no  skill.  s  Spontaneously. 

6  Spoil,  ruin.  7  Surety.  8  Overturned,  upset, 

9  Plan,  or  scheme  of  a  bargain.  Jo  Bankrupts. 

'1  A  servant  whom  no  master  will  hire. 


202  Rutherford's  letters. 

ployment  and  a  calling,  one  way  or  other,  to  set  out  Christ  and 
his  wares  to  country  buyers,  and  purpose  Christ  unto,  and  press 
him  upon  some  poor  souls,  that  fainer  than  their  life  would  receive 
hira  ?  • 

You  complain  heavilyof  your  short-coming  in  practice,  and  ven- 
turing on  suffering  for  Christ:  you  have  many  marrows.'  For 
the  first,  I  would  not  put  you  off  a  sense  of  wretchedness.  Hold 
on  !  Christ  never  yet  slew  a  sighing,  groaning  child :  more  of  "" 
that  would  make  you  won  goods,  and  a  meet  prey  for  Christ. 
Alas  !  I  have  too  little  of  it,  for  venturing  on  suffering.  I  had  not 
so  much  free  gear,^  when  I  came  to  Christ's  camp  as  to  buy  a 
sword — a  wonder  that  Christ  should  not  laugh  at  such  a  soldier. 
I  am  no  better  yet ;  but  faith  liveth  and  spendeth  upon  our  Cap- 
tain's charges,  who  is  able  to  pay  for  all:  we  need  not  pity  him, 
he  is  rich  enough.  Ye  desire  me  also  not  to  mistake  Christ  under 
a  mask.  I  bless  you,  and  thank  God  for  it :  but  alas !  masked, 
or  bare-faced,  kissing  or  glooming,^  I  mistake  him :  yea,  I  mistake 
hira  farthest  when  the  mask  is  off;  for  then  I  play  me  with  his 
sweetness.  I  am  like  a  child,  that  hath  a  gilded  book,  that  play- 
eth  with  the  ribbons,  and  the  gilding,  and  the' picture  on  the  first 
page,  but  readeth  not  the  contents  of  it.  Certainly  if  my  desires 
to  my  Well-beloved  were  fulfilled,  I  could  provoke  devils,  and 
crosses,  and  the  world,  and  temptations  to  the  field ;  but,  oh  !  my 
poor  weakness  maketh  me  lye  behind  the  bush  and  hide  me. 

Remember  my  service  and  my  blessing  to  my  Lord.  I  am 
mindful  of  him  as  I  am  able.  Desire  him  from  a  prisoner,  to 
come  and  visit  my  good  Master,  and  feel  but  the  smell  of  his  love. 
It  setteth^  him  well,  howbeit  he  be  young,  to  make  Christ  his  gar- 
land. I  could  not  wish  him  in  a  better  case,  than  in  a  fever  of 
love-sickness  for  Christ. 

Remember  my  bonds.     The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 
Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTEJl  CXXIV. 

TO     WILLIAM     HALLIDAY. 

Loving  Friend,^ — I  received  your  letter.  I  wish  that  ye  take 
pains  for  salvation.  Mistaken  grace,  and  somewhat  like  conver- 
sion which  is  not  conversion,  is  the  saddest  and  most  doleful  thing 
in  the  world.  Make  sure  of  salvation,  and  lay  the  foundation  sure, 
for  many  are  beguiled.  Put  a  low  price  upon  the  world's  clay  ; 
put  a  high  price  upon  Christ.  Temptations  will  come,  but  if  they 
be  not  made  welcome  by  you,  ye  have  the  best  of  it.  Be  jealous 
over  yourself  and  your  own  heart,  and  keep  touches "  with  God. 

1  Equals,  companions.  2  Money.  3  Frowning, 

*  Becomes.  5  Keep  faith. 


Rutherford's  letters.  203 

Let  him  not  have  a  faint  and  feeble  soldier  of  you.  Fear  not  to 
back  Christ,  for  he  will  conquer  and  overcome.  Let  no  man  scaur  * 
at  Christ,  for  I  have  no  quarrels  at  his  cross ;  he  and  his  cross  are 
two  good  guests,  and  worth  the  lodging.  Men  wDuld  fain  have 
Christ  good-cheap,^  but  the  market  will  not  come  down.  Acquaint 
yourself  with  prayer.  Make  Christ  your  Captain  and  your  armor. 
Make  conscience  of  sinning  when  no  eye  seeth  you.  Grace  be 
with  you. 

Yours,  in  Christ  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen. 


LETTER  CXXV. 


TO    A    GENTLEWOMAN,    AFTER    THE    DEATH     OF    HER    HUSBAND. 

Dear,  and  Loving  Sister,— I  know  that  ye  are  minding  your 
sweet  country,  and  not  taking  your  inn  (the  place  of  your  banish- 
ment) for  your  home.  This  life  is  not  worthy  to  be  the  thatch  or 
outer  wall  of  the  paradise  of  your  Lord  Jesus,  that  he  did  sweat 
for  to  you,  and  that  he  keepeth  for  you.  Short,  and  silly,  and 
sand-blind  were  our  hope,  if  it  could  not  look  over  the  water  to 
our  best  heritage,  and  if  it  stayed  only  at  home  about  the  doors 
of  our  clay  house. 

I  marvel  not,  my  dear  sister,  that  ye  complain  that  ye  come 
short  of  your  old  wrestlings,  which  ye  had  for  a  blessing,  and  that 
now  ye  find  it  not  so.  Bairns  are  but  hired  to  learn  their  lesson, 
when  they  first  go  to  school:  and  it  is  enough  that  these  who  run 
a  race  see  the  gold  only  at  the  starting-place  ;  and  possibly  they 
see  little  more  of  it,  or  nothing  at  all  till  they  win^  to  the  rinks- 
end,^  and  get  the  gold  in  the  loof'^  of  their  hand.  Our  Lord  maketh 
delicates  and  dainties  of  his  sweet  presence  and  love-visits  to  his 
own ;  but  Christ's  love,  under  a  veil,  is  love.  If  ye  get  Christ, 
howbeit  not  the  sweet  and  pleasant  way  ye  would  have  him,  it  is 
enough  ;  for  the  Well-beloved  cometh  not  our  way  ;  he  must  wale^ 
his  own  gate''  himself  For  worldly  things,  seeing  they  are  mead- 
ows and  fair  flowers  in  your  way  to  Heaven,  a  smell  in  the  by- 
going^  is  sufficient.  He  that  would  reckon  and  tell  all  the  stones 
in  his  way,  in  a  journey  of  three  or  four  hundred  miles,  and  write 
up  in  his  count-book  ^  all  the  herbs  and  the  flowers  growing  in  his 
way,  might  come  short  of  his  journey.  You  cannot  stay,  in  your 
inch  of  time,  to  lose  your  day,  (seeing  that  you  are  in  haste  ;  and 
the  night,  and  your  afternoon  will  not  bide  '"  you,)  in  setting  your 
lieart  on  this  vain  world.  It  were  your  wisdom  to  read  your  ac- 
count-book, and  to  have  in  readiness  your  business,  against  the 

'  Boggle. 

2  Gratuitously.     Rutherford  means  without  any  trials  or  tribulations. 

3  Get.  *  End  of  the  course.  s  The  palm. 
6  Choose,  select.                      '''  Way.  *>  Passing. 

9  That  is,  his  diary  or  journal.  i"  Wait  lor. 


204  Rutherford's  letters. 

time  you  come  to  death's  water-side.  I  know  tliat  your  lodging 
is  taken  ;  your  forerunner,  Christ,  hath  not  forgotten  that ;  and, 
therefore,  you  must  set  yourself  to  your  "  one  thing."  which  you 
cannot  well  vv^nt. 

In  that  our  Lord  took  your  husband  to  himself,  I  know  it  was 
that  he  might  make  room  for  himself.  He  cutteth  off  your  love 
to  the  creature,  that  ye  might  learn  that  God  only  is  the  right 
owner  of  your  love,  sorrow,  loss,  sadness,  death,  or  the  worst  things 
that  are,  except  sin.  But  Christ  knoweth  well  what  to  make  of 
them,  and  can  put  his  own  in  the  cross's  common,'  that  we  shall 
be  obHged  to  affliction,  and  thank  God,  who  taught  us  to  make  our 
acquaintance  with  such  a  rough  companion,  who  can  hale  us  to 
Christ.  You  must  learn  to  make  your  evils  your  great  good  ;  and 
to  spin  comforts,  peace,  joy,  communion  with  Christ,  out  of  your 
troi^iles,  that  are  Christ's  wooers,  sent  to  speak  for''  you  to  him- 
self. It  is  easy  to  get  good  words,  and  a  comfortable  message 
from  our  Lord,  even  from  such  rough  Serjeants,  as  divers  tempta- 
tions. Thanks  to  God  for  crosses  !  When  we  count  and  reckon 
our  losses  in  seeking  God,  we  find  that  godliness  is  great  gain. 
Great  partners  of  a  shipful  of  gold  are  glad  to  see  the  ship  come  to 
the  harbor; — surely  we  and  our  Lord  Jesus  together,  have  a  ship- 
ful of  gold  coming  home,  and  our  gold  is  in  that  ship.  Some  are 
so  in  love,  or  rather  in  lust,  with  this  life,  that  they  sell  their  part 
of  the  sliip  for  a  little  thing.  I  would  counsel  you  to  buy  hope, 
but  sell  it  not,  and  give  not  away  your  crosses  for  nothing ;  the 
inside  of  Christ's  cross  is  white  and  joyful,  and  the  far-end^  of  the 
black  cross  is  a  fair  and  glorious  heaven  of  ease :  and  seeing 
Christ  hath  fastened  Heaven  to  the  far-end  ^  of  the  cross,  and  he 
will  not  loose  the  knot  himself,  and  none  else  can,  (for  when  Christ 
casteth^  a  knot,  all  the  world  cannot  loose  it :)  let  us  then  count 
it  exceeding  joy,  when  we  fall  into  divers  temptations. 

Thus  recommending  you  to  the  tender  mercy,  and  grace  of  our 
Lord,  I  rest, 

Your  loving  brother,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen. 


LETTER  CXXVL 

TO  JOHN  GORDON  OF  CARDONESS,  YOUNGER. 

Honored,  and  Dear  Brother, — I  wrote  of  late  to  you.  Mul- 
titudes of  letters  burden  me  now.     I  am  refreshed  with  your  letter. 

I  exhort  you  in  the  bowels  of  Christ,  set  to  work  for  your  soul, 
and  let  these  bear  weight  with  you,  and  ponder  them  seriously : 
1st,  Weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth  in  utter  darkness  or  Heaven's 
joy.     2ndly,  Think  what  ye  would  give  for  an  hour,  when  ye 

J  That  is.  Christ  can  so  place  himself  under,  or  connect  himself  with,  the  cross,  as' 
that  we  shall  be  obliged  or  indebted  to  the  cross  for  our  being  brought  to  him. 
2  To  bespeak.  3  Farthest  end.  *  Tieth. 


Rutherford's  letters.  205 

shall  lye  like  dead,  cold,  blackened  clay.  3idly,  There  is  sand  in 
your  glass  yet,  and  your  sun  is  not  gone  down.  4thiy,  Consider 
what  joy  and  j)eace  are  in  Christ's  service.  5thly,  Tliink  what 
advantage  it  will  be,  to  have  angels,  the  world,  life  and  death, 
crosses,  yea,  and  devils,  all  for  you,  as  the  King's  Serjeants  and 
servants,  to  do  your  business.  6thly,  To  have  mercy  on  your 
seed,  and  a  blessing  on  your  house.  7thly,  To  have  true  honor, 
and  a  name  on  earth  that  casteth  a  sweet  smell.  Sthly,  How  ye 
will  rejoice  when  Christ  layeth  down  your  head  under  his  chin, 
and  betwixt  his  breasts,  and  drieth  your  face,  and  welcometh  you 
to  glory  and  happiness.  Othly,  Imagine  what  pain  and  torture  is 
a  guilty  conscience ;  what  slavery  to  carry  the  Devil's  dishonest' 
loads.  lOthly,  Sin's  joys  are  but  night-dreams,  thoughts,  vapors, 
imaginations,  and  shadows,  llthly.  Wliat  dignity  it  is  to  be  a 
son  of  God.  12thly,  Dominion  and  mastery  over  temptations," 
over  the  world  and  sin.  ISthl}^,  That  your  enemies  should  be  the 
tail  and  you  the  head. 

For  your  bairns,  now  at  rest,  I  speak  to  you  and  your  wife,  (and 
cause  her  to  read  this.)  1st,  I  am  a  witness  for  Barbara's  glory  in 
Heaven.  2ndl3^,  For  the  rest,  I  write  it  under  my  hand,  there  are 
days  coming  on  Scotland,  when  barren  wombs,  and  dry  breasts, 
and  childless  parents  shall  be  pronounced  blessed — they  are  then, 
in  the  lee  of  the  harbor,  ere  the  storm  come  on.  3rdly,  They  are 
not  lost  to  you,  that  are  laid  up  in  Christ's  treasury  in  Heaven. 
4thly,  At  the  Resurrection,  ye  shall  meet  with  them  ;  thither  they 
are  sent  before,  but  not  sent  away.  5thly,  Your  Lord  loveth  you, 
who  is  homely '  to  take  and  give,  borrow  and  lend.^  Gthly,  Let 
not  bairns  be  your  idols  ;  for  God  will  be  jealous,and  take  away  the 
idol,  because  he  is  greedy  of  your  love  wholly. 

I  bless  you,  your  wife  and  children.  Grace  for  evermore  be 
with  you.' 

Your  loving  pastor,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen. 


LETTER  CXXVn. 


TO  JOHN  GORDON  OF  CARDONESS,  ELDER. 

Honorable,  and  Dearest  in  the  Lord,^ — Your  letter  hath 
refreshed  my  soul.  My  joy  is  fulfilled,  if  Christ  and  ye  be  fast 
together.  Ye  are  my  joy  and  crown.  Ye  know  that  I  have  rec- 
ommended his  love  to  you.  I  defy  the  world,  Satan,  and  sin. 
His  love  hath  neither  brim,  nor  bottom  in  it.  My  dearest  in 
Christ,  I  write  my  soul's  desire  to  you.  Heaven  is  not  at  the  next 
door.  I  find  Christianity  to  be  a  hard  task :  set  to  it  in  your 
evening.     We  would  all  keep  both  Ciirist  and  our  right  eye,  our 

1  Affable,  condescending. 

*  To  borrow  or  lend,  to  be  on  the  most  intimate  and  familiar  terms. 


206  Rutherford's  letters. 

rio-ht  hand  and  foot ;  but  it  will  not  do  with  us.  I  beseech  you, 
by  the  mercies  of  God,  and  your  compearance  ^  before  Christ,  look 
Christ's  account-book  and  your  own  together,  and  collate  them. 
Give  the  remnant  of  your  time  to  your  soul.  This  great  idol-god, 
the  world,  will  be  lying  in  white  ashes,  on  the  day  of  your  com- 
pearance ; '  and  why  should  night-dreams,  and  day-shadows,  and 
water-froth,  and  May-flowers  run  away  with  your  heart?  When 
we  win  to^  the  water-side,  and  black  death's  river-brink,  and  put 
our  foot  into  the  boat,  we  shall  laugh  at  our  folly.  Sir,  I  recom- 
mend unto  you  the  thoughts  of  death,  and  how  ye  would  wish 
your  soul  to  be,  when  ye  shall  lye  cold,  blue,  ill-smelling  clay. 

For  any  hireling  to  be  intruded,  I,  being  the  King's  prisoner, 
cannot  say  much  ;  but  as  God's  minister,  I  desire  you  to  read  Acts 
i.  15,  16,  to  the  end,  and  Acts  vi.  2,  3,  4,  5,  and  ye  shaU  find  that 
God's  people  should  have  a  voice  in  choosing  church-rulers  and 
teachers.  I  shall  be  sorry,  if  willingly  ye  shall  give  way  to  his 
unlawful  intrusion  upon  my  labors.  The  only  wise  God  direct 
you. 

God's  grace  be  with  you. 

Your  loving  pastor,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen. 


LETTER  CXXVIII. 

TO     THE     LADY     FORRET. 


Worthy  Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  unto  you — 
I  long  to  hear  from  you.  I  hear  Christ  hath  been  that'  kind  as 
to  visit  you  with  sickness,  and  to  bring  you  to  the  door  of  the 
grave  :  but  ye  found  the  door  shut,  blessed  be  his  glorious  name  ! 
whill^  ye  be  riper  for  eternity.  He  will  have  more  service  of 
you:  and,  therefore,  he  seeketh  of  you,  that  henceforth  ye  be  hon- 
est to  your  new  Husband,  the  Son  of  God.  We  have  all  idol-love, 
and  are  whorishly  inclined  to  love  other  things  beside  our  Lord, 
and,  therefore,  our  Lord  hunteth  for  our  love  moe  ways  than  one 
or  two.  Oh  that  Christ  had  his  own  of  us  !  I  know  he  will  not 
Avant  you,  and  that  is  a  sweet  wilfulness  in  his  love ;  and  ye  have 
as  good  cause,  on  the  other  part,  to  be  headstrong  and  peremptory 
in  your  love  to  Christ,  and  not  to  part,  nor  divide  your  love  be- 
twixt him  and  the  world — if  it  were  more,  it  is  little  enough,  yea, 
too  little  for  Christ. 

I  am  now,  every  way,  in  good  terms  with  Christ.  He  hath  set 
a  banished  prisoner  as  a  seal  on  his  heart,  and  as  a  bracelet  on 
his  arm:  that  crabbed  and  black  tree  of  the  cross  laugheth  upon 
me  now  ;  the  alarming  noise  of  the  cross  is  worse  than  itself  I 
love  Christ's  glooms ^  better  than  the  world's  worm-eaten  joys. 
Oh,  if«  all  the  kingdom  were  as  I  am,  except  these  bonds  !     My 

1  Appearance  in  obedience  to  legal  citation.  '  Reach. 

3  So.  4  Until.  5  Frowns.  «  Oh,  that. 


:•  Rutherford's  letters.  207 

loss  is  gain  ;  my  sadness  joyful ;  my  bonds,  liberty ;  my  tears  com- 
fortable. This  world  is  not  worth  a  drink  of  cold  water.  Oh,  but 
Christ's  love  castetli  a  great  heat !  Hell,  and  all  the  salt  sea,  and 
the  rivers  of  the  earth,  cannot  quench  it. 

I  remember  you  to  God  ;  ye  have  the  prayers  of  a  prisoner  of 
Christ,     Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  9,  1637. 


LETTER  CXXIX. 

for      MARION      MACKNAUGHT. 

Loving,  and  Dear  Sister, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to 
you, — Your  letter  hath  refreshed  my  soul.  You  shall  not  have 
my  advice  to  make  haste  to  go  out  of  that  town  ;  for  if  you  re- 
move out  of  Kirkcudbright,  they  will  easily  undo  all.  You  are  at 
God's  work,  and  in  his  way  there :  be  strong  in  the  Lord  ;  the 
Devil  is  weaker  than  you  are,  because  stronger  is  He  that  is  in 
3^ou  than  he  that  is  in  the  world.  Your  care  of,  and  love  showed 
towards  me,  now  a  prisoner  of  Christ,  is  laid  up  for  you  in  Heaven, 
and  you  shall  know,  that  it  is  come  up  in  remembrance  before 
God. 

Pray,  pray  for  my  desolate  flock,  and  give  them  your  counsel, 
when  you  meet  with  any  of  them.  It  shall  be  my  grief  to  hear 
that  a  wolf  enter  in  upon  my  labors ;  but  if  the  Lord  permit  it,  I 
must  be  silent.  My  sky  shall  clear,  for  Christ  layeth  my  head  in 
his  bosom,  and  admitteth  me  to  lean  there.  I  never  knew  before 
what  his  love  was  in  such  a  measure.  If  he  leave  me,  he  leaveth 
me  in  pain,  and  sick  of  love ;  and  yet  my  sickness  is  my  life  and 
health.  I  have  a  fire  within  me ;  I  defy  all  the  devils  in  Hell, 
and  all  the  prelates  in  Scotland,  to  cast  water  on  it. 

I  rejoice  at  your  courage  and  faith.  Pray  still  as  if  I  were  on 
my  journey  to  come  and  be  your  pastor.  What  iron-gates  or  bars 
are  able  to  stand  it  out  against  Christ  ?  for  when  he  bloweth,  they 
open  to  him. 

I  remember  your  husband.     Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S,  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  11,  1637. 


LETTER  CXXX. 


TO     JOHN     CARSEN, 


My  Well-beloved,  and  Dear  Friend, — Every  one  seeketh 
not  God  ;  and  far  fewer  find  him,  because  they  seek  amiss.     He 


208  Rutherford's  letters. 

is  to  be  sovight  for,  above  all  things,  if  men  would  find  what  they 
seek.  liCt  feathers  and  shadows  alone  to  children,  and  go  seek 
your  Well-beloved.  Your  only  errand  to  the  world,  is  to  woo 
Christ :  therefore,  put  other  lovers  from  about  his  hous^e,  and  let 
Christ  have  all  your  love,  without  minching  ^  or  dividing  it — it  is 
little  enough,  if  there  Avere  more  of  it.  The  serving  of  the  world 
and  sin  hath  but  a  base  reward  ;  and  smoke  instead  of  pleasures, 
and  but  a  night-dream  for  true  ease  to  the  soul.  Go  where  ye 
will,  your  soul  shall  not  sleep  sound  but  in  Christ's  bosom.  Come 
in  to  him,  and  lie  down,  and  rest  you  on  the  slain  Son  of  God,  and 
inquire  for  him.  I  sought  him,  and  now,  a  fig  for  all  the  worm- 
eaten  pleasures,  and  moth-eaten  glory  out  of  Heaven,  since  I  have 
found  him,  and  in  him  all  I  can  want  or  wish  !  He  hath  made 
me  a  king  over  the  world.  Princes  cannot  overcome  me.  Christ 
hath  given  me  the  marriage-kiss,  and  he  liath  my  marriage-love : 
Ave  have  made  up  a  full  bargain,  that  shall  not  go  back  on  either 
side.  Oh,  iP  ye,  and  all  in  that  country,  knew  what  sweet  terms 
of  mercy  are  betwixt  him  and  me  ! 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  11,  1637. 


LETTER  CXXXL 


TO      MY     LADY     BOYD. 


Madam, — I  would  have  written  to  your  Ladyship  ere  now,  but 
people's  believing  there  is  in  me  that  which  I  know  there  is  not 
hath  put  me  out  of  love  with  writing  to  any  ;  for  it 'is  easy  to  put 
religion  to  a  market  and  public  fair,  but  alas  !  it  is  not  so  soon 
made  eye-sweet^  for  Christ. 

My  Lord  seeth  me  a  tired  man  far  behind.  I  have  gotten  much 
love  from  Christ,  but  I  give  him  little  or  none  again.  My  white 
side  Cometh  out  on  paper  to  men ;  but  at  home  and  within,  I  find 
much  black  work,  and  great  cause  of  a  low  sail,  and  of  little  boast- 
ing ;  and  yet  howbeit  I  see  challenges^  to  be  true,  the  manner  of 
the  Tempter's  pressing  of  them  is  unhonest,  and,  in  my  thoughts, 
knavish-like.^  My  peace  is,  that  Christ  may  find  outing'  and  sale 
of  his  Avares  in  the  like  of  me,  I  mean,  for  saving  grace. 

I  Avish  all  professors  to  fall  in  love  with  grace.  All  oar  songs 
should  be  of  his  free  grace.  We  are  but  too  lazy  and  careless  in 
seeking  of  it ;  it  is  all  our  riches  Ave  have  here,  and  glory  in  the 
bud.  I  Avish  that  I  could  set  out  free  grace.  I  Avas  the  Law's 
man,  and  under  the  LaAV,  and  under  a  curse ;  but  grace  brought 
me  from  under  that  hard  lord,  and  I  rejoice  that  I  am  grace's  free- 
holder.    I  pay  tribute  to  none  for  Heaven,  seeing  my  land  and 

I  Mincing.  2  oh,  that.  3  Pleasant  to  the  eye. 

*  AccusatioBS.  5  Not  feir. 

6  Having  the  appearance  of  being  knavish.  7  Display. 


Rutherford's  letters.  209 

heritage  holdeth  of  Christ,  my  new  King.  Infinite  wisdom  hath 
devised  tliis  excellent  way  of  free-holding  for  sinners.  It  is  a  bet- 
ter way  to  heaven  than  the  old  way  that  was  in  Adam's  days. 
It  hath  this  fair  advantage,  that  no  man's  emptiness  and  want 
layeth  an  inhibition  upon  Christ,  or  hindereth  his  salvation  ;  (and 
that  is  far  best  for  me,)  but  our  new  Landlord  putteth  the  names 
of  dyvours,  1  and  Adam's  forlorn  heirs,  and  beggars,  and  the 
crooked^  and  blind,  in  the  free  charters.  Heaven,  and  angels 
may  wonder  that  we  have  got  such  a  gate^  of  sin  and  Hell,  Such 
a  back-entry  out  of  Hell,  as  Christ  made,  and  brought  out  the  cap- 
tives b}^,  is  more  than  my  poor  shallow  thoughts  can  comprehend. 
I  would  think  sufferings  glory,  (and  I  am  sometimes  not  far  from 
it,)  if  my  Lord  would  give  me  a  new  alms  of  free  grace. 

I  hear  that  the  prelates  are  intending  banishment  for  me ;  but 
for  more  grace,  and  no  other  hire,  I  would  make  it  welcome.  The 
bits  of  this  clay-house,  the  earth,  and  the  other  side  of  the  sea,  are 
my  Father's.  If  my  sweet  Lord  Jesus  would  bud^  my  sufferings 
with  a  new  measure  of  grace,  I  were  a  rich  man ;  but  I  have  not 
now,  of  a  long  time,  found  such  high  spring-tides  as  formerly. 
The  sea  is  out,  and  the  wind  of  his  Spirit  calm  ;  and  I  cannot 
buy  a  wind,  or,  by  requesting  the  sea,  cause  it  to  flow  again ; 
only,  I  v/ait  on,  upon  the  banks  and  shore-side,  till  the  Lord  send 
a  full  sea,  that  with  up-sails  I  may  lift  up  Christ.  Yet  sorrow  for 
his  absence  is  sweet ;  and  sighs,  with  "  Sav/  ye  Him  whom  my 
soul  loveth  ?"  have  their  own  delights.  Oh,  that  I  may  gather 
hunger  against  his  long-looked-for  return  !  Well  were  my  soul, 
if  Christ  were  the  element,  mine  own  element,  and  that  I  loved 
and  breathed  in  him,  and  if  I  could  not  live  without  him.  I  allow 
not  laughter  upon  myself,  when  he  is  away  ;  yet  he  never  leaveth 
the  house,  but  he  leaveth  drink-money  behind  him,  and  a  pawn 
that  he  will  return.  Wo,  wo  to  me,  if  he  should  go  away,  and 
take  all  his  flitting  ^  with  him  !  Even  to  dream  of  him  is  sweet. 
To  build  a  house  of  pining  wishes  for  his  return,  to  spin  out  a  web 
of  sorrow,  and  care,  and  languishing,  and  sighs,  either  dry  or  wet, 
as  they  may  be,  because  he  hath  no  leisure,  (if  I  may  speak  so,) 
to  make  a  visit,  or  to  see  a  poor  friend,  sweeteneth  and  refresheth 
the  thoughts  of  the  heart.  A  misty  dew  will  stand  for  rain,  and 
do  some  good,  and  keep  some  greenness  in  the  herbs,  till  our 
Lord's  clouds  rue  upon  the  earth,  and  send  down  a  watering  of 
rain.  Truly  I  think  Christ's  misty  dew  a  welcome  message  from 
heaven,  till  my  Lord's  rain  fall. 

Wo,  wo  is  me  for  the  Lord's  vineyard  in  Scotland.  Howbeit  the 
Father  of  the  house  embrace  a  child,  and  feed  him,  and  kiss  him  ; 
yet  it  is  sorrow  and  sadness  to  the  children,  that  our  poor  Mother 
hath  gotten  her  leave,*  and  that  our  Father  hath  given  up  house. 
It  is  an  unheartsome''  thing,  to  see  our  Father  and  Mother  agree 
so  ill ;  yet  the  bastards,  if  they  be  fed,  care  not.     O  Lord,  cast  not 

1  Bankrupts.  2  Halt.  3  Way.  ■»  Bribe. 

5  Goods  which  may  be  removed  from  one  residence  to  another. 

6  Discharge.  '.  Unseemly  and  melancholy. 


210  Rutherford's  letters. 

water  on  Scotland's  smoaking  coal.  It  is  a  strange  gate  the  saints 
go  to  Heaven.  Our  enemies  often  eat '  and  drink  us,  and  we  go 
to  Heaven  through  their  bellies  and  stomachs,  and  they  vomit  the 
church  of  God,  undigested  among  their  hands :  and  even  while 
we  are  shut  up  in  prisons  by  them,  we  advance  in  our  journey. 

Remember  my  service  to  my  Lord  your  kind  son,  who  was  kind 
to  me  in  my  bonds,  and  was  not  ashamed  to  own  me.  I  would  be 
glad  that  Christ  got  the  morning-service  of  his  life,  now  in  his 
young  years  ;  it  would  suit  him  well  to  give  Christ  his  young  and 
green  love.  Christ's  stamp  and  seal  would  go  far  down  in  a  young 
soul,  if  he  would  receive  the  thrust  of  Christ's  stamp.  I  would 
desire  him  to  make  search  for  Christ ;  for  nobles  now  are  but  dry 
friends  to  Christ. 

The  grace  of  God  our  Father,  and  the  good-will  of  Him  who 
dwelt  in  the  bush,  be  with  your  Ladyship. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CXXXH. 

TO     THE      EARL      OF      CASSILLIS. 

My  very  Noble,  and  Honorable  Lord, — I  make  bold,  (out 
of  the  honorable  and  Christian  report  I  hear  of  your  Lordship, 
having  no  other  thing  to  say,  but  that  which  concerneth  the 
honorable  cause  which  the  Lord  hath  enabled  your  Lordship  to 
profess,)  to  write  this,  that  it  is  your  Lordship's  crown,  your  glory, 
and  your  honor,  to  set  your  shoulder  under  the  Lord's  glory,  now 
falling  to  the  ground,  and  to  back  Christ  now,  when  so  many  think 
it  wisdom  to  let  him  fend  for^  himself.  The  shields  of  the  earth 
ever  did,  and  do  still  believe  that  Christ  is  a  cumbersome  neighbor, 
and  that  it  is  a  pain  to  hold  up  his  yeas  and  nays.  They  fear 
that  he  take  their  chariots,  and  their  crowns,  and  their  honor  from 
them  ;  but  my  Lord  standeth  in  need  of  none  of  them  all.  But  it 
is  your  glory  to  own  Christ  and  his  buried  truth ;  for,  let  men  say 
what  they  please,  the  plea  with  Zion's  enemies,  in  this  day  of 
Jacob's  troulile,  is.  If  Christ  should  be  King,  and  no  mouth  speak 
laws  but  his?  It  concerneth  the  apple  of  Christ's  eye,  and  his 
royal  privileges,  what  is  now  debated ;  and  Christ's  kingly  honor 
is  come  to  yea  and  nay.  But  let  me  be  pardoned,  my  dear,  and 
noble  Lord,  when  I  beseech  you  by  the  mercies  of  God,  by  the 
comfort  of  the  Spirit,  by  the  wounds  of  your  dear  Saviour,  by  your 
compearance  3  before  the  Judge  of  quick  and  dead,  to  stand  for 
Christ,  and  to  back  him.  Oh,  if  the  nobles  had  done  their  part, 
and  been  zealous  for  the  Lord  !  it  had  not  been  as  it  is  now  ;  but 
men  think  it  wisdom  to  stand  beside  Christ  till  his  head  be  broken, 
and  sing  dumb.^     There  is  a  time  coming  when  Christ  will  have 

1  Ps.  xiv.  4.  2  Make  a  shift  for. 

3  Appearance  in  a  court  of  law.  *  Be  silent. 


Rutherford's  letters.  211 

a  thick '  court,  and  he  will  be  the  glory  of  Scotland ;  and  he  will 
make  a  diadem,  a  garland,  a  seal  upon  his  heart,  and  a  ring  upon 
his  finger,  of  those  who  have  avouched  him  before  this  faithless 
generation : — howbeit,  ere  that  come,  wrath  from  the  Lord  is 
ordained  for  this  land. 

My  Lord,  I  have  cause  to  write  this  to  your  Lordship,  for  I  dare 
not  conceal  his  kindness  to  the  soul  of  an  afflicted,  exiled  prisoner. 
Who  hath  more  cause  to  boast  in  the  Lord  than  such  a  sinner  as 
I,  who  am  feasted  with  the  consolations  of  Christ,  and  have  no 
pain  in  my  sufferings,  but  the  pain  of  soul-sickness  of  love  for 
Christ,  and  sorrow  that  I  cannot  help  to  sound  aloud  the  praises 
of  Him  who  hath  heard  the  sighing  of  the  prisoner,  and  is  content 
to  lay  the  head  of  his  oppressed  servant  in  his  bosom,  under  his 
chin,  and  let  him  feel  the  smell  of  his  garments  ?  It  behooved  me 
to  write  this,  that  your  Lordship  might  know  that  Christ  is  as  good 
as  he  is  called ;  and  to  testify  to  your  Lordship  that  the  cause, 
which  your  Lordship  now  professeth  before  the  faithless  world,  is 
Christ's,  and  that  your  Lordship  shall  have  no  shame  of  it. 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  Lordship's  obliged  servant,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  13,  1637. 


LETTER  CXXXIIL 


TO      ROBERT     GORDON,      BAILLIE     OP     AYR. 

Worthy  Sir,— Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you — I  long  to 
hear  from  you  on  paper.  Remember  your  Chiefs  ^  speeches  on  his 
death-bed.  I  pray  you,  sir,  sell  all,  and  buy  the  pearl :  time  will 
cut  you  from  this  world's  glory.  Look  what  will  do  you  good, 
when  your  glass  shall  be  run  out,  and  let  Christ's  love  bear  most 
court  in  your  soul,  and  that  court  will  bear  down  the  love  of  other 
things.  Christ  seeketh  your  help  in  your  place,  give  him  your 
hand.  Who  hath  more  cause  to  encourage  others  to  own  Clirist 
than  I  have  ?  for  he  hath  made  me  sick  of  love,  and  left  me  in 
pain  to  wrestle  with  his  love,  and  love  is  like  to  fall  aswoon^ 
through  his  absence : — I  mean  not  that  he  deserteth  me,  or  that  I 
am  ebb^  of  comforts  ;  but  this  is  an  unco^  pain.  Oh  that  I  had  a 
heart  and  a  love  to  render  to  him  back  again  !  Oh,  if^  principali- 
ties and  powers,  thrones  and  dominions,  and  all  the  world  would 
help  me  to  praise  !     Praise  him  in  my  behalf. 

Remember  my  love  to  your  wife.  I  thank  you  most  kindly  for 
your  love  to  my  brother.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  13,  1637. 

1  Thronged,  crowded.  2  Kenmure.  3  into  a  swoon. 

*  Shallow.  5  Excessive.  6  Oh,  that. 


212  Rutherford's  letters. 


LETTER  CXXXIV. 

TO     JOHN      KENNEDY,      BAILLIE      OP      AYR. 

Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — Your  not  writing  to  me 
cannot  bind  me  up  from  remembering  you  now  and  then,  that  at 
least  ye  may  be  a  witness  and  a  third  man  to  behold  on  paper  what 
is  betwixt  Christ  and  me.  I  was  in  his  eyes  hke  a  young  orphan, 
wanting  known  parents,  casten  out  in  the  open  fields  :  either  Christ 
behooved  to  take  me  up,  and  to  bring  me  home  to  his  house  and 
fire-side,  else  I  had  died  in  the  fields  ;  and  now  I  am  homely  '  with 
Christ's  love,  so  that  I  think  the  house  mine  own,  and  the  Master 
of  the  house  mine  also.  Christ  inquired  not,  when  he  began  to 
love  me,  whether  I  was  fair,  or  black,  or  sun-burnt ! — love  taketh 
what  it  may  have.  He  loved  me  before  this  time,  I  know ;  but 
now  I  have  the  flower  of  his  love :  his  love  is  come  to  a  fair  bloom, ^ 
like  a  young  rose  opened  up  out  of  the  green  leaves,  and  it  casteth 
a  strong  and  fragrant  smell.  I  want  nothing  but  ways  of  expres- 
sing Christ's  love.  A  full  vessel  would  have  a  vent.  Oh,  if^  I 
could  smoke  out,  and  cast  out  coals,  to  make  a  fire  in  many  breasts 
of  this  land  !  Oh  !  it  is  a  pity  that  there  were  not  many  impris- 
oned for  Christ,  were  it  for  no  other  purpose  than  to  whte  books 
and  love-songs  of  the  love  of  Christ. 

This  love  would  keep  all  created  tongues  of  men  and  angels  in 
exercise,  and  busy  night  and  day,  to  speak  of  it.  Alas  !  I  can 
speak  nothing  of  it,  but  wonder  at  three  things  in  his  love  : — First, 
freedom.  Oh,  that  lumps  of  sin  should  get  such  love  for  nothing  ! 
Secondly,  The  sweetness  of  his  love.  I  give  over  either  to  speak 
or  write  of  it ;  but  those  that  feel  it,  may  better  bear  witness  what 
it  is :  but  it  is  so  sweet,  that,  next  to  Christ  himself,  nothing  can 
match  it.  Nay,  I  think  that  a  soul  could  live  eternally  blessed 
only  on  Christ's  love,  and  feed  upon  no  other  thing:  yea,  when 
Christ  in  love  giveth  a  blow,  it  doeth  a  soul  good  ;  and  it  is  a  kind 
of  comfort  and  joy  to  it,  to  get  a  cuff  with  the  lovely,  sweet,  and 
soft  hand  of  Jesus.  And,  thirdly.  What  power  and  strength  are 
in  his  love  !  1  am  persuaded  it  can  climb  a  steep  hill,  with  hell 
upon  its  back  ;  and  swim  through  water  and  not  drown  ;  and  sing 
in  the  fire,  and  find  no  pain  ;  and  triumph  in  losses,  prisons,  sor- 
rows, exile,  disgrace,  and  laugh  and  rejoice  in  death.  Oh,  for  a 
year's  lease  of  the  sense  of  his  love,  without  a  cloud,  to  try  what 
Christ  is !  Oh,  for  the  coming  of  the  Bridegroom  !  Oh,  when 
shall  I  see  the  Bridegroom  and  the  bride  meet  in  the  clouds,  and 
kiss  each  other !  Oh,  when  will  we  get  our  day,  and  our  heart's- 
fiU  of  that  love  !  Oh,  if  ^  it  were  lawful  to  complain  of  the  famine 
of  that  love,  and  want  of  the  immediate  vision  of  God !  O  time, 
time !  how  dost  thou  torment  the  souls  of  those  that  would  be 
swallowed  up  of  Christ's  love,  because  thou  movest  so  slowly  !    Oh, 

I  At  home.  2  Blossom.  3  Oh,  that. 


Rutherford's  letters.  213 

if '  he  would  pity  a  poor  prisoner,  and  blow  love  upon  me,  and 
give  a  prisoner  a  taste  or  draught  of  that  sweetness,  (which  is 
glory  as  it  were  begun,)  to  be  a  confirmation,,  that  Christ  and  I 
shall  have  our  fill  of  each  other  forever  !  Come  hither,  O  Love 
of  Christ,  that  I  may  once  kiss  thee  before  I  die  !  What  would  I 
not  give  to  have  time,  that  lyeth  betwixt  Christ  and  me,  taken  out 
of  the  way,  that  we  might  once  meet  ?  I  cannot  think  but  that 
at  the  first  sight  I  shall  see  of  that  most  lovely  and  fairest  face, 
love  will  come  out  of  his  two  eyes,  and  fill  me  with  astonishment. 
I  would  but  desire  to  stand  at  the  outer  side  of  the  gates  of  the 
new  Jerusalem,  and  look  through  a  hole  of  the  door,  and  see 
Christ's  face.  A  borrowed  vision  in  this  life  would  be  my  borrow- 
ed and  begun  heaven,  whill  the  long,  long-looked-for  day  dawn. 
It  is  not  for  nothing  that  it  is  said,  (Col.  i.  27,)  "  Christ  in  you  the 
hope  of  glory."  I  will  be  content  of  no  pawn  of  Heaven  but 
Christ  himself;  for  Christ,  possessed  by  faith  here,  is  young  heav- 
en and  glory  in  the  bud.  If  I  had  that  pawn  I  would  bide  horn- 
ing^ and  Hell  both,  ere  I  give  it  again.  AH  that  we  have  here,  is 
scarce  the  picture  of  glory.  Should  not  we  young  bairns  long  and 
look  for  the  expiring  of  our  minority  ?  It  were  good  to  be  daily 
begging  propines  ^  and  love-gifts,  and  the  bridegroom's  favors ; 
and,  if  we  can  do  no  more,  to  seek  crumbs,  and  hungry  dinners 
of  Clirist's  love,  to  keep  the  taste  of  Heaven  in  our  mouth,  whill 
supper-time.  I  know  it  is  far  after  noon,  and  nigh  the  marriage- 
supper  of  the  Lamb  : — the  table  is  covered  already.  O  well- 
beloved,  run,  run  fast !  O  fair  day,  when  wilt  thou  dawn  !  O 
'shadows,  flee  away  !  I  think  hope  and  love  woven  through  other  * 
make  our  absence  from  Christ  spiritual  torment.  It  is  a  pain  to 
wait  on,  but  hope  that  maketh  not  ashamed  swalloweth  up  that 
pain.  It  is  not  unkindness  that  keepeth  Christ  and  us  so  long 
asunder.  What  can  I  say  to  Christ's  love?  I  think  more  than  I 
can  say.  To  consider,  that  when  my  Lord  Jesus  may  take  the 
air,  (if  I  may  so  speak,)  and  go  abroad,  yet  he  will  be  confined 
and  keep  the  prison  with  me  !  But  in  all  this  sweet  communion 
with  him,  what  am  I  to  be  thanked  for?  I  am  but  a  sufferer. 
Whether  I  will  or  not,  he  will  be  kind  to  me — as  if  he  had  defied 
my  guiltiness  to  make  him  unkind,  he  so  beareth  his  love  in  on 
me.  Here  I  die  with  wondering,  that  justice  hindereth  not  love  ; 
for  there  are  none  in  Hell,  nor  out  of  Hell,  more  unworthy  of 
Christ's  love.  Shame  may  confound  and  scaur  ^  me  once  to  hold 
up  my  black  mouth  to  receive  one  of  Christ's  undeserved  kisses. 
If  my  inner-side  were  turned  out,  and  all  men  saw  my  vileness, 

1  Oh,  that. 

2  A  letter  issued  from  his  majesty's  signet,  and  directed  to  a  messenger,  who  is  re- 
quired to  charge  a  debtor  to  pay  the  debt  for  which  he  is  prosecuted  under  pain  of 
rebeUion.  This  legal  process  is  so  called  because  if  the  debtor  disobey  the  charge,  the 
messenger,  after  having  proceeded  to  the  market-cross  of  the  head-burgh  of  the  shire 
where  the  debtor  dwells,  there  before  witnesses  cries,  "  Oyes,  oyes,  oyes  ;"  then  reads 
the  letters,  and  afterwards,  gives  three  blasts  with  a  horn,  by  which  it  is  understood 
that  the  debtor  is  denounced  as  a  rebel,  and  outlawed  for  disobedience  to  the  king's 
authority. 

3  Presents.  *  Promiscuously.  5  Frighten, 


214  Rutherford's  letters. 

they  would  say  to  me,  "  It  is  a  shame  for  thee  to  stand  still,  whill 
Christ  kiss  thee  and  embrace  thee."  It  would  seem  to  become  me 
rather  to  run  away  from  his  love,  as  ashamed  at  my  own  un worth- 
iness :  nay,  I  may  think  shame  ^  to  take  heaven,  who  have  so 
highly  provoked  my  Lord  Jesus ;  but  seeing  Christ's  love  will 
shame  me,  I  am  content  to  be  ashamed.  My  desire  is,  that  my 
Lord  would  give  me  broader  and  deeper  thoughts,  to  feed  myself 
with  wondering  at  his  love.  I  would  I  could  weigh  it,  but  I  have 
no  balance  for  it.  When  I  have  worn  my  tongue  to  the  stump, 
in  praising  of  Christ,  I  have  done  nothing  to  him.  I  must  let  him 
alone,  for  my  withered  arms  will  not  go  about  his  high,  wide,  long, 
and  broad  love.  What  remaineth  then,  but  that  my  debt  to  the 
love  of  Christ  lye  unpaid  for  all  eternity  ?  All  that  are  in  Heaven 
are  black-shamed ^  with  his  love  as  well  as  I.  We  must  all  be 
dyvours,^  together  ;  and  the  blessing  of  that  houseful,  or  heaven- 
ful  of  dyvours,^  shall  rest  forever  upon  him.  Oh,  if*  this  land 
and  nation  would  come  and  stand  beside  his  inconceivable  and 
glorious  perfectiojis,  and  look  in,  and  love,  and  adore !  Would  to 
God  I  could  bring  in  many  lovers  to  Christ's  house  !  but  this  na- 
tion hath  forsaken  the  Fountain  of  living  waters.  Lord,  cast  not 
water  on  Scotland's  coal.  Wo,  wo  will  be  to  this  land,  because 
of  the  day  of  the  Lord's  fierce  anger,  that  is  so  fast  coming. 
Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  affectionate  brother,  in  our  Lord  Jesus,        S.  R. 
Aberdeen. 


LETTER  CXXXV. 

TO     JEAN     BROWN, 


Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you — I  am  glad 
that  ye  go  on  at  Christ's  back,  in  this  dark  and  cloudy  time.  It 
were  good  to  sell  other  things  for  him  ;  for  when  all  these  days 
are  over,  we  shall  find  it  our  advantage,  that  we  have  taken  part 
with  Christ.  I  confidently  believe  that  his  enemies  shall  be  his 
footstool,  and  that  he  will  make  green  flowers  dead,  withered  hay, 
when  tlie  honor  and  glory  shall  fall  off  them,  like  the  bloom  or 
flower  of  a  green  herb  shaken  with  the  wind.  It  were  not  wis- 
dom for  us  to  think  that  Christ  and  the  Gospel  would  come  and 
sit  down  at  our  fire-side :  nay,  but  we  must  go  out  of  our  warm 
houses,  and  seek  Christ  and  his  Gospel.  It  is  not  the  sunny  side 
of  Christ  that  we  must  look  to,  and  we  must  not  forsake  him  for 
want  of  that ;  but  must  set  our  face  against  what  may  befall  us, 
in  following  on,  till  he  and  we  be  through  the  briers  and  bushes, 
on  the  dry  ground.  Our  soft  nature  would  be  borne  through  the 
troubles  of  this  miserable  life,  in  Christ's  arms  :  and,  it  is  his  wis- 

1  Be  ashamed.  2  Utterly  put  to  shame. 

3  Bankrupts.  <  Oh,  that. 


Rutherford's  letters.  215 

dom,  who  knoweth  our  mould,  that  his  bairns  go  wet-shod,  and 
cold-footed  to  Heaven.  Oh,  how  sweet  a  thing  were  it  for  us  to 
learn  to  make  our  burdens  light,  by  framing  our  hearts  to  the 
burden,  and  making  our  Lord's  will  a  law! 

I  find  Christ  and  his  cross  not  so  ill  ^  to  please,  nor  yet  such 
troublesome  guests,  as  men  call  them :  nay,  I  think  patience 
should  make  the  water,  which  Christ  giveth  us,  good  wine,  and 
his  dross  good  metal :  and  we  have  cause  to  wait  on ;  for  ere  it 
be  long,  our  Master  will  be  at  us,  and  bring  this  whole  world 
out,  before  the  sun  and  day-light,  in  their  blacks  and  whites. 
Happy  are  they  who  are  found  watching.  Our  sand-glass  is  not 
so  long  as  we  need  to  weary.  Time  will  eat  away  and  root  out 
our  woes  and  sorrow.  Our  heaven  is  in  tbe  bud,  and  growing 
up  to  a  harvest ;  why  then  should  we  not  follow  on,  seeing  our 
span-length  of  time  will  come  to  an  inch  ?  Therefore,  I  commend 
Christ  to  you  as  your  last  living,  and  longest  living  Husband,  and 
the  staff  of  your  old  age.  Let  him  now  have  the  rest  of  your 
days.  And  think  not  much  of  a  storm  upon  the  ship  that  Christ 
saileth  in ;  there  shall  no  passenger  fall  overboard,  but  the  crazed 
ship  and  the  sea-sick  passengers  shall  come  to  land  safe. 

I  am  in  as  sweet  communion  with  Christ  as  a  poor  sinner  can 
be ;  and  am  only  pained  that  he  hath  nuich  beauty  and  fairness, 
and  I  little  love  ;  he  great  power  and  mercy,  and  I  httle  faith;  he 
much  hght,  and  I  bleared  eyes.  Oh,  that  I  saw  him  in  the  sweet- 
ness of  his  love,  and  in  his  marriage-clothes,  and  were  over  head 
and  ears  in  love  with  that  princely  One,  Christ  .Tesus  my  Lord  ! 
Alas  !  my  riven  dish,  and  running-out  vessel,  can  hold  little  of 
Christ  Jesus  ! 

I  have  joy  in  this,  that  I  would  not  refuse  death,  before  I  put 
Christ's  lawful  heritage  in  men's  trysting  ;  ^  and  what  know  I,  if 
they  would  have  pleased  both  Christ  and  me?  Alas,  that  this 
land  hath  put  Christ  to  open  rouping,^  and  to  an  "  Any  man  bids 
more  !"  Blessed  are  they  who  would  hold  the  crown  on  his  head, 
and  buy  Christ's  honor  with  his  own  losses. 

I  rejoice  to  hear  that  your  son  John  is  coming  to  visit  Christ, 
and  taste  of  his  love.  I  hope  that  he  will  not  lose  his  pains,  nor 
rue  of  that  choice.  I  had  always,  (as  I  said  often  to  you,)  a  great 
love  to  dear  Mr.  John  Brown,  because  I  thought  I  saw  Christ  in 
him,  more  than  in  his  brethren.  Fain  would  I  write  to  him,  to 
stand  by  my  sweet  Master  ;  and  I  wish  ye  would  let  him  read  my 
letter,  and  the  joy  I  shall  have  if  he  will  appear  for,  and  side  with 
my  Lord  Jesus.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  13,  1637. 

1  Difficult, 

2  That  is.  Rutherford  rejoiced  that  he  would  rather  choose  death  than  submit 
Christ's  lawful  heritage  to  be  decided  upon  by  any  meetings  of  man's  appointment. 

3  Auctioning,  public  sale. 


216  Rutherford's  letters. 

LETTER  CXXXVI. 

TO     JEAN     MACMILLAN. 

Loving  Sister, — Grace,  mercy,  and  jDeace  be  to  you. — I  can- 
not come  to  you  to  give  you  my  counsel ;  and,  howbeit  I  would 
come,  I  cannot  stay  with  you  ;  but  I  beseech  you  to  keep  Christ, 
for  I  did  what  I  could  to  put  you  within  grips'  of  him.  I  told  you 
Christ's  testament  and  latter-will  plainly,  and  I  kept  nothing  back 
that  my  Lord  gave  me  ;  and  I  gave  Christ  to  you  with  good 
will :  I  pray  you  to  make  him  your  own,  and  go  not  from  that 
truth  which  I  taught  you  in  one  hair  breadth — that  truth  will 
save  you  if  ye  follow  it.  Salvation  is  not  an  easy  thing,  and  soon 
gotten.  I  often  told  you  that  few  are  saved,  and  many  damned  : 
I  pray  you  to  make  your  poor  soul  sure  of  salvation,  and  the  seek- 
mg  of  Heaven  your  daily  task.  If  ye  never  had  a  sick  night  and 
a  pained  soul  for  sin,  ye  have  not  yet  lighted  upon  Christ.  Look 
to  the  right  marks  of  having  closed  with  Christ.  If  ye  love  him 
better  than  the  world,  and  would  quit  all  the  world  for  him,  then 
that  saith  the  work  is  sound.  Oh,  if  ye  saw  the  beauty  of  Jesus, 
and  smelled  the  fragrance  of  his  love,  you  would  run  through  fire 
and  water  to  be  at  him  !     God  send  you  him. 

Pray  for  me,  for  I  cannot  forget  you.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  loving  pastor,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1G37. 


LETTER  CXXXVII. 


TO     THE     LADY     BUSBIE, 


Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  am  glad  to 
hear  that  Christ  and  ye  are  one,  and  that  ye  have  made  him  your 
"  one  thing,"  whereas  many  are  painfully  toiled  in  seeking  many 
things,  and  their  many  things  are  nothing.  It  is  only  best  that 
ye  set  yourself  apart  as  a  thing  laid  up  and  out  of  the  gate,^ 
for  Christ  alone  ;  for  ye  are  good  for  no  other  thing  than  Christ ; 
and  he  hath  been  going  about  you  these  many  years,  by  afflic- 
tions, to  engage  you  to  himself — it  were  a  pity  and  a  loss  to  say 
him  nay.  Verily  I  could  wish  that  I  could  swim,  through  Hell ; 
and  all  the  ill  weather  in  the  world,  and  Christ  in  ray  arms — but 
it  is  my  evil  and  folly,  that  except  Christ  come  unsent  for,  I  dow 
not ^  go  to  seek  him:  when  he  and  I  fall  a-reckoning,  we  are  both 
behind,  he  in  payment,^  and  I  in  counting  ;  and  so  marches  *  lie 
still  unred,''  and  accounts  uncleared  betwixt  us.  Oh,  that  he  would 
take  his  own  blood  for  coulits  and  miscounts,^  that  I  might  be  a 

1  Within  reach.  2  Out  of  the  way.  3  Am  not  able. 

*  That  is,  in  receiving  payment.        s  Boundaries.  *  Unascertained. 

'  True  and  erroneous  reckonings. 


Rutherford's  letters.  217 

free  man,  and  none  had  any  claim  to  me  but  only,  only  Jesus.  I 
will  think  it  no  bondage  to  be  rouped,'  comprised,^  and  possessed 
by  Christ  as  his  bondman. 

Tbink  well  of  the  visitations  of  your  Lord  :  for  I  find  one  thing, 
which  I  saw  not  well  before,  that  when  the  saints  are  under  trials, 
and  well  humbled,  little  sins  raise  great  cries,  and  war-shouts  in 
the  conscience  ;  and  in  prosperity,  conscience  is  a  Pope,  to  give 
dispensations,  and  let  out  and  in,  and  give  latitude  and  elbow-room 
to  our  heart.  Oh,  how  little  care  we  for  pardon  at  Christ's  hand, 
when  we  make  dispensations  !  And  all  is  but  bairns'  play,  till  a 
cross  without  beget  a  heavier  cross  within,  and  then  we  play  no 
longer  with  our  idols.  It  is  good  still  to  be  severe  against  our- 
selves; for  we  but  transform  God's  mercy  into  an  idol,  and  an  idol 
that  hath  a  dispensation  to  give,  for  the  turning  of  the  grace  of 
God  into  wantonjiess.  Happy  are  they  who  take,  up  God,  wrath, 
justice,  and  sin,  as  they  are  in  themselves  :  for  we  have  mis- 
carrying light,  that  parteth  Avith  child,  when  we  have  good  res- 
olutions :  but,  God  be  thanked,  that  salvation  is  not  rolled  upon 
our  wheels. 

Oh,  but  Christ  hath  a  saving  eye  !  salvation  is  in  his  eye-lids  ! 
When  he  first  looked  on  me  I  was  saved;  it  cost  him  but  a  look  to 
make  Hell  quit  of  me !  Oh,  but  merits,  free  merits,  and  the  dear 
blood  of  God,  were  the  best  gale  ^  that  ever  we  could  have  gotten 
out  of  Hell !  Oh,  what  a  sweet,  oh,  what  a  safe  and  sure  way  is  it,  to 
come  out  of  Hell  leaning  on  a  Saviour  !  That  Christ  and  a  sin- 
ner should  be  one,  and  have  Heaven  betwixt  them,  and  be  halvers 
of  salvation,  is  the  wonder  of  salvation.  What  more  humble 
could  love  be  ?  And  what  an  excellent  smell  doth  Christ  cast  on 
his  lower  garden,  where  there  grow  but  wild  flowers,  if  we  speak 
by  way  of  comparison  ;  but  there  is  nothing  but  perfect  garden 
flowers  in  Heaven,  and  the  best  plenishing''  that  is  there,  is  Christ. 
We  are  all  obliged  to  love  Heaven  for  Christ's  sake.  He  graceth 
Heaven,  and  all  his  Father's  house  with  his  presence.  He  is  a 
Rose  that  beautifieth  all  the  Upper  Garden  of  God — a  leaf  of  that 
rose  of  God  for  smell  is  worth  a  world.  Oh,  that  he  would  blow 
his  smell  upon  a  withered  and  dead  soul !  Let  us,  then,  go  on  to 
meet  with  him,  and  to  be  filled  with  the  sweetness  of  his  love. 
Nothing  will  hold  him  from  us.  He  hath  decreed  to  put  time,  sin, 
Hell,  devils,  inen  and  death  out  of  the  way,  and  to  rid  the  rough 
way  betwixt  us  and  him,  that  we  may  enjoy  one  another.  It  is 
strange  and  wonderful  that  he  would  think  long^  in  Heaven  with- 
out us  ;  and  that  he  would  have  the  company  of  sinners  to  solace 
and  delight  himself  withal  in  Heaven.  And  now  the  supper  is 
abiding  us.  Christ  the  bridegroom,  with  desire,  is  waiting  on,  till 
the  bride,  the  Lamb's  wife,  be  busked''  for  the  marriage,  and  the 
great  hall  be  red  ^  for  the  meeting  of  that  joyful  couple.  Oh, 
fools  !  Vv'hat  do  we  here  ?    and  why  sit  we  still  ?     Why  sleep 

1  Auctioned.  2  Attached  for  debt.  3  Way. 

<  Furniture.  5  J'o  think  long,  to  long.  6  Decked. 

">  Cleared. 


218  Rutherford's  letters. 

we  in  the  prison  ?     Were  it  not  best  to  make  us  wings  to  flee  up 
to  our  blessed  Match,  our  marrow,'  and  our  fellow  Friend  ? 

I  think,  mistress,  that  ye  are  looking  thereaway,^  and  that  this 
is  your  second  or  third  thought.  Make  forward,  your  Guide  wait- 
eth  on  you. 

I  cannot  but  bless  you  for  your  care  and  kindness  to  the  saints. 
God  give  you  to  find  mercy  in  that  day  of  our  Lord  Jesus ;  to  whose 
saving  grace  I  recommend  you.  -* 

Yours,  in  our  Lord  Jesus,        S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CXXXVIII. 

TO    JOHN    EWART,    BAILLIE    OF    KIRKCUDBRIGHT. 

My  very  Worthy,  and  Dear  Friend, — I  cannot  but  most 
kindly  thank  you  for  the  expressions  of  your  love:  your  love  and 
respect  to  me  is  a  great  comfort  to  me. 

I  bless  His  high  and  glorious  name,  that  the  terrors  of  great  men 
have  not  affrighted  me  from  openly  avouching  the  Son  of  God ; 
nay,  his  cross  is  the  sweetest  burden  that  ever  I  bear  ;  it  is  such 
a  burden,  as  wings  are  to  a  bird,  or  sails  to  a  ship,  to  carry  me 
forward  to  my  harbor,  I  have  not  much  cause  to  fall  in  love  with 
the  world :  but  rather  to  wish,  that  He  who  sitteth  upon  the  floods 
would  bring  my  broken  ship  to  land,  and  keep  my  conscience  safe 
in  these  dangerous  times,  for  wrath  from  the  Lord  is  coming  on 
this  sinful  land. 

It  were  good,  that  we  prisoners  of  hope  know  of  our  strong  hold 
to  run  to,  before  the  storm  come  on  ;  therefore,  sir,  I  beseech  you 
by  tbe  mercies  of  God,  and  comforts  of  his  Spirit,  by  the  blood  of 
your  Saviour,  and  by  your  compearance^  before  the  sin-revenging 
Judge  of  the  world,  keep  your  garments  clean,  and  stand  for  the 
truth  of  Christ,  which  ye  profess.  When  the  time  shall  come  that 
your  eye-strings  shall  break,  your  face  wax  pale,  your  breath  grow 
cold,  and  tbis  house  of  clay  shall  totter,  and  your  one  foot  shall 
be  over  the  march,^  in  eternity,  it  will  be  your  comfort  and  joy, 
that  ye  gave  your  name  to  Christ.  The  greatest  part  of  the  world 
think  Heaven  at  the  next  door,  and  that  Christianity  is  an  easy 
task  ;  but  they  will  be  beguiled.  Worthy  sir,  I  beseech  you,  make 
sure  work  of  salvation.  I  have  found  by  experience,  tbat  all  I 
could  do  hath  had  much  ado  in  the  day  of  my  trial ;  and,  there- 
fore, lay  up  a  sure  foundation  for  the  time  to  come. 

I  cannot  requite  you,  for  your  undeserved  favors  to  me  and 
my  now  afflicted  brother.  But  I  trust  to  remember  you  to  God. 
Remember  me  heartily  to  your  kind  wife. 

Yours,  in  his  only  Lord  Jesus,  S,  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  13,  1G37. 

1  Partner.  2  To  those  parts, 

3  Appearance.  *  Boundary. 


Rutherford's  letters.  219 


LETTER  CXXXIX. 

TO   WILLIAM    FULLERTON,    PROVOST    OF    KIRKCUDBRIGHT. 

Much  Honored  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you — 1 
am  obliged  to  your  love  in  God. 

I  beseech  you,  sir,  let  nothing  be  so  dear  to  you  as  Christ's 
truth,  for  salvation  is  worth  all  the  world ;  and,  therefore,  be  not 
afraid  of  men  that  shall  die.  The  Lord  will  do  for  you  in  your 
suffering  for  him,  and  will  bless  your  house  and  seed  ;  and  ye 
have  God's  promise,  that  ye  shall  have  his  presence  in  fire,  water, 
and  in  seven  tribulations.  Your  day  shall  wear  to  an  end,  and 
your  sun  go  down.  In  death  it  will  be  your  joy,  that  ye  have 
ventured  all  ye  have  for  Christ ;  and  there  is  not  a  promise  of 
Heaven  made,  but  to  such  as  are  willing  to  suffer  for  it — it  is  a 
castle  taken  by  force.  This  earth  is  but  the  clay  portion  of  bas- 
tards ;  and,  therefore,  no  wonder  that  the  world  smile  on  its  own  ; 
but  better  things  are  laid  up  for  his  lawfully  begotten  bairns,  whom 
the  world  hateth. 

I  have  experience  to  speak  this,  for  I  would  not  exchange  my 
prison  and  sad  nights,  with  the  court,  honor,  and  ease  of  my  ad- 
versaries. My  Lord  is  pleased  to  make  many  unknown  faces  to 
laugh  upon  me,  and  to  provide  a  lodging  for  me  ;  and  he  himself 
visiteth  my  soul  with  feasts  of  spiritual  comforts.  Oh,  how  sweet 
a'  master  is  Christ !     Blessed  are  they  who  lay  down  all  for  him. 

I  thank  you  kindly  for  your  love  to  my  distressed  brother.  Ye 
have  the  blessing  and  prayers  of  the  prisoner  of  Christ  to  you, 
your  wife  and  children. 

Remember  my  love  and  blessing  to  William  and  Samuel.  I 
desire  them  in  their  youth  to  seek  the  Lord,  and  to  fear  his  great 
name ;  to  pray  twice  a-day,  at  least,  to  God,  and  to  read  God's 
word ;  to  keep  themselves  from  cursing,  lying,  and  filthy  talking. 

Now  the  only  wise  God,  and  the  presence  of  the  Son  of  God,  be 
with  you  all. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  13,  1G37. 


LETTER  CXL. 

i  TO     ROBERT     GLENDINNING. 

My  Dear  Friend, — -Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I 
thank  you  most  kindly  for  your  care  of  me,  and  your  love  and 
respective  kindness  to  my  brother  in  his  distress.  I  pray  the  Lord 
that  ye  may  find  mercy  in  the  day  of  Christ :  and  I  entreat  you, 
sir,  to  consider  the  times  which  ye  live  in,  and  that  your  soul  is 
more  worth  to  you  than  the  whole  world,  which  in  the  day  of  the 


220  Rutherford's  letters. 

blowing  of  the  Last  Trumpet,  shall  lye  in  white  ashes,  as  an  old 
castle  burned  to  nothing:  and  remember  that  judgment  and  eter- 
nity is  before  you.  My  dear,  and  worthy  friend,  let  me  entreat 
you  in  Christ's  name,  and  by  the  salvation  of  your  soul,  and  by 
your  compearance  before  the  dreadful  and  sin-revenging  Judge 
of  the  world,  to  make  your  accounts  ready.  Read  them  ere  ye 
come  to  the  water-side ;  for  your  afternoon  will  wear  short,  and 
your  sun  fall  low  and  go  down  :  and  ye  know,  that  this  long  time 
your  Lord  hath  waited  on  you.  Oh,  how  comfortable  a  thing  it 
will  be  to  you,  when  time  shall  be  no  more,  and  your  soul  shall 
depart  out  of  the  house  of  clay,  to  vast  and  endless  eternity,  to 
have  your  soul  dressed  up,  and  prepared  for  your  Bridegroom  ! 
No  loss  is  comparable  to  the  loss  of  the  soul :  there  is  no  hope  of 
regaining  that  loss.  Oh,  how  joyful  would  my  soul  be  to  hear 
that  ye  would  start  to  the  gate  ^  and  contend  for  the  crown,  and 
leave  all  vanities,  and  make  Christ  your  garland  !  Let  your  soul 
put  away  your  old  lovers,  and  let  Christ  have  your  whole  love. 

I  have  some  experience  to  write  of  this  to  you.  My  witness  is 
in  Heaven  that  I  would  not  exchange  my  chains  and  bonds  for 
Christ,  and  my  sighs,  for  ten  worlds'  glory.  I  judge  this  clay  idol, 
which  Adam's  sons  are  rouping''  and  selUng  their  souls  for,  not 
worth  a  drink  of  cold  water.  Oh  if  your  soul  were  in  my  soul's 
stead,  how  sick  would  ye  be  of  love  for  that  fairest  One,  that  Fair- 
est among  the  sons  of  men  !  May-flowers  and  morning-vapor,  and 
summer-mist  posteth  not  so  fast  away,  as  these  worm-eaten  pleas- 
ures which  we  follow.  We  build  castles  in  the  air,  and  night- 
dreams  are  our  daily  idols  that  we  dote  on.  Salvation,  salvation 
is  our  only  necessary  thing.  Sir,  call  home  your  thoughts  to  this 
work,  to  inquire  for  your  Well-beloved.  This  earth  is  the  portion 
of  bastards ;  seek  the  Son's  inheritance,  and  let  Christ's  truth  be 
dear  to  you. 

I  pawnd^  my  salvation  on  it,  that  this  is  the  honor  of  Christ's 
Kingdom  which  I  now  suffer  for, — and  this  world,  I  hope,  shall 
not  come  between  me  and  my  garland, — and  that  this  is  the  way 
to  life.  When  ye  and  I  shall  lye  lumps  of  pale  clay  upon  the 
ground,  our  pleasures  that  we  now  naturally  love,  shall  be  less 
than  nothing  in  that  day.  Dear  brother,  fulfil  my  joy,  and  betake 
you  to  Christ  without  further  delay.  Ye  will  be  fain  at  length  to 
seek  him,  or  do  infinitely  worse. 

Remember  my  love  to  your  wife.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  13,  1637. 

1  To  start  to  the  gate,  to  begin  with  alacrity.  2  Auctioning. 

3  Pledged. 


Rutherford's  letters.  221 

LETTER  GXLI. 

TO     WILLIAM     GLENDENNING. 

Well-beloved,  and  Dear  Brother,— Grace,  mercy,  and 
peace  be  to  you. — I  thank  you  most  kindly  for  your  care  and  love 
to  me,  and  in  particular  to  my  brother,  in  his  distress  in  Edinburgh. 
Go  on  through  your  waters  without  wearying ;  your  Guide  know- 
eth  the  way,  follow  him,  and  cast  your  cares  and  temptations  upon 
him  ;  and  let  not  worms,  the  sons  of  men,  aflright  you — they  shall 
die,  and  the  moth  shall  eat  them.  Keep  your  garland  ;  there  is 
no  less  at  the  stake,  in  this  game  betwixt  us  and  the  world,  than, 
our  conscience  and  salvation :  we  have  need  to  take  heed  to  the 
game,  and  not  to  yield  to  them.  Let  them  take  other  things  from 
us;  but  here,  in  matters  of  conscience,  we  must  hold  and  draw  ^ 
with  kings,  and  set  ourselves  in  terms  of  opposition  with  the  shields 
of  the  earth.  Oh,  the  sweet  communion  for  evermore,  that  hath 
been  between  Christ  and  his  prisoner !  He  wearieth  not  to  be 
kind.  He  is  the  fairest  sight  I  see  in  Aberdeen  or  in  any  part  that 
ever  my  feet  were  in. 

Remember  my  hearty  kindness  to  your  wife.  I  desire  her  to 
believe,  and  lay  her  cares  on  God,  and  make  fast  work  of  salva- 
tion.    Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  only  Lord  JesuSj.  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  13,  1637. 


LETTER  CXLH.  •      . 

TO     MR.     HUGH     HENDERSON. 

My  Reverend,  and  Dear  Brother, — I  hear  that  ye  bear 
the  marks  of  Christ's  dying  about  with  you,  and  that  your  brethren 
have  cast  you  out  for  your  Master's  sake.  Let  us  wait  on  till  the 
evening,  and  till  our  reckoning  in  black  and  white  come  before  our 
Master.  Brother,  since  we  must  have  a  devit  to  trouble  us,  I  love 
a  raging  devil  best.  Our  Lord  knoweth  what  sort  of  devil  we  have 
need  of:  it  is  best  that  Satan  be  in  his  own  skin,  and  look  like 
hhnself ;  Christ  weeping  looketh  like  himself  also,  with  whom 
Scribes  and  Pharisees  were  at  yea  and  nay,  and  sharp  contradic- 
tion. 

Ye  have  heard  of  the  patience  of  Job.  When  he  lay  in  the 
ashes,  God  was  with  him,  clawing  and  curing  his  scabs,  and  letting 
out  his  boils,  comforting  his  soul ;  and  he  took  him  up  at  last. 
That  God  is  not  dead  yet :  he  will  stoop  and  take  up  fallen  bairns  ; 
many  broken  legs  since  Adam's  days  hath  he  spelked,-  and  many 
weary  hearts  hath  he  refreshed.     Bless  him  for  comfort.     Why, 

1  Must  struggle  with.  2  Bound  up  with  splints. 


222  Rutherford's  letters. 

none  cometh  dry  from  David's  well.  Let  us  go  among  the  rest, 
and  cast  down  our  toom  '  buckets  into  Christ's  ocean,  and  suck  con- 
solations out  of  him.  We  are  not  so  sore  stricken,  but  we  may 
fill  Christ's  hall  with  weeping.  We  have  not  gotten  our  answer 
from  him  yet.  Let  us  lay  up  our  broken  pleas  to  a  full  sea,  and 
keep  them  till  the  day  of  Christ's  coming.  We  and  this  world  will 
not  be  even  "^  till  then :  they  would  take  our  garment  from  us ;  but 
let  us  hold  and  them  draw. 

Brother,  it  is  a  strange  world  if  we  laugh  not.  I  never  saw  the 
like  of  it,  if  there  be  not  "  paiks  the  man,"  ^  for  this  contempt  done 
to  the  Son  of  God  ?  We  must  do  as  those  who  keep  the  bloody 
napkin  to  the  baillie,  and  let  him  see  blood :  we  must  keep  our 
wrongs  to  our  Judge,  and  let  him  see  our  bluddered''  and  foul  faces. 
Prisoners  of  hope  must  run  to  Christ,  with  the  gutters  that  tears 
have  made  on  their  cheeks. 

Brother,  for  myself,  I  am  Christ's  dawted^  one  for  the  present; 
and  I  live  upon  no  deaf  nuts,^  (as  we  use  to  speak ;)  he  hath 
opened  fountains  to  me  in  the  wilderness.  Go,  look  to  my  Lord 
Jesus :  his  love  to  me  is  such,  that  I  defy  the  world  to  find  either 
brim  or  bottom  in  it.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  brother,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  13,  1637. 


LETTER  CXLin.  ' 

TO     THE      EARL      OF      CASSILLIS. 

Right  Honorable,  and  my  very  Good  Lord, — Grace,  mer- 
cy, and  peace  be  to  your  Lordship — I  hope  that  your  Lordship  will 
be  pleased  to  pardon  my  boldness,  if,  upon  report  of  your  zealous 
and  forward  mind,  which  I  hear  our  Lord  hath  given  you  in  this 
his  honorable  cause,  when  Christ  and  his  Gospel  are  so  foully 
wronged,  I  speak  to  your  Lordship  on  paper,  entreating  your 
Lordship  to  go  on  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord,  toward,  and  against 
a  storm  of  antichristian  wind,  that  bloweth  upon  the  face  of  this 
your  poor  mother-church,  Christ's  lily  amongst  the  thorns.  It  is 
your  liordship's  glory  and  happiness,  when  ye  see  such  a  blow 
coming  upon  Christ,  to  cast  up  your  arm  to  prevent  it.  Neither 
is  it  a  cause  that  needeth  to  blush  before  the  sun,  or  to  flee  the 
sentence  or  censure  of  impartial  beholders,  seeing  the  question, 
indeed,  (if  it  were  rightly  stated,)  is  about  the  prerogative-royal  of 
our  princely  and  royal  Lawgiver,  our  Lord  Jesus,  whose  ancient 
march-stones,''  and  land-bounds,  our  bastard  lords,  and  earthly 
generation  of  tyrannizing  prelates,  have  boldly  and  shamefully 
removed  :  and  they  who  have  but  half  an  eye,  may  see,  that  it  is 

1  Empty.  2  Quits. 

3  An  expression  used  by  those  who  were  about  to  engage  in  a  fight.     Paiks  signi- 
fies blows.  *  Blurred. 
5  Fondled,  cockered.                «  Nuts  without  a  kernel.                   '  Land-marks. 


Rutherford's  letters.  223 

the  greedy  desires  of  time  idolizing  Demases,  and  the  itching  scab 
of  ambitious  and  climbing  Diotrepheses,  (who  love  the  goat's  life, 
to  climb  till  they  cannot  find  a  way  to  set  their  soles  on  ground 
again,)  that  hath  made, such  a  wide  breach  in  our  Zion's  beautiful 
walls  : — and  these  are  the  men  who  seek  no  hire  for  the  crucify- 
ing of  Christ,  but  his  coat. 

Oh,  how  forlorn  and  desolate  is  the  bride  of  Christ  made  to  all 
passers-by  !  Who  seeth  not  Christ  buried  in  this  land,  his  pro- 
phets hidden  in  caves,  silenced,  banished,  and  imprisoned  ;  truth 
weeping  in  sackcloth  before  the  judges,  Parliament,  and  the  rulers 
of  the  land  ?  But  her  bill  is  cast  by  them,  and  holiness  hideth 
itself,  fearing  in  the  streets,  for  the  reproaches  and  persecution  of 
men  :  justice  is  fallen  aswoon '  in  the  gate ;  and  the  long  shadows 
of  the  evening  are  stretched  out  upon  us.  Wo,  w^o  to  us,  for  our 
day  flieth  away.  What  remaineth,  but  that  Antichrist  set  down 
his  tent  in  the  midst  of  us,  except  that  your  Lordship,  and  others 
with  you,  read  Christ's  supplication,  and  give  him  that  which  the 
most  lewd  and  scandalous  wretches  in  this  land  may  have  before 
a  judge,  even  the  poor  man's  due,  law  and  justice  for  God's  sake  ? 
Oh,  therefore,  my  noble,  and  dear  Lord,  as  ye  have  begun,  go  on, 
in  the  mighty  power  and  strength  of  the  Lord,  to  cause  our  Lord 
in  his  Gospel,  and  afflicted  members,  to  laugh,  and  to  cause  the 
Christian  churches,  (whose  eyes  are  all  noAV  upon  you,)  to  sing 
for  joy  when  Scotland's  moon  shall  shine  like  the  light  of  the  sun, 
and  the  sun  like  the  light  of  seven  days  in  one.  Ye  can  do  no 
less  than  run  and  bear  up  the  head  of  your  swooning,  and  dying 
Mother-church,  and  plead  for  the  production  of  her  ancient  char- 
ters. They  hold  out  and  put  out,  they  hold  in,  and  bring  in  at 
their  pleasure,  men  in  God's  house.  They  stole  the  keys  from 
Christ  and  his  Church,  and  came  in  like  the  thief  and  the  robber, 
not  by  the  door,  Christ ;  and  now  their  song  is  "  Authority,  au- 
thority, obedience  to  church-governors."  When  such  a  bastard 
and  lawless  pretended  step-dame,  as  our  prelacy,  is  gone  mad,  it 
is  your  place,  who  are  the  nobles,  to  rise  and  bind  them :  at  least 
law  should  fetter  such  wild  bulls  as  they  are,  w^ho  push  all  who 
oppose  themselves  to  their  domination.  Alas  !  what  have  we  lost, 
since  prelates  were  made  master-coiners,  to  change  our  gold  into 
brass,  and  to  mix  the  Lord's  wine  with  water  ?  Blessed  forever 
shall  ye  be  of  the  Lord,  if  ye  help  Christ  against  the  mighty,  and 
shall  deliver  the  flock  of  God,  scattered  upon  the  mountainis  in  the 
dark  and  cloudy  day,  out  of  the  hands  of  these  idol-shepherds. 
Fear  not  men  that  shall  be  moth-eaten  clay,  that  sliall  be  rolled 
up  in  a  chest,  and  casten  under  the  earth :  let  the  Holy  One  of 
Israel  be  your  fear,  and  be  courageous  for  the  Lord  and  his  truth. 

Remember  that  your  accounts  are  coming  upon  you  with 
wings,  as  fast  as  time  posteth.  Remember  what  peace  with  God 
in  Christ,  and  the  presence  of  the  Son  of  God,  the  revealed  and 
felt  sweetness  of  his  love,  will  be  to  you,  when  eternity  shall  put 

1  Into  a  swoon. 


224  Rutherford's  letters. 

time  to  the  door,  and  ye  shall  take  good  night  at  time,  and  this 
little  shepherd's  tent  of  clay,  this  inn  of  a  borrowed  earth.  I  hope 
that  your  Lordship  is  now  and  then  sending  out  thoughts  to  view 
this  world's  noughtiness,'  and  vanity,  and  the  hoped-for  glory  of 
the  life  to  come ;  and  that  ye  resolve  that  Christ  shall  have  your- 
self, and  all  yours,  at  command  for  him,  his  honor  and  Gospel. 

Thus  trusting  that  your  Lordship  will  pardon  my  boldness,  I 
pray  that  the  only  wise  God,  the  very  God  of  peace,  may  preserve, 
strengthen,  and  establish  you  to  the  end. 
Your  Lordship^s, 

At  all  command  and  obedience  in  Christ,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CXLIV. 

TO     MY     LORD     BALMERINO. 

My  very  Noble,  and  truly  Honorable  Lord, — I  make 
bold  to  write  news  to  your  Lordship  from  my  prison,  though  your 
Lordship  have  experience  more  than  I  can  have.  At  my  first 
entry  here,  I  was  not  a  httle  casten  down  with  challenges,^  for 
old  repented-of  sins ;  and  Satan  and  my  own  apprehensions 
made  a  lie  of  Christ,  tliat  he  had  casten  a  dry,  withered  tree  over 
the  dyke  of  the  vineyard  ;  but  it  was  my  folly ;  blessed  be  his 
great  name,  the  fire  cannot  burn  the  dry  tree.  He  is  pleased 
now  to  feast  the  exiled  prisoner  with  his  lovely  presence :  for  it 
suiteth  Christ  well  to  be  kind,  and  he  dineth  and  suppeth  with 
such  a  sinner  as  I  am.  I  am  in  Christ's  tutoring  here.  He  hath 
made  me  content  with  a  borrowed  fireside,  and  it  casteth  as  much 
heat  as  mine  own.  I  want  nothing  but  real  possession  of  Christ : 
and  he  hath  given  me  a  pawn  of  that  also,  which  I  hope  to  keep 
till  he  come  himself  to  lopse  the  pawn.— I  cannot  get  help  to 
praise  his  high  name.  He  hath  mde  me  king  over  my  losses,  im- 
prisonment, banishment,  and  only  my  dumb  sabbaths  stick  in  my 
throat :  but  I  forgive  Christ's  wisdom  in  that.  I  dare  not  say  one 
word;  he  hath  done  it,  and  I  will  lay  my  hand  upon  my  mouth : 
if  any  other  had  done  it  to  me,  I  could  not  have  borne  it. 

Now  my  Lord,  I  must  tell  your  Lordship,  that  I  would  not  give 
a  drinl^  of  cold  water  for  this  clay-idol,  this  plastered  world.  I 
testify  and  give  it  under  my  own  hand,  that  Christ  is  most  worthy 
to  be  suffered  for.  Our  lazy  flesh,  which  would  have  Christ  to 
cry  down  crosses  by  open  proclamation,  hath  but  raised  a  slander 
upon  the  cross  of  Christ.  My  Lord,  I  hope  that  ye  will  not  forget 
what  he  hath  done  for  your  soul :  I  think  that  ye  are  in  Christ's 
count-book,  as  his  obliged  debtor. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  your  spirit. 

Your  Lordship's  obliged  servant,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  13,  1637. 

I  Nothingness.  2  Self-accusations. 


Rutherford's  letters.  225 

LETTER  CXLV. 

TO      MY      LADY      MAR,      YOUNGER. 

My  very  Noble,  and  Dear  Lady, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace 
be  to  you — I  received  your  Ladyship's  letter,  which  hath  comforted 
my  soul.     God  give  you  to  find  mercy  in  the  day  of  Christ. 

I  am  in  as  good  terms  and  court  with  Christ,  as  an  exiled  op- 
pressed prisoner  of  Christ  can  be.  I  am  still  welcome  to  his 
house;  he  knoweth  my  knock,  and  letteth  in  a  poor  friend. 
Under  this  black,  rough  tree  of  the  cross  of  Christ,  he  hath 
ravished  me  with  his  love,  and  taken  my  heart  to  Heaven  with 
him.  Well  and  long  may  he  brook'  it.  I  would  not  nilTer"^ 
Christ  with  all  the  joys  that  man  or  angel  can  devise  beside  him. 
Who  hath  such  cause  to  speak  honorably  of  Christ  as  I  have? 
Christ  is  King  of  all  crosses,  and  he  hath  made  his  saints  little 
kings  under  him ;  and  he  can  ride  and  triumph  upon  weaker 
bodies  than  I  am,  (if  any  can  be  weaker,)  and  his  horse  will 
neither  fall  nor  stumble. 

Madam,  your  Ladyship  hath  much  ado  with  Christ,  for  your 
soul,  husband,  children,  and  house.  Let  him  find  much  employ- 
ment for  his  calling  wilh  you ;  for  he  is  such  a  friend  as  delighteth 
to  be  burdened  with  suits  and  employments  ;  and  the  more  ye  lay 
on  him,  and  the  more  homely  ^  ye  be  with  him,  the  more  welcome. 
Oh  the  depth  of  Ciirist's  love  !  It  hath  neither  brim  nor  bottom. 
Oh,  if*  this  blind  world  saw  his  beauty  !  When  I  count  with  him 
for  his  mercies  to  me,  I  must  stand  still  and  wonder,  and  go  away 
as  a  poor  dyvour,^  who  hath  nothing  to  pay ; — free  forgiveness  is 
payment.  I  would  that  I  could  get  him  set  on  high;  for  his  love 
hath  made  me  sick,  and  I  die  except  I  get  real  possession. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Your  Ladyship's,  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,         S.  R. 
Aberdeen,  March  13,  1637. 


LETTER  CXLVL 


TO     JAMES      MACADAM. 


My  very  Dear,  and  Worthy  Friend, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
peace  be  to  you. — I  long  to  hear  of  your  growing  in  grace,  and  of 
your  advancing  in  your  journey  to  Heaven.  It  will  be  the  joy  of 
my  heart  to  hear  that  yc  hold  your  face  up  the  brae,*^  and  wade 
through  temptations  without  fearing  what  man  can  do.  Christ 
shall,  when  he  ariseth,  mow  down  his  enemies,  and  lay  bouks,'' 
(as  they  use  to  speak,)  on  the  green,  and  fill  the  pits  with  dead 

'  Enjoy.  -  Exchange.  3  Familiar.  «  Oh,  that. 

6  Bankrupt.  ^  Ascent.  '  Carcases. 

15 


226  Rutherford's  letters. 

bodies,  (Ps.  ex.  6.)  They  shall  lie  like  handfuls  of  withered  hay, 
when  he  ariseth  to  the  prey.  Salvation,  salvation  is  the  only  ne- 
cessary thing :  this  clay-idol,  the  world,  is  not  to  be  sought ;  it  is 
a  morsel  not  for  you,  but  for  hunger-bitten  bastards.  Contend  for 
salvation.  Your  master,  Christ,  won  Heaven  with  strokes ;  it  is 
a  besieged  castle,  it  must  be  taken  with  violence.  Oh,  this  world 
thinketh  Heaven  but  at  the  next  door,  and  that  godliness  may 
sleep  in  a  bed  of  down,  till  it  come  to  Heaven ! — but  that  will  not 
do  it. 

For  myself,  I  am  as  well  as  Christ's  prisoner  can  be ;  for  by 
him  I  am  master  and  king  of  all  my  crosses ;  I  am  above  the 
prison,  and  the  lash  of  men's  tongues;  Christ  triumpheth  in  me. 
I  have  been  casten  down,  and  heavy  with  fears,  and  hunted  with 
challenges,  I  was  swimming  in  the  depths,  but  Christ  had  his 
hand  under  my  chin  all  the  time,  and  took  good  heed  that  I  should 
not  lose  breath ;  and  now  I  have  gotten  my  feet  again,  and  there 
are  love-feasts  of  joy,  and  spring-tides  of  consolation  betwixt  Christ 
and  me.  We  agree  well :  I  have  court  with  him  ;  I  am  still  wel- 
come to  his  house.  Oh,  my  short  arms  cannot  fathom  his  love ! 
I  beseech  you,  I  charge  you,  to  help  me  to  praise.  Ye  have  a 
prisoner's  prayers,  therefore  forget  me  not. 

I  desire  Sibylla  to  remember  me  dearly  to  all  in  that  parish  who 
know  Christ,  as  if  I  had  named  them. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  13,  1637, 


LETTER  CXLVH. 


TO    MY   VERY    DEAR    BROTHER,    WILLIAM    LIVINGSTON, 

My  very  Dear  Brother, — I  rejoice  to  hear  that  Christ  hath 
run  away  witlr  your  young  love,  and  that  ye  are  so  early  in  the 
morning  matched  with  such  a  lord ;  for  a  young  man  is  often  a 
dressed  lodging  for  the  Devil  to  dwell  in.  Be  humble  and  thank- 
ful for  grace,  and  weigh  it  not  so  much  by  weight,  as  if  it  be  true, 
Christ  will  not  cast  water  on  your  smoking  coal ;  he  never  yet 
put  out  a  dim  candle  that  was  lighted  at  the  Sun  of  Righteousness. 
I  recommend  to  you  prayer  and  watching  over  the  sins  of  your 
youth  ;  for  I  know  that  missive  letters  ^  go  between  the  Devil  and 
young  blood,  Satan  hath  a  friend  at  ccurt  in  the  heart  of  youth ; 
and  there  pride,  luxury,  lust,  revenge,  forgetfulness  of  God,  are 
hired  as  his  agents,  Happy  is  your  soul,  if  Christ  man  the  house, 
and  take  the  keys  himself,  and  command  all — ^as  it  suiteth  him 
full  well  to  rule  all,  wherever  he  is.  Keep  Christ,  and  entertain 
him  well :  cherish  his  grace  ;  blow  upon  your  own  coal ;  and  let 
him  tutor  you. 

1  Letters  containing  the  outUnes  of  an  engagement,  which  is  afterwards  to  be  ex- 
tended in  due  form. 


Rutherford's  letters.  227 

Now  for  myself;  know  that  I  am  fully  agreed  with  my  Lord. 
Christ  hath  put  the  Father  and  me  into  each  other's  arms : — 
many  a  sweet  bargain  he  made  before,  and  he  hath  made  this 
among  the  rest.  I  reign  as  king  over  my  crosses.  I  will  not 
flatter  a  temptation,  nor  give  the  Devil  a  good  word.  I  defy 
Hell's  iron  gates :  God  hath  passed  over  my  quarrelling  of  him  at 
my  entry  here,  and  now  he  feedeth  and  feasteth  with  me. 

Praise,  praise  with  me ;  and  let  us  exalt  his  name  together. 


Aberdeen,  March  13,  1637. 


Your  brother  in  Christ,        S.  R. 


LETTER   CXLYIII. 

TO     WILLIAM     GORDON,     OF     WHITEPARK. 

Worthy  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  unto  you. — I  long 
to  hear  from  you.  I  am  here  the  Lord's  prisoner  and  patient, 
handled  as  softly  by  my  Physician  as  if  I  were  a  sick  man  under 
cure.  I  was  at  hard  terms  with  my  Lord,  and  pleaded  with  him, 
but  I  had  the  worst  side.  It  is  a  wonder  that  he  should  have  suf- 
fered the  like  of  me  to  have  nicknamed  the  Son  of  his  love,  Christ, 
and  to  call  him  a  changed  Lord  Avho  had  forsaken  me ;  but  mis- 
belief hath  nev.er  a  good  word  to  speak  of  Christ.  The  dross  of 
my  cross  gathered  a  scum  of  fears  in  the  fire,  doubtings,  impa- 
tience, unbehef,  challenging  of  Providence  as  sleeping,  and  as  not 
regarding  my  sorrow ;  but  my  Goldsmith,  Christ,  was  pleased  to 
take  off  the  scum,  and  burn  it  in  the  fire.  And,  blessed  be  my 
Refiner,  he  hath  made  the  metal  better,  and  furnished  new  supply 
of  grace,  to  cause  me  hold  out  weight ;  and  I  hope  that  he  hath 
not  lost  one  grain-weight  by  burning  his  servant.  Now  his  love 
in  my  heart  casteth  a  mighty  heat :  he  knoweth  that  the  desire  I 
have  to  be  at  himself  paineth  me.  I  have  sick  nights  and  frequent 
fits  of  love-fevers  for  my  Well-beloved.  Nothing  paineth  me  now 
but  want  of  presence.  I  think  it  long  till  day.  I  challenge  ^  time, 
as  too  slow  in  its  pace,  that  holdeth  my  only,  only  fair  One,  my 
Love,  my  Well-beloved  from  me.  Oh,  if  we  were  together  once ! 
I  am  like  an  old  crazed  ship  that  hath  endured  many  storms,  and 
that  would  fain  be  in  the  lee  of  the  shore,  and  fearetli  new  storms  ; 
I  would  be  that 2  nigh  Heaven,  that  the  shadow  of  it  might  break 
the  force  of  the  storm,  and  the  crazed  ship  might  win  *  to  land. 
My  Lord's  sun  casteth  a  heat  of  love  and  beam  of  light  on  my 
soul.  My  blessing  thrice  every  day  upon  the  sweet  cross  of  Christ. 
I  am  not  ashamed  of  my  garland,  "The  banished  minister," 
which  is  the  term  of  Aberdeen.  Love,  love  defieth  reproaches. 
The  love  of  Christ  hath  a  corslet  of  proof  on  it,  and  arrows  will  not 
draw  blood  of  it.  We  are  more  than  conquerors  thiough  the 
blood  of  Him  that  loved  us,  (Rom.  viii.)     The  Devil  and  the  world 

1  Wrong  faith.  «  Accuse.  3  So.  *  Get. 


228  Rutherford's  letters. 

cannot  wound  the  love  of  Christ.  I  am  further  from  yielding  to 
the  course  of  defection  than  when  I  came  hither  : — sufferings  blunt 
not  the  fiery  edge  of  love.  Cast  love  into  the  floods  of  Hell,  it  will 
swim  above.  It  careth  not  for  the  world's  busked  ^  and  plastered 
offers.  It  hath  pleased  my  Lord  so  to  line  my  heart  with  the  love 
of  my  Lord  Jesus,  that,  as  if  the  field  were  already  won,  and  I  on 
the  other  side  of  time,  I  laugh  at  the  world's  golden  pleasures,  and 
at  this  dirty  idol,  which  the  sons  of  Adam  worship.  This  worm- 
eaten  god  is  that  which  my  soul  hath  fallen  out  of  love  with. 

Sir,  ye  were  once  my  hearer :  I  desire  now  to  hear  from  you  and 
your  wife.  I  salute  her  and  your  children  with  blessings.  I  am 
glad  that  ye  are  still  hand-fasted  ^  with  Christ.  Go  on  in  your 
journey,  and  take  the  city  by  violence.  Keep  your  garments 
clean.  Be  clean  virgins  to  your  Husband  the  Lamb.  The  \yorld 
shall  follow  you  to  Heaven's  gates  :  and  ye  would  not  wish  it  to  go 
in  with  you.  Keep  fast  Christ's  love.  Pray  for  me,  as  I  do  for 
you.     The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  13,  1637. 


LETTER  CXLIX. 

TO     MR.     GEORGE     GILLESPIE. 

Reverend,  and  Dear  Brother, — I  received  your  letter. — As 
for  my  case,  brother,  I  bless  His  glorious  name,  that  my  losses  are 
my  gain,  my  prison  a  palace,  and  my  sadness  joyfulness.  At  my 
first  entry,  my  apprehensions  so  wrought  upon  my  cross,  that  I 
became  jealous  3  of  the  love  of  Christ,  as  being  by  him  thrust  out 
of  the  vineyard,  and  I  was  under  great  challenges,  (as  ordinarily 
melted  gold  casteth  forth  a  drossy  scum,  and  Satan  and  our  cor- 
ruption form  the  first  words  that  the  heavy  cross  speaketh,  and  say, 
"  God  is  angry,  he  loveth  you  not,")  but  our  apprehensions  are  not 
canonical ;  they  indite  lies  of  God  and  Christ's  love.  But  since  my 
spirit  was  settled,  and  the  clay  has  fallen  to  the  bottom  of  the  well, 
I  see  better  what  Christ  was  doing.  And  now  my  Lord  is  returned 
with  salvation  under  his  wings.  Now  I  want  little  of  half  a 
heaven,  and  I  find  Christ  every  day  so  sweet,  comfortable,  lovely, 
and  kind,  that  three  things  only  trouble  me.  1,  I  see  not  how  to 
be  thankful,  or  how  to  get  help  to  praise  that  royal  King,  who 
raiseth  up  those  that  are  bowed  down.  2,  His  love  paineth  me, 
and  woundeth  my  soul,  so  that  I  am  in  a  fever  for  want  of  real 
presence.  3,  An  excessive  desire  to  take  instruments^  in  God's 
name,  that  this  is  Christ  and  his  truth,  which  I  now  suffer  for ; 
yea,  the  apple  of  the  eye  of  Christ's  honor,  even  the  sovereignty 
and  royal  privileges  of  our  King  and  Lawgiver,  Christ ;  and,  there- 

1  Decked.  2  Affianced.  3  Suspicious. 

*  To  declare,  and  claim  that  the  declaration  be  recorded  as  evidence. 


*  Rutherford's  letters.  229 

fore,  let  no  man  scaur '  at  Christ's  cross,  or  raise  an  ill  report  upon 
him,  or  it ;  for  he  beareth  the  sufferer  and  it  both. 

I  am  here  troubled  with  the  disputes  of  the  great  doctors,  (espe- 
cially with  D.  B.  in  ceremonial  and  Arminian  controversies,  for  all 
are  corrupt  here ;)  but,  I  thank  God,  with  no  detriment  to  the 
truth,  or  discredit  to  my  profession.  So,  then,  I  see  that  Christ 
can  triumph  in  a  weaker  man  nor  ^  I :  and  who  can  be  more  weak  ? 
but  his  grace  is  sufficient  for  me. 

Brother,  remember  our  old  covenant,  and  pray  for  me,  and  write 
to  me  your  case.     The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  13,  1637. 


LETTER  CL. 


TO     JEAN     GOR  DON. 


My  very  Dear,  and  Loving  Sister, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
peace  be  to  you — I  long  to  hear  from  you.  I  exhort  you  to  set  up 
the  brae  ^  to  the  King's  city,  that  must  be  taken  by  violence.  Your 
afternoon's  sun  is  wearing  low.  Time  will  eat  up  your  frail  life, 
like  a  worm  gnawing  at  the  root  of  a  May-flower.  Lend  Christ 
your  heart.  Set  him  as  a  seal  there.  Take  him  in  within,  and 
let  the  world,  and  children  stand  at  the  door.  They  are  not 
yours  ;  make  you  and  them  for  your  proper  owner,  Christ.  It  is 
good  that  he  is  your  Husband  and  their  Father.  What  missing 
can  there  be  of  a  dying  man,  when  God  filleth  his  chair  ?  Give 
hours  of  the  day  to  prayer.  Fashi  Christ,  (if  I  may  speak  so,) 
and  importune  him  ;  be  often  at  his  gate ;  give  his  door  no  rest. 
I  can  tell  you  that  he  will  be  found.  Oh,  what  sweet  fellowship 
is  betwixt  him  and  me  !  I  am  imprisoned,  but  he  is  not  imprisoned. 
He  hath  shamed  me  with  his  kindness.  He  hath  come  to  my 
prison,  and  run  away  with  my  heart  and  all  my  love.  Well  may 
he  brook  ^  it !  I  wish  that  my  love  get  never  an  owner  but  Christ. 
Fy,  fy  upon  old  lovers,  that  held  us  so  long  asunder  !  We  shall 
not  part  now.  He  and  I  shall  be  heard,  before  he  win  out  of  my 
grips.^  I  resolve  to  wrestle  with  Christ,  ere  I  quit  him.  But  my 
love  to  him  hath  casten  my  soul  into  a  fever,  and  there  is  no  cool- 
ing of  my  fever,  till  I  get  real  possession  of  Christ.  O  strong, 
strong  love  of  Jesus,  thou  hast  wounded  my  heart  with  thine  ar- 
rows !  0  pain  !  Oh  pain  of  love  for  Christ !  Who  will  help  me 
to  praise  ? 

Let  me  have  your  prayers.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  13,  1G37. 

1  Boggle.  2  Than.  3  Ascent. 

*  Pester.  ^  Possess  and  enjoy.  ^  Get  out  of  my  hands. 


230  Rutherford's  letters. 


LETTER  CLI. 

TO   MR.    JAMES    BRUCE,    MINISTER    OP    THE    GOSPEL. 

Reverend,  and  Well-beloved  Brother, — Grace,  mercy, 
and  peace  be  to  you. — Upon  the  nearest  acquaintance,  that  we 
are  Father's  children,  I  thought  good  to  write  to  you.  My  case  in 
my  bonds,  for  the  honor  of  my  royal  Prince  and  King,  Jesus,  is  as 
good  as  becometh  the  witness  of  such  a  sovereign  King.  At  my 
first  coming  hither,  I  was  in  great  heaviness,  wrestling  with  chal- 
lenges, being  burdened  in  heart,  (as  I  am  yet,)  for  my  silent  sab- 
baths, and  for  a  bereaved  people,  young  ones,  new-born,  plucked 
from  the  breasts,  and  the  children's  table  drawn.  I  thought  I  was 
a  dry  tree  cast  over  the  dyke  of  the  vineyard :  but  my  secret  con- 
ceptions of  Christ's  love,  at  his  sweet  and  long-desired  return  to  my 
soul,  were  found  to  be  a  lie  of  Christ's  love,  forged  by  the  Tempter, 
and  my  own  heart,  and  I  am  persuaded  it  was  so.  Now  there  is 
greater  peace  and  security  within  than  before  :  the  court  is  raised 
and  dismissed,  for  it  was  not  fenced '  in  God's  name.  I  was  far 
mistaken,  who  should  have  summoned  Christ  for  unkindness  ; 
misted  ^  faith,  and  my  fever  conceived  amiss  of  him.  Now,  now, 
he  is  pleased  to  feast  a  poor  prisoner,  and  to  refresh  me  with  joy 
unspeakable  and  glorious  ;  so,  as  the  Holy  Spirit  is  witness,  that 
my  sufferings  are  for  Christ's  truth ;  and  God  forbid  that  I  should 
deny  the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  make  him  a  false  wit- 
ness. Now  I  testify  under  my  hand,  out  of  some  small  experience, 
that  Christ's  cause,  even  with  the  cross,  is  better  than  the  King's 
crown  ;  and  that  his  reproaches  are  sweet,  his  cross  perfumed,  the 
walls  of  my  prison  fair  and  large,  my  losses  gain. 

I  desire  you,  my  dear  brother,  to  help  me  to  praise,  and  to  re- 
member me  in  your  prayer  to  God.     Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
Yours,  in  our  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  14,  1637. 


LETTER  CLH. 


TO  JOHN  GORDON,  AT  RUSCO,  IN  GALLOWAY. 

My  Worthy,  and  Dear  Brother, — Misspend  not  your  short 
sand-glass,  which  runneth  very  fast;  seek  your  Lord  in  time. 
Let  me  obtain  of  you  a  letter  under  your  hand,  for  a  promise  to 
God,  by  his  grace,  to  take  a  new  course  of  walking  with  God. 
Heaven  is  not  at  the  next  door ;  I  find  it  hard  to  be  a  Christian ; 
there  is  no  little  thrusting  and  thringing^  to  thrust  in  at  Heaven's 
gates  ;  it  is  a  castle  taken  by  force  : — "  Many  shall  strive  to  enter 
in,  and  shall  not  be  able." 

I  Opened  by  declaring  the  constitution.  2  Bewildered. 

3  Pressing,  as  througli  a  crowd  or  thicket. 


Rutherford's  letters.  231 

I  beseech  and  obtest  you  in  the  Lord,  to  make  conscience  of  rash 
and  passionate  oaths,  of  raging  and  sudden,  avenging  anger,  of 
night  drinking,  of  needless  companionry.'  of  sabbath-breaking,  of 
hurting  any  under  you  by  word  or  deed,  of  hating  your  very  ene- 
mies. "  Except  ye  receive  the  Kingdom  of  God  as  a  httle  child," 
and  be  as  meek  and  sober-minded  as  a  babe,  "  ye  cannot  enter 
into  the  Kingdom  of  God."  That  is  a  word  which  should  touch 
you  near,  and  make  you  stoop  and  cast  yourself  down,  and  make 
your  great  spirit  fall.  I  know  that  this  will  not  be  easily  done, 
but  I  recommend  it  to  you  as  you  tender  your  part  of  the  King- 
dom of  Heaven. 

Brother,  I  may,  from  new  experience,  speak  of  Christ  to  you. 
Oh,  if'^  ye  saw  in  him  what  I  see  !  A  river  of  God's  unseen  joys 
have  flowed  from  bank  to  brae^  over  my  soul  since  I  parted  with 
you.  I  wish  that  I  wanted  part,  so  being  ye  might  have ;  that 
your  soul  might  be  sick  of  love  for  Christ,  or  rather  satiated  with 
him.  This  clay  idol,  the  world,  would  seem  to  you,  then,  not 
worth  a  fig  ;  time  will  eat  you  out  of  possession  of  it.  When  the 
eye-strings  break,  and  the  breath  groweth  cold,  and  the  impris- 
oned soul  looketh  out  of  the  windows  of  the  clay-house,  ready  to 
leap  out  into  eternity,  what  would  you  then  give  for  a  lamp  full 
of  oil  ?     Oh  seek  it  now. 

I  desire  you  to  correct  and  curb  banning,*  swearing,  lying,  drink- 
ing, sabbath-breaking,  and  idle  spending  of  the  Lord's  day  in  ab- 
sence from  the  kirk,  as  far  as  your  authority  reacheth  in  that 
parish. 

I  hear  that  a  man  is  to  be  thrust  into  that  place,  to  the  which 
I  have  God's  right:  I  know  that  ye  should  have  a  voice  by  God's 
word  in  that,  (Acts  i.  15,  16,  to  the  end,  and  Acts  vi.  3,  5.)  Ye 
would  be  loath  that  any  prelate  should  put  you  out  of  your  pos- 
session earthly,  and  this  is  your  right.  What  I  write  to  you,  I 
write  to  your  wife.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  loving  pastor,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  14,  1637. 


LETTER  CLIII. 

TO     THE      LADY      HALLHILL. 

Dear,  and  Christian  Lady, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be 
to  you. — I  longed  much  to  write  to  your  Ladyship ;  but  now,  the 
Lord  offering  a  fit  occasion,  I  would  not  omit  to  do  it. 

I  cannot  but  acquaint  your  Ladyship  with  the  kind  dealing  of 
Christ  to  my  soul,  in  this  house  of  my  pilgrimage,  that  your  Lady- 
ship may  know  that  he  is  as  good  as  he  is  called :  for  at  my  first 
entry  into  this  trial,  (being  casten  down  and  troubled  with  chal- 
lenges and  jealousies  of  His  We,  whose  name  and  testimony  I 

1  Companions.  2  Oh,  that. 

3  From  bank  to  bank.  *  Minced  oaths. 


232*  Rutherford's  letters. 

now  bear  in  my  bonds,)  I  feared  notbing  more  than  that  I  was 
casten  over  the  dyke  of  the  vineyard,  as  a  dry  tree.  But,  blessed 
be  his  great  name,  the  dry  tree  was  in  the  fire,  and  was  not  burnt ; 
his  dew  came  down  and  quickened  the  root  of  a  withered  plant ; 
and  now  he  is  come  again  with  joy,  and  hath  been  pleased  to  feast 
his  exiled  and  afl[iicted  prisoner  with  the  joy  of  his  consolations. 
Now  I  weep,  but  am  not  sad ;  I  am  chastened,  but  I  die  not ;  I 
have  loss,  but  I  want  nothing  ;  this  water  cannot  drown  me,  this 
fire  cannot  burn  me,  because  of  the  good-will  of  Him  that  dwelt 
in  the  bush.  The  worst  things  of  Christ,  his  reproaches,  his  cross, 
are  better  than  Egypt's  treasures.  He  hath  opened  his  door,  and 
taken  into  his  house-of-wine  a  poor  sinner,  and  hath  left  me  so 
sick  of  love  for  my  Lord  Jesus,  that  if  Heaven  were  at  my  dispos- 
ing, I  would  give  it  for  Christ,  and  would  not  be  content  to  go  to 
Heaven,  except  I  were  persuaded  that  Christ  were  there.  I  would 
not  give,  nor  exchange  my  bonds  for  the  Prelates'  velvets  ;  nor  my 
prison  for  their  coaches  ;  nor  my  sighs  for  all  the  world's  laughter : 
— this  clay  idol,  the  Vv^orld,  hath  no  great  court  ^  in  my  soul.  Christ 
hath  come,  and  run  away  to  Heaven  with  my  heart  and  my  love, 
so  that  neither  heart  nor  love  is  mine : — I  pray  God,  that  Christ 
may  keep  both  without  reversion.  In  my  estimation,  as  I  am 
now  disposed,  if  my  part  of  this  world's  clay  were  rouped^  and 
sold,  I  would  think  it  dear  of  a  drink  of  water.  I  see  Christ's  love 
is  so  kingly,  that  it  will  not  abide  a  marrow;^  it  must  have  a 
throne  all  alone  in  the  soul.  And  I  see  that  apples  beguile  bairns, 
howbeit  they  be  worm-eaten  :  the  moth-eaten  pleasures  of  this 
present  world  make  bairns  believe  ten  is  a  himdred,  and  yet  all 
that  are  here  are  but  shadows.  If  they  would  draw  by  the  cur- 
tain that  is  hung  betwixt  them  and  Christ,  they  should  see  them- 
selves fools  who  have  so  long  miskenned^  the  Son  of  God.  I  seek 
no  more,  next  to  Heaven,  than  that  he  may  be  glorified  in  a  pris- 
oner of  Christ ;  and  that  in  my  behalf  many  would  praise  His  high 
and  glorious  name  who  heareth  the  sighing  of  the  prisoner. 

Remember  my  service  to  the  Laird  your  husband,  and  to  your 
son  my  acquaintance.  I  wish  that  Christ  had  his  young  love, 
and  that  in  the  morning  he  would  start  to  the  gate  to  seek  that 
which  this  world  knoweth  not,  and,  therefore,  doth  not  seek  it. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  14,  1G37. 


LETTER  CLIV. 


TO    THE    MUCH    HONORED    JOHN    OSBURN,  PROVOST    OF    AYR. 

Much  Honored  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you — 
Upon  oiu"  small  acquaintance,  and*  the  good  report  I  hear  of  you, 

1  Influence.  2  Auctioned. 

3  A  fellow  companion.  <  Mistaken,  misapprehended. 


Rutherford's  letters.  233 

I  could  not  but  write  to  you :  I  have  nothing  to  say,  but  that 
Christ,  in  that  honorable  place  he  hath  put  you  in,  hath  intrusted 
you  with  a  dear  pledge,  which  is  his  own  glory ;  and  hath  armed 
you  with  his  sword  to  keep  the  pledge  and  make  a  good  account 
of  it  to  God.  Be  not  afraid  of  men.  Your  Master  can  mow  down 
his  enemies,  and  make  withered  hay  of  fair  flowers.  Your  time 
will  not  be  long  :  after  your  afternoon  will  come  your  evening, 
and  after  evening,  night.  Serve  Christ,  back  him ;  let  his  cause 
be  your  cause ;  give  not  an  hair-breadth  of  truth  away ;  for  it  is 
not  yours,  but  God's.  Then,  since  ye  are  going,  take  Christ's  tes- 
tificate '  with  you  out  of  this  life — "  Well  done,  good  and  faithful 
servant !"  His  "  well-done"  is  worth  a  shipful  of  "  good-days" 
and  earthly  honors.  I  have  cause  to  say  this,  because  I  find  him 
Truth  itself.  In  my  sad  days,  Christ  laugheth  cheerfully,  and 
saith,  "  All  will  be  well !"  Would  to  God  that  all  this  kingdom, 
and  all  tliat  know  God,  knew  what  is  betwixt  Christ  and  me  in 
this  prison — what  kisses,  embracements,  and  love  connnunions. 
I  take  his  cross  in  my  arms  with  joy  ;  I  bless  it,  I  rejoice  in  it — 
suffering  for  Christ  is  my  garland.  I  would  not  exchange  Christ 
for  ten  thousand  worlds  !  nay,  if  the  comparison  could  stand,  I 
would  not  exchange  Christ  with  Heaven. 

Sir,  pray  for  me,  and  the  prayevs,  and  blessing  of  a  prisoner  of 
Christ  meet  you  in  all  your  straits.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  Christ  Jesus,  his  Lord,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  14,  1637. 


LETTER  CLV. 

TO     HIS     LOVING     FRIEND,     JOHN     HENDERSON. 

Loving  Friend, — Continue  in  the  love  of  Christ,  and  the  doc- 
trine which  I  taught  you  faithfully,  and  painfully,  according  to 
my  measure.  I  am  free  of  your  blood.  Fear  the  dreadful  name 
of  God.  Keep  in  mind  the  examinations  which  I  taught  you,  and 
love  the  truth  of  God.  Death,  as  fast  as  time  fleeth,  chaseth  you  out 
of  this  life ;  it  is  possible  that  ye  may  make  your  reckoning  with  your 
Judge  before  I  see  you.  Let  salvation  be  your  care,  night  and 
day,  and  set  aside  hours  and  times  of  the  day  for  prayer.  I  re- 
joice to  hear  that  there  is  prayer  in  your  house.  See  that  your 
servants  keep  the  Lord's  day.  This  dirt  and  god  of  clay,  I  mean 
the  vain  world,  is  not  worth  the  seeking. 

An  hireling  pastor  is  to  be  thrust  in  upon  you,  into  the  room  to 
which  1  have  Christ's  warrant  and  right.  Stand  to  your  liberties, 
for  the  word  of  God  alloweth  you  a  vote  in  choosing  your  pastor. 

Wliat  I  write  to  you,  I  write  to  your  wife.  Commend  me 
heartily  to  her.     The  grace  of  God  be  with  you. 

Your  loving  friend,  and  pastor,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  14,  1637. 

1  Certificate  of  character. 


234  Rutherford's  letters. 

LETTER  CLVI. 

TO    JOHN    MEINE. 

Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you — I  won- 
der that  ye  sent  me  not  an  answer  to  my  last  letter,  for  I  stand  in  ■ 
need  of  it.  I  am  in  some  piece  of  court  ^  witb  our  great  King, " 
whose  love  would  cause  a  dead  man  to  speak,  and  live :  whether 
my  court  will  continue  or  not,  I  cannot  well  say  ;  but  I  have  his 
ear  frequently,  and,  (to  his  glory  only  I  speak  it,)  no  penury  of  the 
love-kisses  of  the  Son  of  God.  He  thinketh  good  to  cast  apples  to 
me  in  my  prison,  to  play  withal,  lest  I  should  think  long  ^  and 
faint.  I  must  give  over  all  attempts  to  fathom  the  depth  of  his 
love.  All  I  can  do  is,  but  to  stand  beside  his  great  love,  and  look 
and  wonder.  My  delots  of  thankfulness  affright  me  :  I  fear  that 
my  creditor  get  a  dy vour-bill  ^  and  ragged  account. 

I  would  be  much  the  better  of  help, — oh,  for  help  !  and  that  ye 
would  take  notice  of  my  case.  Your  not  writing  to  me  maketh 
me  think  ye  suppose  that  I  am  not  to  be  bemoaned,  because  he 
sendeth  comfort;  but  I  have  pain  in  my  unthankfulness,  and 
pain  in  the  feeling  of  his  love,  whill  I  am  sick  again  for  real 
presence  and  real  possession  of  Christ ;  yet  there  is  no  gowked,* 
(if  I  may  so  speak,)  nor  fond  love  in  Christ.  He  casteth  me  down 
sometimes  for  old  faults  :  and  I  know  that  he  knoweth  well  that 
sweet  comforts  are  swelling :  and,  therefore,  sorrow  must  take  a 
vent  to  the  wind. 

My  dumb  sabbaths  are  undercoating^  wounds.  The  condition 
of  this  oppressed  Kirk,  and  my  brother's  case,  (I  thank  you  and 
your  wife  for  your  kindness  to  him,)  hold  my  sore  smarting,  and 
keep  my  wounds  bleeding ;  but  the  ground-work  standeth  sure. 
Pray  for  me. 

Grace  be  with  you.    Remember  me  to  your  wife. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  14,  1637. 


LETTER  CLVn. 

TO     MR.     THOMAS     GARVEN. 

Reverend,  and  Dear  Brother, — I  bless  you  for  your  letter : 
it  was  a  shower  to  the  new-mown  grass.  The  Lord  hath  given 
you  the  tongue  of  the  learned  ;  be  fruitful  and  humble. 

It  is  possible  that  ye  may  come  to  my  case,  or  the  like ;  but  the 
water  is  neither  so  deep,  nor  the  stream  so  strong,  as  it  is  called. 
I  think  my  fire  is  not  so  hot,  my  water  is  dry  land,  my  loss  rich 
loss.     Oh,"  if  the  walls  of  my  prison  be  high,  wide  and  large,  and 

'  Favor.  2  Lose  heart  with  on-waiting.  3  Bankrupt-account. 

i  Gawkish,  foolish.         s  Festering  under  the  skin.  *  Oh,  but. 


Rutherford's  letters.  235 

the  place  sweet !  No  man  knoweth  it,  no  man,  I  say,  knoweth 
it,  my  dear  brother,  so  well  as  he  and  I :  no  m'an  can  put  it  down 
in  black  and  white  as  my  Lord  hath  sealed  it  in  my  heart.  My 
poor  stock  is  grown  since  I  came  to  Aberdeen ;  and  if  any  had 
known  the  wrong- 1  did,  in  being  jealous  of  such  an  honest  lover 
as  Christ,  who  withheld  not  his  love  from  me,  they  would  think 
the  more  of  it ;  but  I  see,  he  must  be  above  me  in  mercy.  I  will 
never  strive  with  him ;  to  think  to  recompense  him  is  folly.  If  I 
had  as  many  angels'  tongues,  as  there  have  fallen  of  drops  of  rain 
since  the  creation,  or  as  there  are  leaves  of  trees  in  all  the  forests 
of  the  earth,  or  of  stars  in  the  Heaven,  to  praise,  yet  my  Lord 
Jesus  would  ever  be  behind  with  ^  me.  We  will  never  get  our 
accounts  fitted.  A  pardon  must  close  the  reckoning :  for  his  com- 
forts to  me  in  this  honorable  cause  have  almost  put  me  beyond 
the  bounds  of  modesty  :  howbeit  I  will  not  let  every  one  know 
what  is  betwixt  us.  Love,  love,  (I  mean  Christ's  love,)  is  the 
hottest  coal  that  ever  I  felt.  Oh,  but  the  smoke  of  it  be  hot ! 
Cast  all  the  salt  sea  on  it,  it  will  flame ;  Hell  cannot  quench  it :  many, 
many  waters  will  not  quench  love.  Christ  is  turned  over  to  his 
poor  prisoner  in  a  mass  and  globe  of  love :  I  wonder  that  he 
should  waste  so  much  love  upon  such  a  waster  as  I  am ;  but  he 
is  no  waster,  but  abundant  in  mercy ;  he  hath  no  niggard's  alms, 
when  he  is  pleased  to  give.  Oh  that  I  could  invite  all  the  nation 
to  love  him  !  Free  grace  is  an  unknown  thing.  This  world  hath 
heard  but  a  bare  name  of  Christ,  and  no  more.  There  are  infin- 
ite plies  in  his  love,  that  the  saints  will  never  win'^  to  unfold  :  I 
would  it  were  better  known,  and  that  Christ  got  more  of  his  own 
due  than  he  doth. 

Brother,  ye  have  chosen  the  good  part,  who  have  taken  part 
with  Christ :  ye  will  see  him  win  the  field,  and  shall  get  part  of 
the  spoil  when  he  divideth  it.  They  are  but  fools  who  laugh  at 
us  ;  for  they  see  but  the  backside  of  the  moon  ;  yet  our  moon-light 
is  better  than  their  twelve  hours'^  sun.  We  have  gotten  the  New 
Heavens,  and,  as  a  pledge  of  that,  the  Bridegroom's  love-ring. 
The  chiklren  of  the  wedding-chamber  have  cause  to  skip,  and 
leap  for  joy  ;  for  the  marriage-supper  is  drawing  nigh,  and  we 
find  the  four-hours^  sweet  and  comfortable.  O  time,  be  not  slow! 
O  sun,  move  speedily,  and  hasten  our  banquet !  0  Bridegroom, 
be  like  a  roe,  or  a  young  hart  upon  the  mountains !  O  Well- 
beloved,  run  fast,  that  we  may  once  meet ! 

Brother,  I  restrain  myself,  for  want  of  time.  Pray  for  me ;  I 
hope  to  remember  you.  The  good-will  of  Him,  who  dwelt  in  the 
bush,  the  tender  mercies  of  God  in  Christ,  enrich  you.  Grace  be 
with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  14,  1637. 

1  That  is,  would  never  get  all  that  is  due  to  him  from  me.  2  Attain. 

3  Noon-day.  *  Slight  repast  in  the  afternoon. 


236  Rutherford's  letters. 


LETTER  CLVIIL 


TO     BETHAIA     AIRD. 


Worthy  Sister, — Grace,  iiicrcy,  and  peace  be  unto  you — I 
know  that  ye  desire  news  from  my  prison,  and  I  shall  show  you 
news.  At  my  first  entry  hither,  Christ  and  I  agreed  not  well 
upon  it.  The  Devil  made  a  plea '  in  the  house,  and  I  laid  the 
blame  upon  Christ ;  for  my  heart  was  fraughted  with  challenges,^ 
and  I  feared  that  I  was  an  outcast,  and  that  I  was  but  a  withered 
tree  in  the  vineyard,  and  but  held  the  sun  off  the  good  plants  with 
my  idle  shadow,  and  that,  therefore,  my  Master  had  given  the 
evil  serpent  the  fields,  to  fend  him.^  Old  guiltiness  said,  (as  wit- 
ness,) "  All  is  true :"  my  apprehensions  were  with  child  of  faith- 
less fears,  and  unbelief  put  a  seal  and  amen  to  all.  I  thought 
myself  in  a  hard  case.  Some  said,  I  had  cause  to  rejoice,  that 
Christ  had  honored  me  to  be  a  witness  for  him  ;  and  I  said  in  my 
heart,  "  These  are  words  of  men,  who  see  but  mine  outside,  and 
cannot  tell  if  I  be  a  false  witness  or  not." 

If  Christ  had  in  this  matter  been  as  wilful  and  short*  as  I  was, 
my  faith  had  gone  over  the  brae,^  and  broken  its  neck.  But  we 
were  well  met,  a  hasty  fool,  and  a  wise,  patient  and  meek  Saviour. 
He  took  no  law-advantage  of  my  folly,  but  waited  on  till  my  ill 
blood  was  fallen,  and  my  drumbicd^  and  troubled  well  began  to 
clear.  He  was  never  a  whit  angry  at  the  fever-ravings  of  a  poor 
tempted  sinner :  but  he  mercifully  forgave,  and  came,  as  it  well 
becometh  him,  with  grace  and  new  comfort  to  a  sinner  who  de- 
served the  contrary.  And,  now  he  is  content  to  kiss  my  black 
mouth,  to  put  his  hand  into  mine,  and  to  feed  me  with  as  many 
consolations,  as  would  feed  ten  hungry  souls  !  yet  I  dare  not  say, 
that  he  is  a  waster  of  comforts,  for  no  less  would  have  borne  me 
up;  one  grain-weight  less  would  have  casten"  the  balance. 

Now,  who  is  like  to  that  royal  King,  crowned  in  Zion  !  Where 
shall  I  get  a  seat  for  royal  majesty,  to  set  him  on  ?  If  I  could  set 
him  as  far  above  the  Heaven  as  thousand  thousands  of  heights 
devised  by  men  and  angels,  I  should  think  him  but  too  low.  I 
pray  you,  for  God's  sake,  my  dear  sister,  to  help  me  to  praise.  His 
love  hath  neither  brim  nor  bottom :  his  love  is  like  himself,  it  pas- 
seth  all  natural  understanding.  I  go  to  fathom  it  with  my  arms, 
but  it  is  as  if  a  child  would  take  the  globe  of  sea  and  land  in  his 
two  short  arms  : — blessed  and  holy  is  his  name  !  This  must  be 
his  truth  which  I  now  suffer  for ;  for  he  would  not  laugh  upon  a 
lie,  nor  be  witness  with  his  comforts  to  a  night-dream. 

I  entreat  for  your  prayers :  and  the  prayer  and  blessing  of  a 
prisoner  of  Christ  be  upon  you.     Grace  be  with  you. 

.,     ,  .     ,  ,^„«     Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,        S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  14,  1637.  ' 

1  Dispute.  2  Laden  with  accusations. 

3  That  is,  had  cast  him  out  of  the  house  into  the  open  fields.  *  Hasty. 

5  Bank.  6  Muddied.  '  Turned. 


Rutherford's  letters.  237 

LETTER  CLIX. 

TO     ALEXANDER     GORDON,     OF     KNOCKGRAY. 

Dear  Brother, — I  have  not  leisure  to  write  to  you.  Christ's 
ways  were  known  to  you,  long  before  I,  who  am  but  a  child,  knew 
anything  of  him.  What  wrong  and  violence  the  prelates  may,  by 
God's  permission,  do  unto  you,  for  your  trial,  I  know  not;  but  this 
I  know,  that  your  ten  days'  tribulation  will  end.  Contend  to  the 
last  breath  for  Christ.  Banishment  out  of  these  kingdoms  is 
determined  against  me,  as  I  hear.  This  land  dow  not '  bear  me. 
I  pray  you,  to  recommend  my  case  and  bonds  to  my  brethren,  and 
sisters,  with  you.  I  intrust  more  of  my  spiritual  comfort  to  you 
and  them,  that  way,  my  dear  brother,  than  to  many  in  this  king- 
dom besides.  I  hope  that  ye  will  not  be  wanting  to  Christ's 
prisoner. 

Fear  nothing,  for  I  assure  you  that  Alexander  Gordon  of  Knock- 
gray,  shall  win  away,"  and  get  his  soul  for  a  prey  :  and  what  can 
he  then  want,  that  is  worth  the  having  ?  Your  friends  are  cold, 
(as  ye  write.)  and  so  are  those  in  whom  I  trusted  much.  Our 
Husband  doetli  well  in  breaking  our  idols  in  pieces  :  dry  wells  send 
us  to  the  fountain.  My  life  is  not  dear  to  me,  so  being  I  may  fulfil 
my  course  with  joy.  I  fear  that  ye  must  remove,  if  your  new 
hireling  will  not  bear  your  discountenancing  of  him  ;  for  the  Pre- 
late is  afraid  that  Christ  get  you  ;  and  that  he  hath  no  will  to. 

Grace  be  with  you. 


Aberdeen,  1637. 


Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  and  Master,  S.  R. 


LETTER  CLX. 

TO     GRIZZEL     FULLERTON. 

Dear  Sister, — I  exhort  you  in  the  Lord,  to  seek  your  one 
thing,  Mary's  good  part,  that  shall  not  be  taken  from  you.  Set 
your  heart  and  soul  on  the  children's  inheritance:  this  clay-idol, 
the  world,  is  but  for  bastards,  and  ye  are  his  lawfully-begotten 
child.  Learn  the  way,  (as  your  dear  mother  hath  gone  before 
you,)  to  knock  at  Christ's  door.  Many  an  alms  of  mercy  hath 
Christ  given  to  her,  and  hath  abundance  behind  to  give  to  you. 
Ye  are  the  seed  of  the  faithful,  and  born  witliin  the  Covenant. 
Claim  your  right.  I  would  not  exchange  Christ  Jesus  for  ten 
worlds  of  glory:  I  know  now,  (blessed  be  my  Teacher!)  how  to 
shute^  the  lock,  and  unbolt  my  Well-beloved's  door: — and  he 
maketh  a  poor  stranger  welcome  when  he  comcth  to  his  house.  I 
am  swelled  up  and  satisfied  with  the  love  of  Christ,  that  is  better 

1  Is  not  able. 

2  To  win  away,  to  escape,  by  death,  from  the  evils  of  this  life,  3  Push  back. 


238  Rutherford's  letters. 

than  wine.  It  is  a  fire  in  my  soul :  let  Hell  and  the  world  cast 
water  on  it,  they  will  not  mend  themselves.  I  have  now  gotten 
the  right  gate'  of  Christ.  I  recommend  him  to  you  above  all 
things.  Come  and  find^  the  smell  of  his  breath  ;  see  if  his  kisses 
be  not  sweet ;  he  desireth  no  better  than  to  be  much  made  of.  Be 
homely  ^  with  him,  and  ye  shall  be  the  more  welcome  : — ye  know 
not  how  fain  Christ  would  have  all  your  love.  Think  not  that 
this  is  imaginations  and  bairns'  play,  which  we  make  din  for.  I 
would  not  suffer  for  it,  if  it  were  so.  I  dare  pawn  my  heaven  for 
it,  that  it  is  the  way  to  glory.  Think  much  of  truth,  and  abhor 
these  ways  devised  by  men  in  God's  worship. 
The  grace  of  Christ  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  14,  1637. 


LETTER  CLXL 


TO      PATRICK      CARSEN. 


Dear,  and  Loving  Friend, — I  cannot  but,  upon  the  opportu- 
nity of  a  bearer,  exhort  you  to  resign  the  love  of  yovn*  youth  to 
Christ,  and,  in  this  day,  while  your  sun  is  high,  and  your  youth 
serveth  j^ou,  to  seek  the  Lord  and  his  face ;  for  there  is  nothing 
out  of  Heaven  so  necessary  for  you  as  Christ.  And  ye  cannot  be 
ignorant,  that  your  day  will  end,  and  that  the  night  of  death  shall 
call  you  from  the  pleasures  of  this  life ; — and  a  doom  given  out  in 
death,  standeth  forever,  as  long  as  God  liveth.  Youth,  ordinarily, 
is  a  post,  and  ready  servant  for  Satan,  to  run  errands ;  for  it  is  a 
nest  for  lust,  cursing,  drunkenness,  blaspheming  of  God,  lying, 
pride,  and  vanity.  Oh,  that  there  were  such  an  heart  in  you,  as 
to  fear  the  Lord,  and  to  dedicate  your  soul  and  body  to  his  service ! 
When  the  time  comet]  i  that  your  eye-strings  shall  break,  and  your 
face  wax  pale,  and  legs  and  arms  tremble,  and  your  breath  grow 
cold,  and  your  poor  soul  look  out  at  your  prison  house  of  clay,  to 
be  set  at  liberty ;  then  a  good  conscience,  and  your  Lord's  favor 
shall  be  worth  all  the  world's  glory.  Seek  it  as  your  garland  and 
crown.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  14,  1637, 


LETTER  CLXn. 


TO    CARLTON. 


Much  Honored  Sir, — I  will  not  impute  your  not  writing  to 
me  to  forgetfulness ;  however,  I  have  One  above  who  forgetteth 

1  Way.  2  Feel.  3  Famihar. 


Rutherford's  letters.  239 

me  not — nay,  he  groweth  in  his  kindness.  It  hath  pleased  his 
■holy  Majesty  to  take  me  from  the  pulpit,  and  teach  me  many 
things,  in  my  exile  and  prison,  that  were  mysteries  to  me  before  : 
as,  1st,  I  see  his  bottomless  and  boundless  love  and  kindness,  and 
my  jealousies  and  ravings,  which,  at  my  first  entry  into  this  fur- 
nace, were  so  foolish  and  bold,  as  to  say  to  Christ,  who  is  truth 
itself,  in  his  face,  "Thou  liest."  I  had  well  nigh  lost  my  grips. ^ 
I  wondered  if  it  was  Christ,  or  not ;  for  the  mist  and  smoke  of  my 
perturbed  heart  made  me  mistake  my  Master,  Jesus  ;  my  faith  was 
dim,  and  hope  frozen  and  cold ;  and  my  love,  which  caused  jeal- 
ousies, had  some  warmness,  and  heat,  and  smoke,  but  no  flame  at 
all ;  yet  I  was  looking  for  some  good  of  Christ's  old  claim  to  me. 
I  thought  I  had  forfeited  all  my  rights ;  but  the  Tempter  was  too 
much  upon  my  counsels,  and  was  still  blowing  the  coal.  Alas  !  I 
knew  not  well  before,  how  good  skill  my  Intercessor,  and  Advocate, 
Christ,  hath  of  pleading,  and  of  pardoning  me  such  follies.  Now 
he  is  returned  to  my  soul  with  healing  under  his  wings  ;  and  I  am 
nothing  behind*^  with  Christ  now  ;  for  he  hath  overpaid  me,  by  his 
presence,  the  pain  I  was  put  to  by  on-waiting,  and  any  little  loss 
that  I  sustained  by  my  witnessing  against  the  wrongs  done  to  him. 
I  trow,  it  was  a  pain  to  my  Lord  to  hide  himself  any  longer :  in  a 
manner,  he  was  challenging^  his  own  unkindness,  and  repented 
him  of  his  glooms :  *  and  now,  what  want  I  on  earth,  that  Christ 
can  give  to  a  poor  prisoner  !  Oh,  how  sweet  and  lovely  is  he  now  ! 
Alas,  that  I  can  get  none  to  help  me  to  lift  up  my  Lord  Jesus  upon 
his  throne,  above  all  the  earth. 

2ndly,  I  am  now  brought  to  some  measure  of  submission,  and  I 
resolve  to  wait  till  I  see  what  my  Lord  .Tesus  will  do  with  me.  I 
dare  not  now  nickname  or  speak  one  word  against  the  all-seeing 
and  over-watching  providence  of  my  Lord.  I  see  that  providence 
runneth  not  on  broken  wheels ;  but  I,  like  a  fool,  carved  a  provi- 
dence for  mine  own  ease,  to  die  in  my  nest,  and  to  sleep  still  till 
my  gray  hairs,  and  to  lie  on  the  sunny  side  of  the  mountain,  in 
my  ministry  at  Anwoth  ;  but  now  I  have  nothing  to  say  against 
a  borrowed  fire-side,  and  another  man's  house,  nor  Kedar's  tents, 
where  I  live,  being  removed  far  from  my  acquaintance,  my  lovers, 
and  my  friends.  I  see  that  God  hath  the  world  on  his  wheels, 
and  casteth  it  as  a  potter  doth  a  vessel  on  the  wheel.  I  dare  not 
say  that  there  is  any  inordinate  or  irregular  motion  in  Providence. 
The  Lord  hath  done  it :  I  will  not  go  to  law  with  Christ,  for  I 
would  gain  nothing  of  that. 

3rdly,  I  have  learned  some  greater  mortification,  and  not  to 
mourn  after,  or  seek  to  suck  the  world's  dry  breasts :  nay,  my 
Lord  hath  filled  me  with  such  dainties,  that  I  am  like  to  a  full 
banqueter,  who  is  not  for  common  cheer.  What  have  I  to  do,  to 
fall  down  upon  my  knees,  and  worship  mankind's  great  idol,  the 
world  ?  I  have  a  better  God  than  any  clay-god  :  nay,  at  present, 
as  I  am  now  disposed,  I  care  not  much  to  give  this  world  a  dis- 

^  Hold.  2  That  is,  in  receiving  payment. 

3  Accusing.  *  Frowns. 


240  Rutherford's  letters. 

charge  of  my  life-rent  of  it,  for  bread  and  water.  I  know  that  it 
is  not  my  home,  nor  my  Father's  house  ;  it  is  but  his  footstool,  the 
outer-close  of  his  house,  his  out-fields'  and  muir-groutid  ;^  let  bas- 
tards take  it.  I  hojDe  never  to  think  myself  in  its  common,  for 
honor  or  riches — nay,  now,  I  say  to  laughter,  "  Thou  art  mad- 
ness." 

4thly,  I  find  it  to  be  most  true,  that  the  greatest  temptation  out 
of  Hell,  is,  to  live  without  temptations.  If  my  waters  should  stand, 
they  would  rot.  Faith  is  the  better  of  the  free  air,  and  of  the  sharp 
winter  storm  in  its  face.  Grace  withereth  without  adversity.  The 
Devil  is  but  God's  master-fencer,  to  teach  us  to  handle  our  weapons. 

Sthly,  I  never  knew  liow  weak  I  was,  till  now,  when  he  hideth 
himself,  and  when  I  have  him  to  seek  seven  times  a  day.  I  am  a 
dry  and  withered  branch,  and  a  piece  of  a  dead  carcase,  dry  bones, 
and  not  able  to  step  over  a  straw.  The  thoughts  of  my  old  sins 
are  as  the  summons  of  death  to  me ;  and  of  late  my  brother's  case 
hath  stricken  me  to  the  heart.  When  my  wounds  are  closing,  a 
little  riflfle^  caiiseth  them  to  bleed  afresh:  so  thin-skinned  is  my 
soul,  that  I  think  it  is  like  a  tender  man's  skin,  that  may  touch 
nothing.  Ye  see,  how  short  I  would  shoot  of  the  prize,  if  his  grace 
were  not  sufficient  for  me. 

Wo  is  me  for  the  day  of  Scotland ;  wo,  wo  is  me  for  my  Harlot- 
mother  ;  for  the  decree  is  gone  forth  :  women  of  this  land  shall 
call  the  childless  and  miscarrying  wombs  blessed.  The  anger  of 
the  Lord  is  gone  forth,  and  shall  not  return,  till  he  perform  the 
purpose  of  his  heart  against  Scotland  :  yet  he  shall  make  Scotland 
a  new  sharp  instrument,  having  teeth  to  thresh  the  mountains, 
and  fan  the  hills  as  chat}'. 

The  prisoner's  blessing  be  upon  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  14,  1637. 


LETTER  CLXm. 


TO     THE     LADY     BUSBIE. 


Mistress, — I  know  that  ye  are  thinking,  sometimes,  what 
Christ  is  doing  in  Zion,  and  that  the  haters  of  Zion  may  get  the 
bottom  of  our  cup,  and  the  burning  coals  of  our  furnace,  that  we 
have  been  tried  in  those  many  years  by-gone.''  Oh,  that  this  na- 
tion Avould  be  awakened,  to  cry  mightily  unto  God,  for  the  setting 
up  of  a  new  tabernacle  to  Christ  in  Scotland.  Oh,  if  this  kingdom 
knew  how  worthy  Christ  were  of  his  room  !  His  worth  was  ever 
above  man's  estimation  of  him. 

And  for  myself  I  am  pained  at  the  heart,  that  I  cannot  find  my- 
self disposed  to  leave  myself,  and  go  wholl}^  into  Christ.     Alas,  that 

*  The  worst  parts  of  an  arable  farm,  which,  though  tilled  from  time  to  time,  yet,  in 
the  ancient  system  of  Scottish  husbandry,  received  no  manure. 
2  Untilkible  ground,  covered  with  heath.  3  Ruffle,  abrasion.  <  By-past. 


Rutherford's  letters.  241 

there  should  be  one  bit  of  me  out  of  him,  and  that  we  leave  too 
much  liberty  and  latitude  for  ourselves,  and  our  own  ease,  and 
credit,  and  pleasures,  and  so  little  room  for  all-love-worthy  Christ ! 
Oh,  what  pains  and  charges  it  costeth  Christ  ere  he  get  us  !  and 
when  all  is  done,  we  are  not  worth  the  having.  It  is  a  wonder 
that  he  should  seek  the  like  of  us  :  but  love  overlooketh  blackness 
and  fecklessness ; '  for  if  it  had  not  been  so,  Christ  would  never 
have  made  so  fair  and  blessed  a  bargain  with  us,  as  the  covenant 
of  grace  is.  I  find  that  in  all  our  sufferings,  Christ  is  but  redding 
marches,^  that  every  one  of  us  may  say,  "  Mine,  and  thine,"  and 
that  men  may  know  by  their  crosses,  how  weak  a  bottom  nature 
is  to  stand  upon  in  a  trial ;  that  the  end  which  our  Lord  intend- 
eth,  in  all  our  sufferings,  is  to  bring  grace  into  court  ^  and  request 
amongst  us.  I  should  succumb  and  come  short  of  Heaven,  if  I 
had  no  more  than  my  own  strength  to  support  me ;  and  if  Christ 
should  say  to  me,  "  Either  do  or  die,"  it  were  easy  to  determine 
what  should  become  of  me :  the  choice  were  easy,  for  I  behooved 
to  die,  if  Christ  should  pass  by  with  straitened  bowels  ;  and  who 
then  would  take  us  up  in  our  straits?  I  know  we  may  say  that 
Christ  is  kindest  in  his  love,  when  we  are  at  our  weakest ;  and 
that  if  Christ  had  not  been  to  the  fore,^  in  our  sad  days,  the  waters 
had  gone  over  ovu"  soul.  His  mercy  hath  a  set  period,  and  ap- 
pointed a  place,  how  far,  and  no  further,  the  sea  of  affliction  shall 
flow,  and  where  the  waves  thereof  shall  be  stayed.  He  prescribeth 
how  much  pain  and  sorrow,  both  for  weight  and  measure,  we  must 
have  ;  ye  have,  then,  good  cause  to  recall  your  love  from  all  lovers, 
and  give  it  to  Christ :  He,  who  is  afflicted  in  all  your  afflictions, 
looketh  not  on  you  in  your  sad  hours  with  an  insensible  heart  or 
dry  eyes.  All  the  Lord's  saints  may  see  that  it  is  lost  love  which 
is  bestowed  upon  tliis  perishing  world.  Death  and  judgment  will 
make  men  lament,  that  ever  their  miscarrying  hearts  carried  them 
to  lay  and  lavish  out  their  love  upon  false  appearances  and  night- 
dreams.  Alas!  that  Christ  should  fare  the  worse,  because  of  his 
own  goodness,  in  making  peace  and  the  Gospel  to  ride  together ; 
and  that  we  have  never  yet  weighed  the  worth  of  Christ  in  his  or- 
dinances ;  and  that  now  we  are  like  to  be  deprived  of  the  well,  ere 
we  have  tasted  the  sweetness  of  the  water : — it  may  be  that  with 
watery  eyes,  and  a  wet  face,  and  wearied  feet,  we  seek  Christ,  and 
shall  not  find  him.  Oh,  that  this  land  were  humbled  in  time,  and 
by  prayers,  cries  and  humiliation  would  bring  Christ  in  at  the 
church-door  again,  now,  when  his  back  is  turned  towards  us,  and 
he  is  gone  to  the  threshold,  and  his  one  foot,  as  it  were,  is  out  of 
the  door  !  I  am  sure  that  his  departure  is  our  deserving  ;  we  have 
bought  it  with  our  iniquities  ;  for  even  the  Lord's  own  children  are 
fallen  asleep :  and,  alas  !  professors  are  made  all  of  shows  and 
fashions,  and  are  not  at  pains  to  recover  themselves  again.  Every 
one  hath  his  set  measure  of  faith  and  holiness,  and  contenteth 
himself  with  but  a  stinted  measure  of  godliness,  as  if  that  were 

1  Worthlessness.  2  Settling  boundaries. 

3  Favor.  "  ♦  Extant,  existing. 

16 


242  Rutherford's  letters. 

enough  to  brino-  him  to  Heaven.  We  forget  that  as  our  gifts  and 
light  grow,  so  God's  gain,  and  the  interest  of  his  talents,  should 
grow  also  ;  and  that  we  cannot  pay  God  with  the  old  use  and 
wont,  (as  we  use  to  speak,)  which  we  gave  him  seven  years  ago ; 
for  this  were  to  mock  the  Lord,  and  to  make  price  with  him  as  we 
list.  Oh,  what  difficulty  is  there  in  our  Christian  journey  !  and 
how  often  come  we  short  of  many  thousand  things  that  are 
Christ's  due !  and  we  consider  not  how  far  our  dear  Lord  is  be- 
hind with  us. 

Mistress,  I  cannot  render  you  thanks,  as  I  would,  for  your  kind- 
ness to  my  brother,  an  oppressed  stranger ;  but  I  remember  you 
unto  the  Lord  as  I  am  able.  I  entreat  you,  to  think  upon  me,  his 
prisoner,  and  pray  that  the  Lord  would  be  pleased  to  give  me  room 
to  speak  to  his  people  in  his  name. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  and  Master,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CLXIV. 


TO    JOHN     FLEMING,     BAILLIE     OF     LEITH. 

Worthy,  and  Dearly  Beloved  in  the  Lord, — Grace, 
mercy,  and  peace  be  unto  you. — I  received  your  letter.  I  wish 
that  I  could  satisfy  your  desire,  in  drawing  up,  and  framing  for 
you  a  Christian  directory  ;  but  the  learned  have  done  it  before  me, 
more  judiciously  than  I  can  ;  especially  Mr.  Rodgers,  Greenham, 
and  Perkins :  notwithstanding,  1  shall  show  you  what  I  would 
have  been  at,  myself;  howbeit  I  came  always  short  of  my 
purpose. 

1.  That  hours  of  the  day,  less  or  more  time,  for  the  word  and 
prayer,  be  given  to  God,  not  sparing  the  twelfth  hour,  or  mid-day, 
howbeit  it  should  then  be  the  shorter  time. 

2.  In  the  midst  of  worldly  employments,  there  should  be  some 
thoughts  of  sin,  death,  judgment,  and  eternity,  with,  at  least,  a 
word  or  two  of  ejaculatory  prayer  to  God. 

3.  To  beware  of  wandering  of  heart  in  private  prayers. 

4.  Not  to  grudge,  howbeit  ye  come  from  prayer  without  sense 
of  joy  : — down-casting,  sense  of  guiltiness,  and  hunger,  are  often 
best  for  us. 

5.  That  the  Lord's  day,  from  morning  to  night,  be  spent  always 
either  in  private  or  public  worship. 

6.  That  words  be  observed,  wandering  and  idle  thoughts  be 
avoided,  sudden  anger  and  desire  of  revenge,  even  of  such  as  per- 
secute the  truth,  be  guarded  against ;  for  we  often  mix  our  zeal 
with  our  wild-fire. 

7.  That  known,  discovered,  and  revealed  sins,  that  are  against 
the  conscience,  be  eschewed,  as  most  dangerous  preparatives  to 
hardness  of  heart. 


Rutherford's  letters.  243 

8.  That  in  dealing  with  men,  faith  and  truth  in  covenants  and 
trafficking  be  regarded,  that  we  deal  with  all  men  in  sincerity ; 
that  conscience  be  made  of  idle  and  lying  words ;  and  that  our 
carriage  be  such,  as  that  they  who  see  it,  may  speak  honorably 
of  our  sweet  Master  and  profession. 

9.  I  have  been  much  challenged,  1.  For  not  referring  all  to  God, 
as  the  last  end ;  that  I  do  not  eat,  drink,  sleep,  journey,  speak,  and 
think  for  God.  2.  That  I  have  not  benefited  by  good  company  ; 
and  that  I  left  not  some  word  of  conviction,  even  upon  natural  and 
wicked  men,  as  by  reproving  swearing  in  them,  or  because  of  being 
a  silent  witness  to  their  loose  carriage,  and  because  I  intended  not 
in  all  companies  to  do  good.  3.  That  the  woes  and  calamities  of 
the  Kirk,  and  of  particular  professors,  have  not  moved  me.  4.  That 
at  the  reading  of  the  life  of  David,  Paul,  and  the  like,  when  it 
humbled  me,  I,  (coming  so  far  short  of  their  holiness,)  labored  not 
to  imitate  them,  afar  off  at  least,  according  to  the  measure  of  God's 
grace.  5.  That  unrepented  sins  of  youth  were  not  looked  to,  and 
lamented  for.  6.  That  sudden  stirrings  of  pride,  hist,  revenge,  love 
of  honors,  were  not  resisted  and  mourned  for.  7.  That  my  charity 
was  cold.  8.  That  the  experiences  I  had,  of  God's  hearing  me  in 
this  and  the  other  particular,  being  gathered,  yet  in  a  new  trou- 
ble I  had  always,  (once  at  least,)  my  faith  to  seek,  as  if  I  were  to 
begin  at  A  B  C  again.  9.  That  I  have  not  more  boldly  contra- 
dicted the  enemies,  speaking  against  the  truth,  either  in  public 
church-meetings,  or  at  tables,  or  ordinary  conference.  10.  That 
in  great  troubles,  I  have  received  false  reports  of  Christ's  love,  aud 
misbelieved  •  him  in  his  chastening;  whereas  the  event  hath  said, 
"All  was  in  mercy."  11.  Nothing  more  moveth  me,  and  weight- 
eth''  my  soul,  than  that  I  could  never  for  my  heart,  in  my  pros- 
perity, so  wrestle  in  prayer  with  God,  nor  be  so  dead  to  the  world, 
so  hungry  and  sick  of  love  for  Christ,  so  heavenly-minded,  as  when 
ten  stone-weight  of  a  heavy  cross  was  upon  me.  12.  That  the 
cross  extorted  vows  of  new  obedience,  which  ease  hath  blown 
away,  as  chaff  before  the  wind.  13.  That  practice  was  so  short 
and  narrow,  and  hght  so  long  and  broad.  14.  That  death  hath 
not  been  often  meditated  upon.  15.  That  I  have  not  been. care- 
ful of  gaining  others  to  Christ.  16.  That  my  grace  and  gifts 
bring  forth  little  or  no  thankfulness. 

There  are  some  things,  also,  whereby  I  have  been  helped  ;  as, 
— 1.  I  have  benefited  by  riding  alone  a  long  journey,  in  giving 
that  time  to  prayer,  2.  By  abstinence,  and  giving  days  to  God. 
3.  By  praying  for  others ;  for  by  making  an  errand  to  God  for 
them,  I  have  gotten  something  for  myself  4.  I  have  been  really 
confirmed  in  many  particulars,  that  God  heareth  prayers ;  and, 
therefore,  I  used  to  pray  for  anything,  of  how  little  importance 
soever.  5.  He  enabled  me  to  make  no  question,  that  this  mocked 
way,  which  is  nicknamed,  is  the  only  way  to  Heaven. 

Sir,  these,  and  many  moe  occurrences  in  your  Ufe,  should  be 

1  Not  believed  aright.  »  Depresseth. 


244  Rutherford's  letters. 

looked  unto  :  and,^ — 1.  Thoughts  of  atheism  should  be  watched 
over,  as,  If  there  be  a  God  in  Heaven ;  which  will  trouble  and 
assault  the  best,  at  some  times.  2.  Growth  in  grace  should  be 
cared  for,  above  all  things ;  and  falling  from  our  first  love 
mourned  for.  3.  Conscience  made  of  praying  for  the  enemies, 
who  are  blinded. 

Sir,  I  thank  you  most  kindly  for  the  care  of  my  brother,  and 
of  me  also.  I  hope  it  is  laid  up  for  you,  and  remembered  in 
Heaven. 

I  am  still  ashamed  with  Christ's  kindness  to  such  a  sinner  as  I 
am  :  he  hath  left  a  fire  in  my  heart,  that  Hell  cannot  cast  water 
on,  to  quench  or  extinguish  it.  Help  me  to  praise,  and  pray  for 
me  ;  for  ye  have  a  prisoner's  blessing  and  prayers. 

Remember  my  love  to  your  wife.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  Christ  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  March  15,  1637. 


LETTER  CLXV. 

TO  ALEXANDER  GORDON,  OF  EARLSTON 


Much  Honored,  and  Worthy  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
peace  be  unto  you — I  long  to  hear  from  you.  I  have  received 
few  letters  since  I  came  hither :  I  am  in  need  of  a  word  ;  a  dry 
plant  sliould  have  some  watering. 

M}^  case  betwixt  Christ  my  Lord,  and  me,  standeth  between 
love  and  jealousy,  faith  and  suspicion  of  his  love  ; — it  is  a  marvel 
he  keepeth  house  with  me.  I  make  many  pleas  '  with  Christ,  but 
he  maketh  as  many  agreements  with  me.  I  think  his  unchange- 
able love  hath  said,  "I  defy  thee  to  break  me  and  change  me." 
If  Christ  had  such  changeable  and  new  thoughts  of  my  salva- 
tion, as  I  have  of  it,  I  think  I  should  then  be  at  a  sad  loss.  He 
humoreth  not  a  fool  like  me  in  my  unbelief,  but  rebuketh  me, 
and  fathereth  kindness  upon  me.  Christ  is  rather  like  the  poor 
friend  and  needy  prisoner,  (begging  love,)  than  I  am.  I  cannot, 
for  shame,  get  Christ  said  nay  of  my  whole  love ;  for  he  will  not 
want  his  errand  for  the  seeking.  God  be  thanked  that  my  Bride- 
groom tireth  not  of  wooing.  Honor  to  him  !  he  is  a  wilful  suitor 
of  my  soul.  But  as  love  is  his,  pain  is  mine,  that  I  have  nothing 
to  give  him ;  his  account-book  is  full  of  my  debts  of  mercy,  kind- 
ness, and  free  love  towards  me.  Oh  that  I  might  read  with 
watery  eyes  !  Oh  that  he  would  give  me  the  interest  of  interest  to 
pay  back!  or  rather,  my  soul's  desire  is,  that  he  would  comprise* 
my  person,  soul  and  body,  love,  joy,  confidence,  fear,  sorrow,  and 
desire,  and  drive  the  poind,'  and  let  me  be  rouped,*  and  sold  to 
Christ,  and  taken  home  to  my  Creditor's  house  and  his  fireside. 

'  Quarrels.  2  Attach. 

3  Seize  upon  the  impounded  property.  *  Auctioned. 


Rutherford's  letters.  245 

The  Lord  knoweth  that  if  I  could,  I  would  sell  myself  without 
reversion  to  Christ.  O  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  make  a  market,  and 
overbid  all  my  buyers  !  I  dare  swear,  that  there  is  a  mystery  in 
Christ  which  I  never  saw  ;  a  mystery  of  love.  Oh,  if'  he  would 
lay  by  the  lap  of  the  covering  that  is  over  it,  and  let  my  green- 
ing '^  soul  see  it !  I  would  break  the  door,  and  be  in  upon  him,  to 
get  my  fill  of  love ;  for  I  am  an  hungered  and  famished  soul. 
Oh,  sir,  if  you,  or  any  other  would  tell  him,  how  sick  my  soul  is, 
dying  for  want  of  a  hearty  draught  of  Christ's  love!  Oh,  if*  I 
could  dote,  (if  I  may  make  use  of  that  word  in  this  case,)  as  much 
upon  himself  as  I  do  upon  his  love  !  It  is  a  pity  that  Christ  him- 
self should  not  rather  be  ray  heart's  choice,  than  Christ's  mani- 
fested love.  It  would  satisfy  me,  in  some  measure,  if  I  had  any 
bud  ^  to  give  for  his  love.  Shall  I  offer  him  my  praises  ?  Alas  ! 
he  is  more  than  praises.  I  give  it  over  to  get  him  exalted  accord- 
ing to  his  worth,  which  is  above  what  can  be  known. 

Yet  all  this  time  I  am  tempting  him,  to  see  if  there  be  both  love 
and  anger  in  him  against  me.  I  am  pkicked  from  his  flock,  (dear 
to  me,)  and  from  feeding  his  lambs ;  I  go,  therefore,  in  sackcloth 
as  one  who  hath  lost  the  wife  of  his  youth.  Grief  and  sorrow  are 
suspicious,  and  spew  out  against  him  the  smoke  of  jealousies  ;* 
and  I  say  often,  "  Show  me  wherefore  thou  contendest  with  me. 
Tell  me,  O  Lord,  read  the  process  against  me."  But  I  know  that  I 
cannot  answer  his  allegations  ;  I  shall  lose  the  cause,  when  it 
Cometh  to  open  pleading.  Oh,  if*  I  could  force  my  heart  to  be- 
lieve dreams  to  be  dreams  !  Yet  when  Christ  giveth  my  fears  the 
lie,  and  saith  to  me,  "  Thou  art  a  liar,"  then  I  am  glad.  I  resolve 
to  hope  to  be  quiet,  and  to  lye  on  the  brink,  on  my  side,  till  the 
water  fall,  and  the  ford  be  ridable  :^  and  howbeit  there  be  pain 
upon  me,  in  longing  for  deliverance  that  I  may  speak  of  him  in 
the  great  congregation ;  yet  I  think  there  is  joy  in  that  pain  and 
on-waiting  ;  and  even  rejoice  that  he  putteth  me  off  for  a  time, 
and  shifteth  me.  Oh,  if*  I  could  wait  on  for  all  eternity,  howbeit 
I  should  never  get  my  soul's  desire,  so  being  he  were  glorified  !  I 
would  wish  my  pain  and  my  ministry  could  live  long  to  serve  him ! 
for  I  know  that  I  am  a  clay  vessel,  and  made  for  his  use.  Oh,  if  * 
my  very  broken  sherds  could  serve  to  glorify  him  !  I  desire  Christ's 
grace  to  be  willingly  content,  that  my  hell,  (excepting  his  hatred 
and  displeasure,  which  I  put  out  of  all  play,  for  submission  to  this 
is  not  called  for,)  were  a  preaching  of  his  glory  to  men  and  angels 
forever  and  ever  !  When  all  is  done,  what  can  I  add  to  him  ?  or 
what  can  such  a  clay  shadow  as  I  do  ?  I  know  that  he  needeth  not 
me.  I  have  cause  to  be  grieved,  and  to  melt  away  in  tears,  (if  I 
had  grace  to  do  it, — Lord  grant  it  to  me  !)  to  see  my  Well-beloved's 
fair  face  spitted  upon  by  dogs,  to  see  louns  ^  pulling  the  crown  off 
my  royal  King's  head :  to  see  my  Harlot-mother  and*  my  sweet 
Father  agree  so  ill,  that  they  are  going  to  skail, ''  and  give  up 

I  Oh,  that.  2  Longing  greedily.  3  Bribe. 

*  Suspicions.  5  May  be  crossed  on  horseback. 

6  Low,  worthless  scoundrels.  7  Separate. 


246  Rutherford's  letters. 

Jiouse : — my  Lord's  palace  is  now  a  nest  of  unclean  birds.  Oh, 
if^  harlot,  harlot  Scotland  would  rue  upon  her  provoked  Lord; 
and  pity  her  good  Husband,  who  is  broken  with  her  whorish  heart ! 
but  these  things  are  hid  from  her  eyes. 

I  have  heard  of  late  of  your  new  trial  by  the  Bishop  of  Galloway. 
Fear  not  clay  and  worms'  meat.  Let  truth  and  Christ  get  no 
wrong  in  your  hand :  it  is  your  gain  if  Christ  be  glorified :  and 
your  glory  to  be  Christ's  witness.  I  persuade  you,  that  your  suf- 
ferings are  Christ's  advantage  and  victory  ;  for  he  is  pleased  to 
reckon  them  so.  Let  me  hear  from  you.  Christ  is  but  winning 
a  clean  kirk  out  of  the  fire ;  he  will  win  this  play.  He  wiU  not 
be  in  your  common  ^  for  any  charges  ye  are  at  in  his  service.  He 
is  not  poor  to  sit  in  your  debt ;  he  will  repay  an  hundred  fold  more, 
it  may  be,  even  in  this  life. 

The  prayers  and  blessing  of  Christ's  prisoner  be  with  you. 

Your  brother,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CLXVL 


TO     MY     LADY     BOYD 


Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  from  God  our  Father,  and 
from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  be  multiplied  upon  you. 

I  have  reasoned  with  your  son  at  large — I  rejoice  to  see  him 
set  his  face  in  the  right  airth,^  now  when  the  nobles  love  the 
sunny-side  of  the  Gospel  best,  and  are  afraid  that  Christ  want 
soldiers,  and  shall  not  be  able  to  do  for  himself 

Madam,  our  debts  of  obligation  to  Christ  are  not  small ;  the 
freedom  of  grace  and  of  salvation  is  the  wonder  of  men  and  angels ; 
but  mercy  in  our  Lord  scorneth  hire.  Ye  are  bound  to  lift  Clirist 
on  high,  who  hath  given  you  eyes  to  discern  the  Devil,  now  com- 
ing out  in  his  whites,  and  the  idolatry  and  apostasy  of  the  time 
well  washen^  with  fair  pretences  ;  but  the  skin  is  black,  and  the 
water  foul.  It  were  art,  I  confess,  to  wash  a  black  devil,  and 
make  him  white. 

I  am  in  strange  ups  and  downs,  and  seven  times  a  day  I  lose 
ground.  I  am  put  often  to  swimming,  and  again  my  feet  are  set 
on  the  Rock  that  is  higher  than  myself  He  hath  now  let  me  see 
four  things  which  I  never  saw  before  : — 1st,  That  the  supper  shall 
be  great  cheer,  that  is,  up  in  the  great  hall,  with  the  royal  King 
of  glory,  when  the  four-hours,'^  the  standing-drink,''  in  this  dreary 
wilderness  is  so  sweet.  When  he  bloweth  a  kiss  afar  off  to  his 
poor,  heart-broken  mourners  in  Zion,  and  sendeth  me  but  his 
hearty  conimendations  till  we  meet,  I  am  confounded  with  wonder 
to  think  wliat  it  shall  be  when  the  Fairest  among  the  sons  of  men 

'  Oh,  that.  2  Under  obligation  to  you. 

3  Direction,  point  of  the  compass,  *  Washed. 

6  Slight  afternoon  repast.  6  a  draught  given  to  a  person  at  the  door. 


Rutherford's  letters.  247 

shall  lay  a  king's  sweet,  soft  cheek  to  the  sinful  cheeks  of  poor 
sinners.  O,  time,  time,  go  swiftly,  and  hasten  that  day  !  Sweet 
Lord  Jesus,  post !  come  flying  like  a  young  hart  or  a  roe  upon  the 
mountains  of  separation.  I  think  that  we  should  tell  the  hours 
carefully,  and  look  often  how  low  the  sun  is  ;  for  love  hath  no 
ho  ;  Wt  is  pained,  pained  in  itself,  till  it  come  into  grips  with^  the 
party  beloved. 

2ndly,  I  find  Christ's  absence  to  be  love's  sickness  and  love's 
death.  The  wind  that  bloweth  out  of  the  airth,^  where  my  Lord 
Jesus  reigneth,  is  swect-sraelled,  soft,  joyful,  and  heartsome^  to  a 
soul  burnt  witli  absence.  It  is  a  painful  battle  for  a  soul  sick  of 
love  to  figlit  with  absence  and  delays.  Christ's  "  Not  yet,"  is  a 
stounding  ^  of  all  the  limbs  and  liths  ^  of  the  soul.  A  nod  of  his 
head,  when  he  is  under  a  mask,  would  be  half  a  pawn  :  to  say, 
"  Fool,  what  aileth  thee  ?  he  is  coming,"  would  be  life  to  a  dead 
man.  I  am  often  in  my  dumb  Sabbaths  seeking  a  new  plea^  with 
my  Lord  Jesus — God  forgive  me — and  I  care  not  if  there  be  not 
two  or  three  ounce- weight  of  black  wrath  in  my  cup. 

3rdly,  For  the  third  thing,  I  have  seen  my  abominable  vileness : 
if  I  were  well  known,  there  would  none  in  this  kingdom  ask  how 
I  do.  Many  take  my  ten  to  be  a  hundred,  but  I  am  a  deeper 
hypocrite,  and  shallower  professor,  than  every  one  believeth,  God 
knoweth  I  feign  not :  but  I  think  my  reckonings  on  the  one  page 
written  in  great  letters,  and  his  mercy  to  such  a  forlorn  and 
wretched  dyvour^  on  the  other,  to  be  more  than  a  miracle.  If  I 
could  get  my  finger-ends  upon  a  full  assurance,  I  trow  that  I  would 
grip'  fast ;  but  my  cup  wanteth  not  gall ;  and,  upon  my  part,  de- 
spair might  be  almost  excused,  if  every  one  in  this  land  saw  my 
inner  side ;  but  I  know  that  I  am  one  of  them  who  have  made 
great  sale,  and  a  free  market  to  free  grace.  If  I  could  be  saved, 
as  I  would  fain  believe,  sure  I  am  that  I  liave  given  Christ's  blood, 
his  free  grace,  and  the  bowels  of  his  mercy,  a  large  field  to  work 
upon,  and  Christ  hath  manifested  his  art,  I  dare  not  say  to  the 
uttermost ;  (for  he  can,  if  he  would,  forgive  all  the  devils  and 
damned  reprobates,  in  respect  of  the  wideness  of  his  mercy  ;)  but 
I  say,  to  an  admirable  degree. 

4thly,  I  am  stricken  with  fear  of  unthankfulness.  This  apostate 
Kirk  hath  played  the  harlot  with  many  lovers.  They  are  spitting 
in  the  face  of  my  lovely  King,  and  mocking  him,  and  I  dow  not '° 
mend  it ;  and  they  are  running  away  from  Christ  in  troops,  and 
I  dow  not'"  mourn  and  be  grieved  for  it.  I  think  Christ  lieth 
like  an  old  forcasten  ''  castle,  forsaken  of  the  inhabitants  ;  all  men 
run  away  now  from  him.  Truth,  innocent  truth,  goeth  mourning 
and  wringing  her  hands,  in  saclcclotii  and  ashes.  Wo,  wo  is  me, 
for  the  Virgin-daughter  of  Scotland  !  Wo,  wo  to  the  inhabitants 
of  this  land  !  for  they  are  gone  back  with  a  perpetual  backsliding. 

1  Self-control.  2  Into  the  embrace  of 

3  Direction,  point  of  the  compass.  *  Cheering. 

5  A  causing  of  a  sudden  pang.  «  Joints.  ">  Controversy. 

8  Bankrupt.  *  Gripe.  i"  Am  not  able.  "  Neglected. 


■248  Rutherford's  letters. 

These  thinjf^s  take  me  so  up,  that  a  borrovved  bed,  another  man's 
fireside,  the  wind  upon  my  face,  (I  being  driven  from  my  lovers, 
and  dear  acquaintance,  and  my  poor  flock,)  find  no  room  in  my 
sorrow.  I  have  no  spare  or  odd  sorrow  for  these  ;  only  I  think 
that  the  sparrows  and  swallows  that  build  their  nests  in  the  kirk 
of  Anwoth,  are  blessed  birds.  Nothing  hath  given  my  faith  a 
harder  back-set '  till  it  crack  again,  than  my  closed  mouth.  But 
let  me  be  miserable  myself  alone,  God  keep  my  dear  brethren 
from  it.  But  still  I  keep  breath,  and  when  my  royal,  and  never, 
never-enough  praised  King  returneth  to  his  sinful  prisoner,  I  ride 
upon  the  high  places  of  Jacob,  I  divide  Shechem,  I  triumph  in  his 
strength.  If  this  kingdom  would  glorify  the  Lord  in  my  behalf, 
I  desire  to  be  weighed  in  God's  even  balance  in  this  point,  if  I 
think  not  my  wages  paid  to  the  full ;  I  shall  crave  no  more  hire 
of  Christ. 

Madam,  pity  me  in  this,  and  help  me  to  praise  him  ;  for  what- 
ever I  be,  the  chief  of  sinners,  a  devil,  and  a  most  guilty  devil,  yet 
it  is  the  apple  of  Christ's  eye,  his  honor  and  glory,  as  the  Head  of 
the  Church,  that  I  suffer  for  now,  and  that  I  will  go  to  eternity 
with. 

I  am  greatly  in  love  with  Mr.  M.  M. ;  I  see  him  stamped  with 
the  image  of  God.     I  hope  well  of  your  son,  my  Lord  Boyd. 

Your  Ladyship  and  your  children  have  a  prisoner's  prayers. 
Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Your  Ladyship's  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  May  1,  1637. 


LETTER  CLXVIL 

TO    HIS    REV.,    AND    DEAR    BROTHER,    MR.    DAVID    DICKSON. 

My  Reverend,  and  Dear  Brother, — I  fear  that  ye  have 
never  known  me  well.  If  ye  saw  my  inner  side,  it  is  possible  that 
ye  would  pity  me,  but  you  would  hardly  give  me  either  love  or  re- 
spect :  men  mistake  me  the  whole  length  of  the  heavens  ;  my 
sins  prevail  over  me,  and  the  terrors  of  their  guiltiness.  I  am  put 
often  to  ask,  if  Christ  and  I  ever  did  shake  hands  together  in  ear- 
nest ;  I  mean  not  that  my  feast-days  are  quite  gone,  but  I  am 
made  of  extremes.  I  pray  God  that  ye  never  have  the  woful  and 
dreary  experience  of  a  closed  mouth  ;  for  then  ye  shall  judge  the 
sparrows,  that  may  sing  in  the  church  of  Irvine,  blessed  birds. 
But  my  soul  hath  been  refreshed  and  watered,  when  I  hear  of 
your  courage  and  zeal  for  yom*  never-enough  praised,  praised 
Master,  in  that  ye  put  the  men  of  God,  chased  out  of  Ireland,  to 
work.  Oh,  if  2  I  could  confirm  you  !  I  dare  say  in  God's  presence, 
"  That  this  shall  never  hasten  your  suffering,  but  will  be  David 
Dickson's  feast,  and  speaking  joy,  that  while  he  had  time  and  leis- 

1  Relapse.  2  oh,  that. 


Rutherford's  letters.  249 

ure,  he  put  many  to  work,  to  lift  up  Jesus,  his  sweet  Master,  high 
in  the  skies."  O  man  of  God,  go  on,  go  on,  be  vahant  for  that 
Plant  of  renown,  for  that  Chief  among  ten  thousands,  for  that 
Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth.  It  is  but  httle  that  I  know  of 
God,  yet  this  I  dare  write,  that  Christ  will  be  glorified  in  David 
Dickson,  howbeit  Scotland  be  not  gathered. 

I  am  pained,  pained  that  I  have  not  more  to  give  my  sweet 
Bridegroom  :  his  comforts  to  me  are  not  dealt  with  a  niggard's 
hand,  but  I  would  fain  learn  not  to  idolize  comfort,  sense,  joy,  and 
sweet,  felt  presence.  All  these  are  but  creatures,  and  notliing  but 
the  kingly  robe,  the  gold  ring,  and  the  bracelets  of  the  Bride- 
groom :  the  Bridegroom  himself  is  better  than  all  the  ornaments 
that  are  about  him.  Now,  I  would  not  so  much  have  these,  as 
God  himself,  and  to  be  swallowed  up  of  love  to  Christ.  I  see  that 
in  delighting  in  a  communion  with  Christ,  we  may  make  more 
gods  than  one  ;  but  liowever,  all  was  but  bairns'  play  between 
Christ  and  me,  till  now.  If  one  would  have  sworn  unto  me,  I 
would  not  have  believed  what  may  be  found  in  Christ.  I  hope 
that  ye  pity  my  pain  that '  much,  in  my  prison,  as  to  help  me 
yourself,  and  to  cause  others  help  me,  a  dyvour,2a  sinful  wretcheii 
dyvour,'^  to  pay  some  of  my  debts  of  praise  to  my  great  King. 
Let  my  God  be  judge  and  witness,  if  my  soul  would  not  have 
sweet  ease  and  comfort,  to  have  many  hearts  confirmed  in  Christ, 
and  enlarged  with  his  love,  and  many  tongues  set  on  work  to  set 
on  high  my  royal  and  princely  Well-beloved.  Oh,  that  my  suffer- 
ings could  pay  tribute  to  such  a  king  !  I  have  given  over  won- 
dering at  his  love  ;  for  Christ  hath  manifested  a  piece  of  art  upon 
me,  that  I  never  revealed  to  any  living  ;  he  hath  gotten  fair  and 
rich  employment,  and  sweet  sale,  and  a  goodly  market  for  his 
honorable  calling  of  showing  mercy,  on  me  the  chief  of  sinners. 
Every  one  knoweth  not  so  well  as  I  do,  my  wofuUy  often  broken 
covenants.  My  sins  against  light,  working  in  the  very  act  of  sin- 
ning, have  been  met  with  admirable  mercy  :  but,  alas  !  he  will 
get  nothing  back  again,  but  wretched  unthankfulness.  I  am  sure, 
that  if  Christ  pity  anything  in  me  next  to  my  sin,  it  is  pain  of  love 
for  an  armful  and  soulful  of  himself,  in  faith,  love,  and  begun  fru- 
ition. My  sorrow  is  that  I  cannot  get  Christ  lifted  off  the  dust  in 
Scotland,  and  set  on  high,  above  all  the  skies,  and  Heaven  of 
heavens. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  May  1,  1637. 


LETTER  CLXVIII. 

TO     THE     LAIRD^     OF     CARLTON. 

Worthy  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  received 
your  letter,  and  am  heartily  glad  that  our  Lord  hath  begun  to  work 
1  So.  2  A  bankrupt.  3  A  proprietor  of  lands  or  houses. 


250  Rutherford's  letters. 

.for  the  apparent  delivery  of  this  oppressed  Kirk; — Oh  that  salva- 
tion would  come  for  Zion  ! 

1  am  for  the  present  hanging  by  hope,  waiting  what  my  Lord 
will  do  with  me,  and  if  it  will  please  my  sweet  Master  to  send  me 
amongst  you  again,  and  keep  out  a  hireling  from  my  poor  people, 
and  flock.  It  were  my  heaven  till  I  come  home,  even  to  spend 
this  life  in  gathering  in  some  to  Christ.  I  have  still  great  heavi- 
ness for  my  silence,  and  my  forced  standing  idle  in  the  market, 
when  this  land  hath  such  a  plentiful  thick  harvest ;  but  I  know 
that  His  judgments,  who  hath  done  it,  are  past  finding  out.  I 
have  no  knowledge  to  take  up  the  Lord,  in  all  his  strange  ways, 
and  passages  of  deep  and  unsearchable  providences ;  for  the  Lord 
is  before  me,  and  I  am  so  bemisted  that  I  cannot  follow  him  ;  he 
is  behind  me,  and  following  at  the  heels,  and  I  am  not  aware  of 
Iiim ;  he  is  above  me,  but  his  glory  so  dazzleth  my  twilight  of 
short  knowledge,  that  I  cannot  look  up  to  him  ;  he  is  upon  my 
right  hand,  and  I  see  him  not ;  he  is  upon  my  left  iiand,  and 
within  me,  and  goeth  and  cometh,  and  his  going  and  coming  are 
a  dream  to  me  ;  he  is  round  about  me,  and  compasseth  all  my  go- 
ings, and  still  I  have  him  to  seek ;  he  is  every  way  higher,  and 
deeper,  and  broader  than  the  shallow  and  ebb  '  hand-breadth  of 
my  short  and  dim  light  can  take  up;  and,  therefore,  I  would  that 
my  heart  could  be  silent,  and  sit  down  in  the  learnedly-ignorant 
wondering  at  that  Lord,  whom  men  and  angels  cannot  compre- 
hend. I  know  that  the  noon-day  light  of  the  highest  angels,  who 
see  him  face  to  face,  seeth  not  the  borders  of  his  infiniteness. 
They  apprehend  God  near-hand,^  but  they  cannot  comprehend 
him.  And,  therefore,  it  is  my  happiness  to  look  afar  off,  and  to 
come  near  to  the  Lord's  back  parts,  and  to  light  my  dark  candle 
at  his  brightness,  and  to  have  leave  to  sit  and  content  myself  with 
a  traveller's  light,  without  the  clear  vision  of  an  enjoyer.  I  would 
seek  no  more  till  I  were  in  my  country,  than  a  little  watering  and 
sprinkling  of  a  withered  soul,  with  some  half-out-breakings  and 
half-out-lookings  of  the  beams,  and  small  ravishing  smiles  of  the 
fairest  face  of  a  revealed  and  believed-on  Godhead.  A  little  of 
God  would  make  my  soul  bank-full.^  Oh  that  I  had  but  Christ's 
odd  off-fallings  ;  that  he  would  let  but  the  meanest  of  his  love-rays 
and  love-beams  fall  from  him,  so  as  I  might  gather  and  carry  them 
with  me!  I  would  not  be  ill^  to  please  with  Christ,  and  veiled 
visions  of  Christ ;  neither  would  I  be  dainty  in  seeing  and  enjoy- 
ing of  him :  a  kiss  of  Christ  blown  over  his  shoulder,  the  parings 
and  crumbs  of  glory  that  fall  under  his  table  in  Heaven,  a  shower 
like  a  thin  May-mist  of  his  love,  would  make  me  green,  and  sappy, 
and  joyful,  till  the  summer-sun  of  an  eternal  glory  break  up.^  Oh 
that  I  had  anything  of  Christ !  Oh  that  I  had  a  sip,  or  half  a 
drop,  out  of  the  hollow  of  Christ's  hand,  of  the  sweetness  and  ex- 
cellency of  that  lovely  One  !  Oh  that  my  Lord  Jesus  would  rue 
upon  me,  and  give  me  but  the  meanest  alms  of  felt  and  believed 

1  Exceeding  shallow.  2  At  hand.  3  Full  from  bank  to  bank. 

*  Difficult,  hard.  s  Arise. 


Rutherford's  letters.  251 

salvation  !  Oh,  how  Httle  were  it  for  that  infinite  Fountain  of 
love  and  joy,  to  fill  as  many  thousand  thousands  of  little  vessels, 
the  like  of  me,  as  there  are  minutes  of  hours  since  the  creation  of 
God  !  I  find  '  it  true,  tliat  a  poor  soul  finding ^  half  a  smell  of  the 
Godhead  of  Christ,  hath  desires  paining  and  wounding  the  poor 
heart  so,  with  longings  to  be  up  at  him,  that  make  it  sometimes 
think,  were  it  not  better  never  to  have  felt  anything  of  Christ, 
than  thus  to  lye  dying  twenty  deaths,  under  these  felt  wounds, 
for  the  want  of  him!  "Oh,  where  is  he?  O  Fairest,  where 
dwellest  thou  ?  O  never-enough  admired  Godhead,  how  can  clay 
win  ^  up  to  thee  ?  how  can  creatures  of  yesterday  be  able  to  enjoy 
thee  !"  Oh,  what  pain  is  it,  that  time  and  sin  should  be  so  many 
thousand  miles  betwixt  a  loved  and  longed-for  Lord,  and  a  dwin- 
ing^  and  love-sick  soul,  who  would  rather  than  all  the  world  have 
lodging,  with  Christ !  Oh,,  let  this  bit  of  love  of  ours,  this  inch 
and  half-span  length  of  heavenly  longing,  meet  with  thy  infinite 
love  !  Oh,  ifs  the  little  I  have  were  swallowed  up  with  the  infin- 
iteness  of  that  excellency  which  is  in  Christ !  Oh  that  we  little 
ones  were  in  at  the  greatest  Lord  Jesus  !  Our  wants  should  soon 
be  swallowed  up  with  his  fulness. 
Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  May  1,  1637. 


LETTER  CLXIX. 

TO     ROBERT     GORDON,     OF     KNOCKBREX. 

Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  re- 
ceived your  letter  from  Edinburgh. 

I  would  not  wish  to  see  another  heaven,  whill  I  get  mine  own 
heaven,  but  a  new  moon  like  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  a  new  sun 
like  the  light  of  seven  days  shining  upon  my  poor  self,  and  the 
church  of  Jews  and  Gentiles,  and  upon  my  withered  and  sun- 
burnt Mother,  the  Church  of  Scotland,  and  upon  her  sister- 
churches,  England  and  Leland ;  and  to  have  this  done,  to  the 
setting  on  high  of  our  great  King :  it  maketh  not,  howbeit  I  were 
separate  from  Christ,  and  had  a  sense  of  ten  thousand  years'  pain 
in  Hell,  if  this  were.  Oh,  blessed  nobility  !  Oh,  glorious,  re- 
nowned gentry  !  Oh,  blessed  were  the  tribes  in  this  land,  to  wipe 
my  Lord  Jesus's  weeping  face,  and  to  take  the  sackcloth  oflT 
Christ's  loins,  and  to  put  his  kingly  robes  upon  him !  Oh,  if^  the 
Almighty  would  take  no  less  wages  of  me  than  my  heaven  to  have 
it  done !  but  my  fears  are  still  for  wrath  once  upon  Scotland.  But 
I  know  that  her  day  will  clear  np,  and  that  glory  shall  be  upon 
the  top  of  the  mountains,  and  joy  at  the  noise  of  the  married  wife, 

1  Feel.  2  Feeling.  ^  Reach. 

4  Pining,  s  oh,  that. 


Rutherford's  letters. 

once  again.  Oh  that  our  Lord  would  make  us  to  contend,  and 
plead,  and  wrestle  by  prayers  and  tears,  for  our  Husband's  restor- 
ing of  his  forfeited  heritage  in  Scotland. 

Dear  brotlier,  I  am  for  the  present  in  no  small  battle,  betwixt 
felt  guiltiness,  and  pining  longings  and  high  fevers  for  my  Well- 
beloved's  love !  Alas  !  1  thiuk  that  Christ's  love  playeth  the  nig- 
gard to  me,  and  I  know  it  is  not  for  scarcity  of  love — there  is 
enough  in  him — but  my  hunger  prophesieth  of  in-holding  and 
sparingness  iii  Christ ;  for  I  have  but  little  of  him,  and  little  of 
his  sweetness.  It  is  a  dear  summer  with  me ;  yet  there  is  such 
joy  in  the  eagerness  and  working  of  hunger  for  Christ  that  I  am 
often  at  this,  that  if  I  had  no  other  heaven,  than  a  continual  hun- 
ger for  Christ,  such  a  heaven  of  ever-working  hunger,  were  still  a 
heaven  to  me.  I  am  sure  that  Christ's  love  cannot  be  cruel ;  it 
must  be  a  ruing,  a  pitying,  a  melting-hearted  love :  but  suspen- 
sion of  tliat  love,  I  think  half  a  hell,  and  the  want  of  it  more  than 
a  whole  hell.  When  I  look  to  my  guiltiness,  I  see  that  my  salva- 
tion is  one  of  our  Saviour's  greatest  miracles,  either  in  Heaven  or 
earth :  I  am  sure  I  may  defy  any  man  to  show  me  a  greater  won- 
der. But  seeing  I  have  no  wares,  no  hire,  no  money  for  Christ, 
he  must  either  take  me  with  want,  misery,  corruption,  or  then ' 
want  me.  Oh,  if^  he  would  be  pleased  to  be  compassionate  and 
pitiful-hearted  to  my  pining  fevers  of  longing  for  him ;  or  then 
give  me  a  real  pawn  to  keep,  out  of  his  own  hand,  till  God  send 
a  meeting  betwixt  him  and  me!  But  I  find  neither  as  yet;  how- 
beit  he  who  is  absent  be  not  cruel  nor  unkind,  yet  his  absence  is 
cruel  and  unkind.  His  love  is  like  itself;  his  love  is  his  love  ; 
but  the  covering  and  the  cloud,  the  veil  and  the  mask  of  his  love, 
is  more  wise  than  kind,  if  I  durst  speak  my  apprehensions.  I 
lead  no  process  now  against  the  suspension  and  delay  of  God's 
love.  I  would  with  all  my  heart  frist^  till  a  day  ten  heavens,  and 
the  sweet  manifestations  of  his  love.  Certainly  I  think  that  I 
could  give  Christ  much  on  his  word  :  but  my  whole  pleading  is 
about  intimated  and  borne-in  assurance  of  his  love.  Oh,  if  he 
would  persuade  me  of  my  heart's  desire  of  his  love  at  all,  he  should 
have  the  term-day  of  payment  at  his  own  making.  But  I  know 
that  raving  imbelief  speaketh  its  pleasure,  while  it  looketh  upon 
guiltiness  and  this  body  of  corruption.  Oh,  how  loathsome  and 
burdensome  is  it  to  carry  about  a  dead  corpse,  this  old  carrion  of 
corruption  !  Oh  how  steadable "  a  thing  is  a  Saviour,  to  make  a 
sinner  rid  of  his  chains  and  fetters  ! 

I  have  now  made  a  new  question,  whether  Qhrist  be  more  to 
be  loved  for  giving  sanctification  or  for  free  justification  ?  And  I 
hold  that  he  is  more  and  most  to  be  loved  for  sanctification.  It 
is  in  some  respect  greater  love  in  him,  to  sanctify,  than  to  justify ; 
for  he  maketh  us  most  like  himself,  in  his  own  essential  portrait- 
ure and  image  in  sanctifying  us.  Justification  doth  but  make  us 
happy,  which  is  to  be  hke  angels  only ;  neither  is  it  such  a  misery 

1  Otherwise.  2  Oh,  that.  3  Postpone.  *  Available. 


Rutherford's  letters.  253 

to  lye  a  condemned  man,  and  under  unforgiven  guiltiness,  as  to 
serve  sin,  and  Avork  the  works  of  the  Devil ;  and,  therefore,  I 
think  sanctification  cannot  be  bought,  it  is  above  price.  God  be 
thanked  forever,  that  Christ  was  a  told-down  price  for  sanctifica- 
tion. Let  a  sinner  (if  possible)  lye  in  hell  forever,  if  he  make 
him  truly  holy,  and  let  him  lye  there  burning  in  love  to  God,  re- 
joicing in  the  Holy  Ghost,  hanging  upon  Christ  by  faith  and 
hope ;  that  is  heaven  in  the  heart  and  bottom  of  Hell. 

Alas  !  I  find  a  very  thin  harvest  here,  and  few  to  be  saved. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  lovely  and  longed-for  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CLXX. 

TOTHE     LAIRD     OF     M O N C R I E F F  . 

Much  Honored  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you — 
Although  not  acquainted,  yet  at  the  desire  of  your  worthy  sister, 
the  Lady  Leys,  and  upon  the  report  of  your  kindness  to  Christ 
and  his  oppressed  truth,  I  am  bold  to  write  to  you,  earnestly  de- 
siring you  to  join  with  us,  (so  many  as  in  these  bounds  profess 
Christ,)  to  wrestle  with  God,  one  day  of  the  week,  especially  the 
Wednesday,  for  mercy  to  this  fallen  and  decayed  Kirk,  and  to 
such  as  suffer  for  Christ's  name,  and  for  your  own  necessities,  and 
the  necessities  of  others,  who  are  by  covenant  engaged  in  that 
business.  For  we  have  no  other  armor  in  these  evil  times  but 
prayers,  now  when  wrath  from  the  Lord  is  gone  out  against  this 
backsliding  land;  for  ye  know  we  can  have  no  true  public  fasts, 
neither  are  the  true  causes  of  our  humiliation  ever  laid  before  the 
people. 

Now,  very  worthy  sir,  I  am  glad  in  the  Lord,  that  the  Lord  re- 
serveth  any  of  your  place,  or  of  note,  in  this  time  of  common 
apostasy,  to  come  forth  in  public  to  bear  Christ's  name  before  men, 
when  the  great  men  think  Christ  a  cumbersome  neighbor,  and 
that  religion  carrieth  hazards,  trials,  and  persecutions  with  it.  I 
persuade  myself  that  it  is  your  glory  and  your  garland,  and  shall 
be  your  joy  in  the  day  of  Christ,  and  the  standing  of  your  house 
and  seed  to  inherit  the  earth,  that  you  truly  and  sincerely  profess 
Christ : — neither  is  our  King,  whom  the  Father  hath  crowned  in 
Mount  Zion,  so  weak,  that  he  cannot  do  for  himself,  and  his 
own  cause.  I  verily  believe  that  they  are  blessed  who  can  hold 
the  crown  upon  his  head,  and  carry  up  the  train  of  his  robe  royal, 
and  that  he  shall  be  victorious  and  triumph  in  this  land.  It 
is  our  part  to  back  our  royal  King,  howbeit  there  were  not  six  in 
all  the  land  to  follow  him.  It  is  our  wisdom  now  to  take  up, 
and  discern  the  Devil  and  the  Antichrist  coming  out  in  their 
whites,  and  the  apostasy  and  idolatry  of  this  land  washen '  with 

1  Washed. 


254  Rutherford's  letters. 

foul  water : — I  confess  that  it  is  art  to  wash  the  Devil  till  his  skia 
be  white. 

For  myself,  sir,  I  have  bought  a  plea'  against  Christ,  since  I 
came  hither,  in  judging  my  princely  Master  angry  at  me,  because 
I  was  cast  out  of  the  vineyard  as  a  withered  tree,  my  dumb  Sab- 
baths working  me  much  sorrow  :  but  I  see  now  that  sorrow  hath 
not  eyes  to  read  love  written  upon  the  cross  of  Christ ;  and,  there- 
fore, I  pass  from  my  rash  plea.'  Wo,  wo  is  me,  that  I  should 
have  received  a  slander  of  Christ's  love  to  my  soul !  And  for  all 
this,  my  Lord  Jesus  hath  forgiven  all,  as  not  wiUing  to  be  heard 
with  such  a  fool ;  and  is  content  to  be,  as  it  were,  confined  with 
me,  and  to  bear  me  company,  and  to  feast  a  poor  oppressed  pris- 
oner. And  now  I  write  it  under  my  hand,  worthy  sir,  that  I 
think  well  and  honorably  of  this  cross  of  Christ.  I  wonder  that 
he  will  take  any  glory  from  the  like  of  me.  I  find  when  he  but 
sendeth  his  hearty  commendations  to  me,  and  but  bloweth  a  kiss 
afar  off,  I  am  confounded  with  wondering  what  the  supper  of  the 
Lamb  will  be,  up  in  our  Father's  dining-palace  of  glory,  since  the 
four-hours  "^  in  this  dismal  wilderness,  and  when  in  prisons,  and 
in  our  sad  days  a  kiss  of  Christ  are  so  comfortable.  Oh,  how 
sweet  and  glorious  shall  our  case  be,  when  that  fairest  among  the 
sons  of  men  will  lay  his  fair  face  to  our  now  sinful  faces,  and 
wipe  away  all  tears  from  our  eyes  !  O  time,  time,  run  swiftly 
and  hasten  this  day  !  O  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  come  flying  hke  a 
roe  or  a  young  hart!  Alas!  that  we,  blind  fools,  are  fallen  in 
love  with  moonshine  and  shadows.  How  sweet  is  the  wind  that 
bloweth  out  of  the  airth  ^  where  Christ  is  !  Every  day  we  may 
see  some  new  thing  in  Christ :  his  love  hath  neither  brim  nor 
bottom.  Oh,  if^  I  had  help  to  praise  him  !  He  knoweth  that  if 
my  sufferings  glorify  his  name,  and  encourage  others  to  stand  fast 
for  the  honor  of  our  supreme  Lawgiver,  Christ,  my  wages  then 
are  paid  to  the  full.  Sir,  help  me  to  love  that  never  enough 
praised  Lord.  I  find  now,  that  the  faith  of  the  saints,  under  suf- 
fering for  Christ,  is  fair  before  the  wind,  and  with  full  sails  car- 
ried upon  Christ :  and  I  hope  to  lose  nothing  in  this  furnace  but 
dross  ;  for  Christ  can  triumph  in  a  weaker  man  than  I  am,  if  there 
be  any  such  ;  and  when  all  is  done,  his  love  paineth  me,  and 
leaveth  me  under  such  debt  to  Christ,  as  I  can  neither  pay  prin- 
cipal nor  interest.  Oh,  if^  he  would  comprise  ^  myself,  and  if  I 
were  sold  to  him  as  a  bond-man,  and  that  he  would  take  me  home 
to  his  house  and  fireside  ;  for  I  have  nothing  to  render  to  him ! 
Then,  after  me,  let  no  man  think  hard  of  Christ's  sweet  cross  ; 
for  I  would  not  exchange  my  sighs  with  the  painted  laughter  of 
all  my  adversaries.  I  desire  grace  and  patience  to  wait  on,  and 
to  lie  upon  the  brink,  till  the  water  fill  and  flow.  I  know  that  he 
is  fast  coming. 

Sir,  ye  will  excuse  my  boldness ;  and,  till  it  please  God  that  I 

•  Controversy.  2  Slight  afternoon  refreshment. 

3  Quarter,  point  of  the  compass.  Oh,  that. 

5  Attach. 


Rutherford's  letters.  255 

see  you,  ye  have  the  prayers  of  a  prisoner  of  Christ;  to  whom  I 
recommend  you,  and  in  whom  I  rest, 

Yours,  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  May  14,  1G37. 


LETTER  CLXXI. 


TO      JOHN      CLARK. 


Loving  Brother, — Hold  fast  Christ  without  wavering',  and 
contend  for  the  faith,  because  Christ  is  not  easily  gotten  nor  kept. 
The  lazy  professor  hath  put  Heaven,  as  it  were,  at  the  very  next 
door,  and  thinketh  to  fly  up  to  Heaven  in  his  bed,  and  in  a  night 
dream  ;  but,  truly,  that  is  not  so  easy  a  thing  as  most  men  be- 
lieve ;  Christ  himself  did  sweat  ere  he  wan  this  cit}^,  howbeit  he 
was  the  free-born  Heir.  It  is  Christianity,  my  heart,  to  be  sincere, 
unfeigned,  honest,  and  upright-hearted  before  God ;  and  to  live 
and  serve  God,  suppose  there  was  not  one  man  nor  woman  in  all 
the  world  dwelling  beside  you,  to  eye  you.  Any  little  grace  that 
ye  have,  see  that  it  be  sound  and  true.  Ye  may  put  a  ditTerence 
betwixt  you  and  reprobates,  if  ye  have  these  marks  : — 1.  If  ye 
prize  Christ  and  his  truth  so  as  ye  will  sell  all  and  buy  him,  and 
suffer  for  it.  2.  If  the  love  of  Christ  keepeth  you  back  from  sin- 
ning, more  than  the  law,  or  fear  of  Hell.  3.  If  ye  be  humble, 
and  deny  your  own  will,  wit,  credit,  ease,  honor,  the  world,  and 
the  vanity  and  glory  of  it.  4.  Your  profession  must  not  be  ba-- 
ren  and  void  of  o^ood  works.  5.  Ye  must  in  all  things  aim  at  God's 
honor  ;  ye  must  eat,  drink,  sleep,  buy,  sell,  sit,  stand,  speak,  pray, 
read,  and  hear  the  word,  with  a  heart-purpose  that  God  may  be 
honored.  6.  Ye  must  show  yourself  an  enemy  to  sin,  and  re- 
prove the  works  of  darkness,  such  as  drunkenness,  swearing,  and 
lying,  albeit  the  company  should  hate  you  for  so  doing.  7.  Keep 
in  mind  the  truth  of  God,  that  ye  heard  me  teach,  and  have 
nothing  to  do  wnth  the  corruptions  and  new  guises  entered  into 
the  house  of  God.  8.  Make  conscience  of  your  calling,  in  cov- 
enants, m  buying  and  selling.  9.  Acquaint  yourself  with  daily 
praying  ;  commit  all  your  ways  and  actions  to  God,  by  prayer, 
supplication,  and  thanksgiving ;  and  count  not  much  of  being 
mocked  ;  for  Christ  Jesus  was  mocked  before  you. 

Persuade  yourself  that  this  is  the  way  of  peace  and  comfort 
which  I  now  suffer  for.  I  dare  go  to  death  and  into  eternity  with 
it,  though  men  may  possibly  seek  another  way.  Remember  me 
in  your  prayers,  and  the  state  of  this  oppressed  Church.  Grace 
be  with  you. 

Your  soul's  well-wisher,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


256  Rutherford's  letters. 

LETTER  CLXXII. 

TO     CARDONESS,     ELDER. 

Much  Honored  Sir, — I  long  to  hear  how  your  soul  pros- 
perelh.  I  wonder  that  ye  write  not  to  me  ;  for  the  Holy  Ghost 
beareth  me  Avitness,  that  I  cannot,  I  dare  not,  I  dow  not' 
forget  you,  nor  the  souls  of  those  with  you,  who  are  redeemed  by 
the  blood  of  the  great  Shepherd  :  ye  are  in  my  heart  in  the  night- 
watches  ;  ye  are  my  joy  and  crown  in  the  day  of  Christ.  O  Lord, 
bear  me  witness,  if  my  soul  thirsteth  for  anything  out  of  Heaven, 
more  than  for  your  salvation :  let  God  lay  me  in  an  even  balance, 
and  try  me  in  this. 

Love  Heaven,  let  your  heart  be  on  it.  Up,  up,  and  visit  the 
new  land,  and  view  the  fair  city,  and  the  white  throne,  and  the 
Lamb,  the  bride's  Husband,  in  the  Bridegroom's  clothes,  sitting  on 
it.  It  were  time  that  your  soul  cast  itself,  and  all  your  burdens, 
upon  Christ.  I  beseech  you,  by  the  wounds  of  your  Redeemer, 
and  by  your  compearance^  before  him,  and  by  the  salvation  of 
your  soul,  lose  no  more  time  ;  run  fast,  for  it  is  late  :  God  hath 
sworn  by  himself,  who  made  the  world  and  time,  that  time  shall  be 
no  more,  (Rev.  x.)  Ye  are  now  upon  the  very  border  of  the  other 
life  ;  your  Lord  cannot  be  blamed  for  not  giving  you  warning.  I 
have  taught  the  truth  of  Christ  to  you,  and  delivered  unto  you  the 
whole  counsel  of  God  ;  and  I  have  stood  before  the  Lord  for  you, 
and  I  will  yet  still  stand.  Awake,  awake  to  do  righteously. 
Think  not  to  be  eased  of  the  burdens  and  debts  that  are  on  your 
house,  by  oppressing  any,  or  being  rigorous  to  those  that  are 
under  you.  Remember  how  I  endeavored  to  walk  before  you  in 
this  matter,  as  an  example.  "  Behold,  here  am  I,  witness  against 
me,  before  the  Lord  and  his  Anointed,  whose  ox  or  whose  ass 
have  I  taken  ?  Whom  have  I  defrauded  ?  Whom  have  I  op- 
pressed ?"  Who  knoweth  how  my  soul  feedeth  upon  a  good  con- 
science, when  I  remember  how  I  spent  this  body  in  feeding  the 
lambs  of  Christ  ? 

At  my  first  entry  hither,  I  grant,  I  took  a  stomach  against  my 
Lord,  because  he  had  casten  me  over  the  dyke  ^  of  the  vineyard, 
as  a  dry  tree,  and  would  have  no  more  of  my  service ;  my  dumb 
Sabbaths  broke  my  heart,  and  I  would  not  be  comforted  ;  but  now 
He  whom  my  soul  loveth  is  come  again,  and  it  pleaseth  him  to 
feast  me  with  the  kisses  of  his  love.  A  king  dineth  with  me,  and 
his  spikenard  casteth  a  sweet  smell.  The  Lord  my  witness  is 
above,  that  I  write  my  heart  to  you.  I  never  knew,  by  my  nine 
years'  preaching,  so  much  of  Christ's  love,  as  he  has  taught  me  in 
Aberdeen,  by  six  months'  imprisonment.  I  charge  you  in  Christ's 
name  to  help  me  to  praise ;  and  show  that  people  and  country  the 
loving-kindness  of  the  Lord  to  my  soul,  that  so  my  sufferings  may 

'  Am  not  able.  2  Appearance.  ^  Wall. 


Rutherford's  letters.  257 

someway  preach  to  them  when  I  am  silent.  He  hath  made  me 
to  know  now,  better  than  before,  what  it  is  to  be  crucified  to  the 
world.  I  would  not  now  give  a  drink  of  cold  water  for  all  the  world's 
kindness.  I  owe  no  service  to  it.  I  am  not  the  flesh's  debtor. 
My  Lord  Jesus  hath  dawted  '  his  prisoner,  and  hath  thoughts  of 
love  concerning  me.  I  would  not  exchange  my  sighs  with  the 
laughing  of  adversaries.  Sir,  I  write  this  to  inform  you,  that  ye 
may  know  that  it  is  the  truth  of  Christ  I  now  suffer  for,  and  that 
he  hath  sealed  my  suffering  with  the  comforts  of  his  Spirit  on  my 
sonl — and  know  that  he  putteth  not  his  seal  upon  blank  paper. 

Now,  sir,  I  have  no  comfort  earthly,  but  to  know  that  I  have 
espoused,  and  shall  present  a  bride  to  Christ  in  that  congregation. 
The  Lord  hath  given  you  much,  and,  therefore,  he  will  require 
much  of  you  again.     Number  your  talents,  and  see  what  you 
have  to  render   back — ye  cannot  be   enough  persuaded   of  the 
shortness  of  your  time.     I  charge  you  to  write  to  me,  and  in 
the  fear  of  God,  to  be  plain  with  me,  whether  or  not  ye  have 
made  your  salvation  sure.     I  am  confident,  and  hope  the  best ; 
but  I  know  that  your  reckonings   with  your  Judge  are  many 
and  deep.     Sir,  be  not  beguiled,  neglect  not  your  one  thing,  (Phil, 
iii.  13,)  your  one  necessary  thing,  (Luke  x.  42,)  the  good  part 
that  shall  not  be  taken  from  you.     Look  beyond  time.     Things 
here  are  but  moonshine  :  they  have  but  children's  wit,  who  are 
delighted  with  shadows,  and  deluded  with  feathers  flying  in  the 
air.     Desire  your  children,  in  the  morning  of  their  life,  to  begin 
and  seek  t!ie  Lord,  and  to  remember  their  Creator  in  the  days  of 
their  youth  ;  (Eccles.  xii.  1,)  to  cleanse  their  way,  by  taking  heed 
thereto,  according  to  God's  word,  Ps.  cxix.  9.     Youth  is  a  glassy 
age.     Satan  finds  a  swept  chamber,  for  the  most  part,  in  youth- 
hood,  and  a  garnished  lodging  for  himself  and  his  train.     Let  the 
Lord  have  the  flower  of  their  age  ;  the  best  sacrifice  is  due  to  him. 
Instruct  them  in  this,  that  they  have  a  soul,  and  that  this  life  is 
notliing  in  comparison  of  eternity.     They  will  have  much  need 
of  God's  conduct  in  this  world,  to  guide  them  by  ^  those  rocks  upon 
which  most  men  split ;  but  far  more  need  when  it  cometh  to  the 
hour  of  death,  and  their  compearance^  before  Christ.     Oh  that 
there  were  such  a  heart  in  them,  to  fear  the  name  of  the  great  and 
dreadful  God,  who  hath  laid  up  great  things  for  those  that  love 
and  fear  him  !     I  pray  that  God  may  be  their  portion.     Show 
others  of  my  parishioners,  that  I  write  to  them  my  best  wishes, 
and  the  blessings  of  their  lawful  pastor.     Say  to  them  from  me, 
"  That  I  beseech  them,  by  the  bowels  of  Christ,  to  keep  in  mind 
the  doctrine  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which  I  taught  them  ;  that 
so  they  may  lay  hold  on  eternal  life,  striving  together  for  the  faith 
of  the  Gospel,  and  making  sure  salvation  to  themselves.    Walk  in 
love,  and  do  righteousness  :  seek  peace  :  love  one  another :  wait 
for  the  coming  of  our  Master  and  Judge.     Receive  no  doctrine 
contrary  to  that  which  I  delivered  to  you.     If  ye  fall  away  and 

1  Fondled.  2  Past.  3  Appearance. 

17 


258  Rutherford's  letters. 

forget  it  and  that  Catechism  which  I  taught  you,  and  so  forsake 
your  own  mercy,  the  Lord  be  judge  betwixt  you  and  me.  I  take 
Heaven  and  earth  to  witness,  that  such  shall  eternally  perish  : 
but  if  they  serve  the  Lord,  great  will  their  reward  be,  when  they 
and  I  shall  stand  before  our  Judge.  Set  forward  up  the  moun- 
tain, to  meet  with  God  ;  climb  up,  for  your  Saviour  calleth  on 
you.  It  may  be  that  God  will  call  you  to  your  rest,  when  I  am 
far  from  you  ;  but  ye  have  my  love,  and  the  desires  of  my  heart, 
for  your  soul's  welfare.  He  that  is  holy,  keep  you  from  falling, 
and  establish  you  till  his  own  glorious  appearance. 

Your  affectionate  and  loving  pastor,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637, 


LETTER  CLXXm. 

TO    cardoness,    younger. 

Much  Honored  Sir, — I  long  to  hear  whether  or  not  your  soul 
be  hand-fasted  with  ^  Christ.  Lose  your  time  no  longer :  flee  the  fol- 
lies of  youth  :  gird  up  the  loins  of  your  mind,  and  make  you  ready 
for  meeting  the  Lord.  I  have  often  summoned  you,  and  now  I 
summon  you  again,  to  compear ^  before  your  Judge  to  make  a 
reckoning  of  your  life.  While  ye  have  time,  look  upon  your  pa- 
pers, and  consider  your  ways.  Oh  that  there  were  such  an  heart 
in  you,  as  to  think  what  an  ill-conscience  will  be  to  you,  when  ye 
are  upon  the  border  of  eternity,  and  your  one  foot  out  of  time  ! 
Oh  then,  ten  thousand  thousand  floods  of  tears  cannot  extinguish 
these  flames,  or  purchase  to  you  one  hour's  release  from  that  pain ! 
Oh,  how  sweet  a  day  have  ye  had  !  But  this  is  a  fair  day 
that  runneth  fast  away  :  see  how  ye  have  spent  it,  and  consider 
the  necessity  of  salvation  ;  and  tell  me,  in  the  fear  of  God,  if  ye 
have  made  it  sure.  I  am  persuaded,  that  ye  have  a  conscience 
that  will  be  speaking  somewhat  to  you.  Why  will  ye  die  and 
destroy  yourself?  I  cliarge  you,  in  Christ's  name,  to  rouse  up 
your  conscience  and  begin  to  indent  and  contract  with  Christ  in 
time,  while  salvation  is  in  your  offer.  This  is  the  accepted  time, 
this  is  the  day  of  salvation.  Play  the  merchant,  for  ye  cannot 
expect  another  market-day  when  this  is  done.  Therefore,  let  me 
again  beseech  you,  to  consider,  in  this  your  day,  the  things  that 
belong  to  your  peace,  before  they  be  hid  from  your  eyes.  Dear 
brother,  fulfil  my  joy,  and  begin  to  seek  the  Lord  while  he  may 
be  found :  forsake  the  follies  of  deceiving  and  vain  youth :  lay 
hold  upon  eternal  life.  Whoring,  night-drinking,  and  the  mis- 
spending of  the  Sabbath,  and  neglecting  of  prayer  in  your  house, 
and  refusing  of  an  offered  salvation,  will  burn  up  your  soul  with 
the  terrors  of  the  Almighty,  when  your  awakened  conscience  shall 
flee  in  your  face.     Be  kind  and  loving  to  your  wife  :  make  con- 

1  Affianced  to.  2  To  appear  in  obedience  to  a  legal  citation. 


Rutherford's  letters.  259 

science  of  cherishing  her,  and  not  be  rigidly  austere.  Sir,  I  have 
not  a  tongue  to  express  the  glory  that  is  laid  up  for  you,  in  your 
Father's  house,  if  you  reform  your  doings,  and  frame  your  heart 
to  return  to  the  Lord.  Ye  know  that  this  world  is  but  a  shadow, 
a  short-living  creature,  under  the  law  of  time.  Within  less  than 
fifty  years,  when  ye  look  back  to  it,  ye  shall  laugh  at  the  evan- 
ishing vanities  thereof,  as  feathers  flying  in  the  air,  and  as  the 
houses  of  sand  within  the  sea-mark,  which  the  children  of  men 
are  building.  Give  up  with  courting  of  this  vain  world ;  seek  not 
the  bastard's  movables,  but  the  son's  heritage  in  Heaven.  Take 
a  trial  of  Christ.  Look  unto  him,  and  his  love  will  so  change  you, 
that  ye  shall  be  taken  with  him,  and  never  choose  to  go  from 
him.  I  have  experience  of  his  sweetness,  in  this  house  of  my  pil- 
grimage here.  My  Witness,  who  is  above,  knoweth  that  I  would 
not  exchange  my  sighs  and  tears,  with  the  laughing  of  the  Four- 
teen Prelates.  There  is  nothing  that  will  make  you  a  Christian 
indeed,  but  a  taste  of  the  sweetness  of  Christ.  "Come  and  see," 
will  speak  best  to  your  soul.  I  would  fain  hope  good  of  you.  Be 
not  discouraged  at  broken  and  spilled '  resolutions  ;  but  to  it,  and 
to  it  again.  Woo  about  Christ,  till  ye  get  your  soul  espoused  as 
a  chaste  virgin  to  him.  Use  the  means  of  profiting  with  your 
conscience,  pray  in  your  family,  and  read  the  word.  Remember 
how  our  Lord's  day  was  spent  when  I  was  among  you  ;  it  will  be 
a  great  challenge  ^  to  you  before  God,  if  ye  forget  the  good  that 
was  done  within  the  walls  of  your  house  on  the  Lord's  day,  and 
if  ye  turn  aside  after  the  fashions  of  this  world,  and  if  ye  go  not 
in  time  to  the  kirk,  to  wait  on  the  public  worship  of  God,  and  if 
ye  tarry  not  at  it,  till  all  the  exercises  of  religion  be  ended.  Give 
God  some  of  your  time  both  morning  and  evening,  and  afternoon ; 
and  in  so  doing,  rejoice  the  heart  of  a  poor  oppressed  prisoner. 
Rue  upon  your  own  soul,  and  from  your  heart  fear  the  Lord. 

Now  He  that  brought  again  from  the  dead  the  great  Shepherd 
of  his  sheep,  by  the  blood  of  the  Eternal  Covenant,  establish  your 
heart  with  his  grace,  and  present  you  before  his  presence  with  joy. 
Your  affectionate,  and  loving  pastor,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637, 


LETTER  CLXXIV. 

TO     MY     LORD     CRAIGHALL. 

My  Lord, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  am  not  only 
content,  but  I  exceedingly  rejoice,  that  I  find  any  of  the  rulers  of 
this  land,  and  especially  your  lordship,  so  to  affect  Christ  and  his 
truth,  as  that  ye  dare,  for  his  name,  come  to  yea  and  nay  with 
monarchs  in  their  face.  I  hope  that  He  who  hath  enabled  you 
for  that,  will  give  more,  if  ye  show  yourself  courageous,  and,  (as 

1  Spoiled.  2  Accusation. 


260  Rutherford's  letters. 

his  word  speaketh,)  a  man  in  the  streets  for  the  Lord.  But  I  pray 
your  lordship,  give  me  leave  to  be  plain  with  you,  as  one  who 
loveth  both  your  honor  and  your  soul.  I  verily  believe  that  there 
was  never  idolatry  at  Rome,  never  idolatry  condemned  in  God's 
word  by  the  prophets,  if  religious  kneeling  before  a  consecrated 
creature,  standing  in  room  of  Christ  crucified,  in  that  very  act, 
and  that  for  reverence  of  the  elements,  (as  our  Act  cleareth,)  be 
not  idolatry.  Neither  will  your  intention  help,  which  is  not  of  the 
essence  of  worship  ;  for  then,  Aaron,  saying  "  To-morrow  shall  be 
a  feast  for  Jehovah,"  that  is,  for  the  Golden  Calf,  should  not  have 
been  guilty  of  idolatry  ;  for  he  intended  only  to  decline  the  lash 
of  the  people's  fury,  not  to  honor  the  Calf.  Your  intention  to 
honor  Christ  is  nothing,  seeing  that  religious  kneeling,  by  God's 
institution,  doth  necessarily  import  religious  and  divine  adoration, 
suppose  that  our  intention  were  both  dead  and  sleeping :  otherwise 
kneeling  before  the  image  of  God,  and  directing  prayer  to  God, 
were  lawful,  if  our  intention  go  right.  My  Lord,  I  cannot  in 
these  bounds  dispute ;  but  if  Cambridge  and  Oxford,  and  the 
learning  of  Britain,  will  answer  this  argument,  and  the  argument 
from  active  scandal,  which  your  lordship  seemeth  to  stand  upon,  I 
will  turn  a  formalist,  and  call  myself  an  arrant  fool,  b}^  doing  what 
I  iiave  done,  in  my  suffering  for  this  truth.  I  do  nuich  reverence 
Mr.  L.'s  learning  ;  but,  my  Lord,  I  will  answer  what  he  writeth  in 
that  to  pervert  you  from  the  truth  ;  else  repute  me,  beside  an  hyp- 
ocrite, an  ass  also.  I  hope  ye  shall  see  something  upon  that  sub- 
ject, if  the  Lord  permit,  that  no  sophistry  in  Britain  shall  answer. 
Courtiers'  arguments,  for  the  most  part,  are  drawn  froin  their  own 
skin,  and  are  not  worth  a  straw  for  your  conscience.  A  marquis's 
or  a  king's  word,  when  ye  stand  before  Christ's  tribunal,  shall  be 
lighter  than  the  wind.  The  Lord  knoweth  that  I  love  your  true 
honor,  and  the  standing  of  your  house  ;  but  I  would  not  that  your 
honor  or  house  were  established  upon  sand,  and  hay,  and  stubble. 
But  let  me,  my  very  d«ar,  and  worthy  Lord,  most  humbly  beseech 
you,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  by  the  consolations  of  his  Spirit,  by 
the  dear  blood  and  wounds  of  your  lovely  Redeemer,  by  the  salva- 
tion of  your  soul,  by  your  compearance^  before  the  awful  face  of  a 
sin-revenging  and  dreadful  Judge,  not  to  set  in  comparison  to- 
gether your  soul's  peace,  Christ's  love,  and  his  kingly  honor,  now 
called  in  question,  with  your  place,  honor,  house,  or  ease,  that  an 
inch  of  time  will  make  out  of  the  way.  I  verily  believe  that 
Christ  is  now  begging  a  testimony  of  you,  and  is  saying,  "And 
will  ye  also  leave  me?"  It  is  possible  that  the  wind  shall  not 
blow  so  fair  for  you  all  your  life,  for  coming  out  and  appearing 
before  others  to-^ack  and  countenance  Christ,  the  Fairest  among 
the  sons  of  men,  the  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth,  (Isa.  li.  7,) 
"  Fear  ye  not  the  reproach  of  men,  neither  be  afraid  of  their  re- 
vilings."  (Ver.  8,)  "  For  the  moth  shall  eat  them  up  like  a  gar- 
ment, and  the  worm  shall  eat  them  like  wool."  When  the  Lord 
will  begin,  he  will  make  an  end,  and  mow  down  his  adversaries ; 

I  Appearance. 


Rutherford's  letters.  261 

and  they  shall  lie  before  him  like  withered  hay,  and  their  bloom 
be  shaken  off  them.  Consider  how  many  thousands  in  this  king- 
dom ye  shall  cause  to  fall  and  stumble,  if  ye  go  with  them  ;  and 
that  ye  shall  be  out  of  the  prayers  of  many  who  do  stand  before 
the  Lord  for  you  and  your  house ;  and,  further,  when  the  time  of 
your  accounts  cometh,  and  your  one  foot  shall  be  within  the  bor- 
der of  eternity,  and  the  eye-strings  shall  break,  and  the  face  wax 
pale,  and  the  poor  soul  shall  look  out  at  the  windows  of  the  house 
of  clay,  longing  to  be  out,  and  ye  shall  find  yourself  arraigned 
before  the  Judge  of  quick  and  dead,  to  answer  for  your  putting  to 
your  hand  with  the  rest,  confederated  against  Christ,  to  the  over- 
turning of  his  Ark,  and  the  loosing  of  the  pins  of  Christ's  taber- 
nacle in  this  land,  and  shall  certainly  see  yourself  mired  in  a 
course  of  apostasy ;  then,  then  a  king's  favor  and  your  worm- 
eaten  honor  shall  be  miserable  comforters  to  you.  The  Lord  hath 
enlightened  you  with  the  knowledge  of  his  will ;  and  as  the  Lord 
liveth,  they  lead  you  and  others  to  a  communion  with  Great  Ba- 
bel, the  Mother  of  fornications ;  and  God  said  of  old,  and  contin- 
ueth  to  say  the  same  to  you,  "  Come  out  of  her,  my  people,  lest 
ye  be  partakers  of  her  plagues."  Will  ye,  then,  go  with  them, 
and  set  your  lip  to  the  Whore's  golden  cup,  and  drink  of  the  wine 
of  the  wrath  of  God  Almighty  with  them  ?  Oh,  poor  hungry 
honor  !  Oh,  cursed  pleasure !  and,  oh,  damnable  ease !  bought 
with  the  loss  of  God  !  How  many  will  pray  for  you !  What  a 
sweet  presence  shall  ye  find  of  Christ  under  your  sufferings,  if  ye 
will  lay  down  your  honors  and  place  at  the  feet  of  Christ ! — what 
a  fair  recompense  of  reward  !  1  avouch  before  the  Lord,  that  I  am 
now  showing  you  a  way  how  the  house  of  Craighall  may  stand  on 
sure  pillars :  if  ye  will  set  it  on  rotten  pillars,  ye  cruelly  wrong 
your  posterity.  Ye  have  the  word  of  a  King  for  an  hundred  fold 
more  in  this  life,  (if  it  be  good  for  you,)  and  for  life  everlasting 
also.  Make  not  Christ  a  liar,  in  distrusting  his  promise.  Kings 
of  clay  cannot  back  you  when  you  stand  before  him :  a  straw  for 
them  and  their  hungry  heaven,  that  standeth  on  this  side  of  time ! 
a  fig  for  the  day's  smile  of  a  worm  !  Consider  who  have  gone 
before  you  to  eternity,  and  would  have  given  a  world  for  a  new 
occasion  of  avouching  that  truth.  It  is  true  they  call  it  not  sub- 
stantial, and  we  are  made  a  scorn  to  those  that  are  at  ease,  for 
suffering  these  things  for  it ;  but  it  is  not  time  to  judge  of  our 
losses  by  the  morning  :  stay  till  the  evening,  and  we  will  count 
with  the  best  of  them. 

I  have  found  by  experience,  since  the  time  of  my  imprisonment, 
(my  Witness  is  above,)  that  Christ  is  sealing  this  honorable  cause 
with  another,  and  a  nearer  fellowship  than  ever  I  knew  before ; 
and  let  God  weigh  me  in  an  even  balance  in  this,  if  I  would  ex- 
change the  cross  of  Christ  or  his  truth,  with  the  Fourteen  Prela- 
cies, or  what  else  a  king  can  give.  My  dear  Lord,  venture  to  take 
the  wind  on  your  face  for  Christ.  I  believe  that  if  he  should  come 
from  Heaven  in  his  own  person,  and  seek  the  charters  of  Craighall 
from  youj  and  a  dismission  of  your  place,  and  ye  saw  his  face,  ye 


262  Rutherford's  letters. 

would  fall  down  at  his  feet  and  say,  "  Lord  Jesus,  it  is  too  little 
for  thee."  If  any  man  think  it  not  a  truth  to  die  for,  I  am  against 
him.  I  dare  go  to  eternity  with  it,  that  this  day  the  honor  of  our 
Lawgiver  and  King,  in  the  government  of  his  own  free  kingdom, 
(who  should  pay  tribute  to  no  dying  king,)  is  the  true  state  of  the 
question.  My  Lord,  be  ye  upon  Christ's  side  of  it,  and  take  the 
word  of  a  poor  prisoner,  nay  the  Lord  Jesus  be  surety  for  it,  that 
ye  have  incomparably  made  the  wisest  choice.  For  my  own  part, 
I  have  so  been  in  this  prison,  that  I  would  be  half-ashamed  to  seek 
more  till  I  be  up  at  the  well-head.  Few  know  in  this  world  the 
sweetness  of  Christ's  breath,  the  excellency  of  his  love,  which  hath 
neither  brim  nor  bottom.  The  world  hath  raised  a  slander  upon 
the  cross  of  Christ,  because  they  love  to  go  to  Heaven  by  dry  land, 
and  love  not  sea-storms  ;  but  I  write  it  under  my  hand,  (and  would 
say  more,  if  possibly  a  reader  would  not  deem  it  hypocrisy,)  that 
my  obligation  to  Christ  for  the  smell  of  his  garments,  for  his  love- 
kisses,  these  thirty  weeks,  standeth  so  great,  that  I  should,  and  I 
desire  also  to  choose  to  suspend  my  salvation,  to  have  many 
tongues  loosed  in  my  behalf  to  praise  him  ;  and,  suppose  in  per- 
son I  never  entered  within  the  gates  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  yet 
so  being  Christ  may  be  set  on  high,  and  I  had  the  liberty  to  cast 
my  love  and  praises  forever  over  the  wall  to  Christ,  I  would  be 
silent  and  content.  But  oh,  he  is  more  than  my  narrow  praises  ! 
O  time,  time,  flee '  swiftly,  that  our  communion  with  Christ  may 
be  perfected  ! 

I  wish  that  your  lordship  would  urge  Mr.  L,  to  give  his  mind 
in  the  ceremonies  ;  and  be  pleased  to  let  me  see  it  as  quickly  as 
can  be,  and  it  shall  be  answered. 

To  His  rich  grace  I  recommend  your  lordship,  and  shall  re- 
main, 

Yours,  at  all  respectful  obedience  in  Christ,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  June  8,  1637. 


LETTER  CLXXV. 

TO     JOHN     LAURIE. 


Dear  Brother, — I  am  sorry  that  ye,  or  so  many  in  this  king- 
dom, should  expect  so  much  of  me,  an  empty  reed.  Verily  I  am 
a  noughty  ^  and  poor  body  ;  but  if  the  tinkling  of  the  iron  chains 
of  my  Lord  Jesus  on  legs  and  arms  could  sound  the  high  praises 
of  my  royal  King,  whose  prisoner  I  am,  oh,  how  would  my  joy 
run  over !  If  my  Lord  would  bring  edification  to  one  soul  by  my 
bonds,  I  am  satisfied;  but  I  know  not  what  to  do  to  such  a 
princely  and  beautiful  Well-beloved ;  he  is  far  behind  with  me.^ 
Little  thanks  to  me,  to  say  to  others  that  his  wind  bloweth  on  me, 
who  am  but  withered  and  dry  bones ;  but,  since  ye  desire  me  to 

'  Fly.  2  Being  nothing. 

3  Hath  not  received  from  me  nearly  all  his  due. 


Rutherford's  letters.  263 

write  to  you,  either  help  me  to  set  Christ  on  high,  for  his  running- 
over  love,  in  that  the  heat  of  his  sweet  breath  hath  melted  a  fro- 
zen heart,  else  I  think  that  ye  do  nothing  for  a  prisoner. 

I  am  fully  confirmed,  that  it  is  the  honor  of  our  Lawgiver 
which  I  suffer  for  now.  I  am  not  ashamed  to  give  out  letters  of 
recommendation  of  Christ's  love,  to  as  many  as  will  extol  the 
Lord  Jesus  and  his  cross.  If  I  had  not  sailed  this  sea-way  to 
Heaven,  but  had  taken  the  land-way,  as  many  do,  I  should  not 
have  known  Christ's  sweetness  in  such  a  measure ;  but  the  truth 
is,  let  no  man  thank  me,  for  I  caused  not  Christ's  wind  to  blow 
upon  me :  his  love  came  upon  a  withered  creature,  whether  I 
would  or  not,  (and  yet  by  coming,  it  procured  from  me  a  welcome.) 
A  heart  of  iron,  and  iron  doors,  will  not  hold  Christ  out.  I  give 
him  leave  to  break  iron  locks  and  come  in,  and  that  is  all ;  and  now 
I  know  not,  whetlier  pain  of  love  for  want  of  possession,  or  sor- 
row that  I  cannot  thank  him,  paineth  me  the  most ;  but  both  work 
upon  me.  For  the  first — Oh  that  he  would  come  and  satisfy  the 
longing  soul,  and  fill  the  hungry  with  these  good  things  !  I  know 
indeed  that  my  guihiness  may  be  a  bar  in  his  way,  but  he  is  God, 
and  ready  to  forgive.  And  for  the  other — Wo,  wo  is  me,  that  I 
cannot  find  a  heart  to  give  back  again  my  unworthy,  little  love, 
for  his  great  sea-full  of  love  to  me !  Oh,  that  he  would  learn  me 
this  piece  of  gratitude  !  Oh,  that  I  could  have  leave  to  look  in, 
through  the  hole  of  the  door,  to  see  his  face  and  sing  his  praises  ! 
or  could  break  up  one  of  his  chamber  windows,  to  look  in  upon 
his  delighting  beauty,  till  my  Lord  send  more  ! — any  little  com- 
munion with  him,  one  of  his  love-looks,  should  be  my  begun 
heaven.  I  know  that  he  is  not  lordly,  neither  is  the  Bridegroom's 
love  proud,  though  I  be  black,  and  unlovely,  and  unworthy  of 
him.  I  would  seek  but  leave,  and  withal  grace,  to  spend  my  love 
upon  him.  I  counsel  you  to  think  highly  of  Christ,  and  of  free, 
free  grace,  more  than  ye  did  before :  for  I  know  that  Christ  is  not 
known  amongst  us.  I  think  that  I  see  more  of  Christ  than  ever 
I  saw ;  and  yet  I  see  but  little  of  what  may  be  seen.  Oh,  that 
he  would  draw  by'  the  curtains,  and  that  the  King  would  come 
out  of  his  gallery  and  his  palace,  that  I  might  see  him  !  Christ's 
love  is  young  glory  and  young  heaven  ;  it  would  soften  Hell's 
pain  to  be  filled  with  it.  What  would  I  refuse  to  suffer,  if  I  could 
get  but  a  draught  of  love  at  my  heart's  desire  ?  Oh,  what  price 
can  be  given  for  him !  Angels  cannot  weigh  him.  Oh,  his 
weight,  his  worth,  his  sweetness,  his  overpassing  beauty  !  If  men 
and  angels  would  come  and  look  to  that  great  and  princely  One, 
their  ebbness  ^  could  never  take  up  his  depth,  their  narrowness 
could  never  comprehend  his  breadth,  height,  and  length.  If  ten 
thousand  thousand  worlds  of  angels  were  created,  they  might  all 
tire  themselves  in  wondering  at  his  beauty,  and  begin  again  to 
wonder  of  new.  Oh,  that  I  could  win  nigh  ^  him,  to  kiss  his  feet, 
to  hear  his  voice,  to  feel  the  smell  of  his  ointments  !  But  oh, 
alas,  I  have  little,  little  of  him  !  yet  I  long  for  more. 

*  Aside,  2  Shallowness.  3  Were  able  to  come  near. 


264  Rutherford's  letters. 

Remember  my  bonds,  and  help  me  with  your  prayers ;  for  I 
would  not  nifTer '  or  exchange  my  sad  hours  with  the  joy  of  my 
velvet  adversaries.     Grace  be  with  you. 

•  Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  June  10,  1637. 


LETTER  CLXXVL 


TO     CARLTON. 


Worthy,  and  much  honored, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be 
to  you. — I  received  your  letter  from  my  brother,  to  which  I  now 
answer  particularly. 

I  confess  two  things  of  jnyself : — 1st,  Wo,  wo  is  me,  that  men 
should  think  there  is  anything  in  me  !  He  is  my  witness,  before 
whom  I  am  as  crystal,  that  the  secret  house-devils,  that  bear  me 
too  often  company,  that  this  sink  of  corruption  which  I  find 
within,  make  me  go  with  low  sails ;  and  if  others  saw  what  I  see, 
they  would  look  by"  me,  but  not  to  me. 

2ndly,  I  know  that  this  shower  of  his  free  grace  behooved  to  be 
on  me,  otherwise  I  should  have  withered.  I  know,  also,  that  I 
have  need  of  a  buffeting  tempter,  that  grace  may  be  put  to  exer- 
cise, and  I  kept  low. 

Worthy,  and  dear  brother  in  our  Lord  Jesus,  I  write  that  from 
my  heart,  which  ye  now  read.  1st,  I  vouch  that  Christ,  and 
sweating  and  sighing  under  his  cross,  is  sweeter  to  me  by  far,  than 
all  the  kingdoms  in  the  world  could  possibly  be.  2ndly,  if  you, 
and  my  dearest  acquaintance  in  Christ,  reap  any  fruit  by  my  suf- 
fering, let  me  be  weighed  in  God's  even  balance,  if  my  joy  be  not 
fulfilled.  What  am  I  to  carry  the  marks  of  such  a  great  King? 
But,  howbeit  I  am  a  sink  and  sinful  mass,  a  wretched  captive  of 
sin,  my  Lord  Jesus  can  hev/ heaven  out  of  worse  timber  than  I  am 
— if  worse  can  be.  3rdiy,  I  now  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and 
glorious,  that  I  never  purposed  to  bring  Christ  or  the  least  hoof, 
or  hair-breadth  of  truth,  under  trysting:^  I  desire  to  have  and 
keep  Christ  all  alone ;  and  that  he  should  never  rub  clothes  with 
that  black-skinned  harlot  of  Rome.  I  am  now  fully  paid  home, 
so  that  nothing  aileth  me,  for  the  present,  but  love-sickness  for  a 
real  possession  of  my  fairest  well-beloved.  I  would  give  him  my 
bond,  under  my  faith  and  hand,  to  frist^  Heaven  an  hundred 
years  longer,  so  being  he  would  lay  his  holy  face  to  my  sometimes 
wet  cheeks.  Oh,  who  would  not  pity  me,  to  know  how  fain  I 
would  have  the  King  shaking  the  tree  of  life  upon  me,  or  letting 
me  into  the  well  of  life  with  my  old  dish,  that  I  might  be  drunken 
with  the  fountain,  here,  in  the  house  of  my  pilgrimage  !     1  can- 

i  Barter.  2  Past. 

3  Rutherford  rejoiced  that  he  never  attempted  to  compromise  the  least  jot  or  tittle 
of  Divine  truth,  hy  subjecting  it  to  any  mere  human  arrangement. 

<   Tofrist,  to  postpone  enjoyment  of  a  thing,  under  the  hope  of  ultimately  obtaining. 


Rutherford's  letters.  265 

not,  nay,  I  would  not,  be  quit  of  Christ's  love.  He  hath  left  the 
mark  beliind  wlTere  he  gripped. '  He  goeth  away  and  leaveth  me 
and  his  burning  love  to  wrestle  together,  and  I  can  scarce  win  my 
meat-  of  his  love,  because  of  absence.  My  Lord  giveth  me  but 
hungry  half-kisses,  which  serve  to  feed  pain,  and  increase  hunger, 
but  do  not  satisfy  my  desires  ;  his  dieting  of  my  soul  for  this  race 
maketh  me  lean.  I  have  gotten  the  wale  and  choice^  of  Christ's 
crosses,  even  the  tythe  and  the  flower  of  the  gold  of  all  crosses,  to 
bear  witness  to  the  truth :  and  herein  find  I  liberty,  joy,  access, 
life,  comfort,  love,  faith,  submission,  patience,  and  resolution  to 
take  dehght  in  on-waiting ;  and  withal  in  my  race  he  hath  come 
near  me,  and  let  me  see  the  gold  and  crown.  What  then  want  I, 
but  fruition  and  real  enjoyment,  which  is  reserved  to  my  coun- 
try?* Let  no  man  think  he  shall  lose  at  Christ's  hands  in  suf- 
fering for  him.  4thly,  As  for  these  present  trials,  they  are  most 
dangerous  ;  for  people  are  stolen  off  their  feet  with  well  washen* 
and  white-skinned  pretences  of  indifferency  : — but  it  is  the  power 
of  the  great  Antichrist  working  in  this  land.  Wo,  wo,  wo  be  to 
apostate  Scotland  !  There  is  wrath,  and  a  cup  of  the  red  wine  of 
the  wrath  of  God  Almighty  in  the  Lord's  hand,  that  they  shall 
drink  and  spue,  and  fall  and  not  rise  again.  The  star  called 
wormwood  and  gall,  is  fallen  into  the  fountains,  and  rivers,  and 
hath  made  them  bitter.  The  sword  of  the  Lord  is  furbished 
against  the  idol-shepherds  of  the  land.  Women  shall  bless  the 
barren  womb  and  miscarrying  breast ;  all  hearts  shall  be  faint, 
and  all  knees  shall  tremble.  An  end  is  coming:  the  leopard  and 
the  lion  shall  watch  over  our  cities  :  houses  great  and  fair  shall 
be  desolate  without  an  inhabitant.  The  Lord  hath  said,  "  Pray 
not  for  this  people,  for  I  have  taken  my  peace  from  them :"  yet 
the  Lord's  third  part  shall  come  through  the  fire,  as  refined  gold 
for  the  treasure  of  the  Lord.  And  the  outcasts  of  Scotland  shall 
be  orathered  together  aoain,  and  the  wilderness  shall  blossom  as 
the  flower,  and  bud,  and  grow  as  the  rose  of  Sharon — and  great 
shall  be  the  glory  of  the  Lord  upon  Scotland.  5thly,  I  am  here 
assaulted  with  the  learned  and  pregnant  wits  of  this  kingdom; 
but,  all  honor  be  to  my  Lord,  truth  but  laughs  at  bemisted* 
and  blind  scribes,  and  disputers  of  this  world  :  and  God's  wisdom 
confoundeth  them,  and  Christ  triumpheth  in  his  own  strong  truth, 
that  speaketh  for  itself  6thly,  I  doubt  not  that  my  Lord  is  pre- 
parmg  me  for  heavier  trials.  I  am  most  ready  at  the  good  pleas- 
ure of  my  Lord,  in  the  strength  of  his  grace,  for  anything  he 
will  be  pleased  to  call  me  to;  neither  shall  the  last  black-faced 
messenger.  Death,  be  holden  at  the  door,  when  it  shall  knock.  If 
my  Lord  will  take  honor  of  the  like  of  me,  how  glad  and  joyful 
will  my  soul  be  !  Let  Christ  come  out  with  me  to  a  hotter  battle 
than  this,  and  I  will  fear  no  flesh.     I  know  that  my  Master  shall 

1  Caught,  held  fast.  2  Earn  my  bare  livelihood. 

3  The  very  best  that  could  be  chosen. 

*  Reserved  lor  him  in  Heaven,  (Heb.  xi.  16.)  5  Washed. 

6  Involved  in  mist. 


266  Rutherford's  letters. 

win  the  clay,  and  that  he  hath  taken  the  ordering  of  my  suffer- 
ings into  his  own  hand.  7thly,  As  for  my  dehverance  that  mis- 
carrieth,  I  am  here,  by  my  Lord's  grace,  to  lay  my  hand  on  my  mouth, 
to  be  silent,  and  wait  on.  My  Lord  Jesus  is  on  his  journey  for 
my  deliverance :  I  will  not  grudge  that  he  runneth  not  so  fast  as 
I  would  have  him  ;  on-waiting  till  the  swelling  rivers  fall,  and  till 
my  Lord  arise  as  a  mighty  man  after  strong  wine,  will  be  my 
best : — I  have  not  yet  resisted  to  blood.  8thly,  Oh,  how  often  am 
I  laid  in  the  dust,  and  urged  by  the  tempter,  (who  can  ride  his 
own  errands  upon  our  lying  apprehensions,)  to  sin  against  the 
unchangeable  love  of  my  Lord !  when  I  think  upon  the  sparrows 
and  swallows,  that  build  their  nests  in  the  kirk  of  Anwoth,  and 
of  my  dumb  Sabbaths,  my  sorrowful  bleared  eyes  look  asquint 
upon  Christ,  and  present  him  as  angry.  But  in  this  trial — all 
honor  to  our  princely  and  royal  King— faith  saileth  fair  before 
the  wind,  with  top-sail  up,  and  carrieth  the  passenger  through. 
I  lay  inhibitions  upon  my  thoughts,  that  they  receive  no  slanders 
of  my  only,  only  beloved.  Let  him  even  say  out  of  his  own 
mouth,  "  There  is  no  hope  ;"  yet  I  will  die  in  that  sweet  beguile, ' 
"  It  is  not  so,  I  shall  see  the  salvation  of  God."  Let  me  be  de- 
ceived really,  and  never  win"  to  dry  land  ;  it  is  my  joy  to  believe 
under  the  water,  and  to  die  with  faith  in  my  hand  gripping  ^ 
Christ.  Let  my  conceptions  of  Christ's  love  go  to  the  grave  with 
me.  and  to  Hell  with  me,  I  may  not,  I  dare  not  quit  them.  I  hope 
to  keep  Christ's  pawn :  if  he  never  come  to  loose  it,  let  him  see 
to  his  own  promise.  I  know  that  presumption,  howbeit  it  be 
made  of  stoutness,  will  not  thus  be  wilful  in  heavy  trials. 

Now  my  dearest  in  Christ,  the  great  Messenger  of  the  Cove- 
nant, the  only  wise,  and  all-sufficient  Jehovah,  establish  you  to 
the  end.  I  hear  that  the  Lord  hath  been  at  your  house,  and  hath 
called  home  your  wife  to  her  rest.  I  know,  sir,  that  ye  see  the 
Lord  loosing  the  pins  of  your  tabernacle,  and  wooing  your  love 
from  this  plastered,  and  over-gilded  world,  and  calling  upon  you 
to  be  making  yourself  ready  to  go  to  your  Father's  country,  which 
shall  be  a  sweet  fruit  of  that  visitation.  Ye  know,  "  To  send  the 
Comforter,"  Avas  the  King's  word  when  he  ascended  on  high  ;  ye 
have  claim  to,  and  interest  in,  that  promise. 

Remember  my  love  in  Christ  to  your  father.  Show  him  that 
it  is  late,  and  black  night  with  him.  His  long  lying  at  the  water- 
side, is  that  he  may  look  his  papers  ere  he  take  shipping,  and  be 
at  a  point  for  his  last  answer  before  his  Judge  and  Lord. 

All  love,  all  mercy,  all  grace,  and  peace,  all  multiphed  saving 
consolations,  ah  joy  and  faith  in  Christ,  all  stabiUty,  and  confirm- 
ing strength  of  grace,  and  the  good-will  of  Him  that  dwelt  in  the 
bush,  be  with  you. 

Your  unworthy  brother,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  June  15,  1637. 
1  Delusion.  2  Get.  3  Holding  fast. 


Rutherford's  letters.  267 

LETTER  CLXXVII. 

TO       MARION      MACKNAUGHT. 

Worthy,  and  Dearest  in  the  Lord, — I  ever  loved,  (since 
I  knew  you,)  that  little  vineyard  of  the  Lord's  jilanting  in  Gallo- 
way ;  but  now  much  more,  since  I  have  heard  that  he  who  hath 
his  fire  in  Zion,  and  his  furnace  in  Jerusalem,  hath  been  pleased  to 
set  up  a  furnace  amongst  you  with  the  first  in  this  kingdom.  He 
who  maketh  old  things  new,  seeing  Scotland  an  old,  drossy  and 
rusted  Kirk,  is  beginning  to  make  a  new,  clean  bride  of  her,  and 
to  bring  a  young,  chaste  wife  to  himself  out  of  the  fire.  This  fire 
shall  be  quenched  as  soon  as  Christ  has  brought  a  clean  spouse 
through  the  fire !  Therefore,  my  dearly  beloved  in  the  Lord,  fear 
not  a  worm.  "  Fear  not  worm,  Jacob."  Christ  is  in  that  plea, 
and  shall  win  the  plea.  Charge  an  unbelieving  heart,  under 
the  pain  of  treason  against  our  great  and  royal  King  Jesus,  to  de- 
pendence by  faith,  and  quiet  on-waiting  on  our  Lord.  Get  you 
into  your  chambers,  and  shut  the  doors  about  you.  In.  in  with 
speed  to  your  strong  hold,  ye  prisoners  of  hope.  Ye  doves,  flee 
unto  Christ's  windows  till  the  indignation  be  over,  and  the  storm 
be  past.  Glorify  the  Lord  in  your  suflferings,  and  take  his  banner 
of  love,  and  spread  it  over  you.  Others  will  follow  you,  if  they 
see  you  strong  in  the  Lord.  Their  courage  will  take  life  from 
your  Christian  carriage.  Look  up  and  see  who  is  coming  !  Lift 
up  your  head,  He  is  coming  to  save,  in  garments  dyed  in  blood, 
and  travelling  in  the  greatness  of  his  strength.  I  laugh,  I  smile, 
I  leap  for  joy,  to  see  Christ  coming  to  save  you  so  quickly.  Oh, 
such  wide '  steps  Christ  taketh  !  Three  or  four  hills  are  but  a 
step  to  him  :  he  skippeth  over  the  mountains.  Christ  hath  set  a 
battle  betwixt  his  poor  weak  saints  and  his  enemies.  He  waleth^ 
the  weapons  for  both  parties,  and  saith  to  the  enemies,  "  Take 
you  a  word  of  steel,  law,  authority,  parliaments,  and  kings  upon 
your  side,  that  is  your  armor ;"  and  he  saith  to  his  saints,  "  I 
give  you  a  feckless^  tree-sword^  in  your  hand,  and  that  is  suf- 
fering, receiving  of  strokes,  spoiling  of  your  goods  ;  and  with 
your  tree-sword^  ye  shall  get  and  gain  the  victory."  Was  not 
Christ  dragged  through  the  ditches  of  deep  distresses  and 
great  straits'?  and  yet  Christ,  who  is  your  head,  hath  won 
through  5  with  his  life,  howbeit  not  with  a  whole  skin.  Ye  are 
Christ's  members,  and  he  is  drawing  his  members  through  the 
thorny  hedge  up  to  Heaven  after  him.  Christ  one  day  will  not 
have  so  much  as  a  pained  toe ;  but  there  are  great  pieces  and  por- 
tions of  Christ's  mystical  body  not  yet  within  the  gates  of  the 
great  high  city,  the  New  Jerusalem  :  and  the  Dragon  will  strike 
at  Christ,  so  long  as  there  is  one  bit,  or  member  of  Christ's  body 

1  Long.  2  Selecteth.  3  Feeble. 

*  Wooden  sword.  ^  To  win  through,  to  struggle  through. 


268  Rutherford's  letters. 

out  of  Heaven.  I  tell  you,  Chiist  will  make  new  work  out  of 
old  for-casten '  Scotland,  and  gather  tlie  old  broken  boards  of  his 
tabernacle,  and  pin  them,  and  nail  them  together.  Our  bills  and 
supplications  are  up  in  Heaven  ;  Christ  hath  coffers  full  of  them  : 
there  is  mercy  on  the  other  side  of  this  his  cross  ;  a  good  answer 
to  all  our  bills  is  agreed  upon. 

I  must  tell  you  what  lovely  Jesus,  fair  Jesus,  King  Jesus,  has 
done  to  my  soul.  Sometimes  he  sendeth  me  out  a  standing 
drink,*^  and  whisperetli  a  word  through  the  wall ;  and  I  am  well 
content  of  kindness  at  the  second  hand — his  bode  ^  is  ever  welcome 
to  me,  be  what  it  will.  Bat  at  other  times  he  will  be  messenger 
himself,  and  I  get  the  Cup  of  salvation  out  of  his  own  hand,  (he 
drinking  to  me,)  and  we  cannot  rest  till  we  be  in  other's  arms — 
and  oh,  how  sweet  is  a  fresh  kiss  from  his  holy  mouth  !  His 
breathing  that  goeth  before  a  kiss  upon  my  poor  soul,  is  sweet, 
and  hath  no  fault,  but  that  it  is  too  short.  I  am  careless,  and 
stand  not  much  on  this,  howlDeit  loins  and  back,  and  shoulders, 
and  head  should  rive  in  pieces  in  stepping  up  to  my  Father's 
house.  I  know  that  my  Lord  can  make  long,  and  broad,  and 
high,  and  deep  glory  to  his  name,  out  of  this  bit  feckless^  body — 
for  Christ  looketh  not  what  stuff  he  maketh  glory  out  of. 

My  dearly  beloved,  yc  have  often  refreshed  me,  but  this  is  put 
up  in  my  Master's  account ;  ye  have  him  debtor  for  me  :  but  if 
ye  will  do  anything  for  me,  (as  I  know  ye  will,)  now  in  my  ex- 
tremity, tell  all  my  dear  friends,  that  a  prisoner  is  fettered  and 
chainecl  in  Christ's  love, — Lord,  never  loose  the  fetters  ! — and  ye 
and  they  together  take  my  heartiest  commendations  to  my  Lord 
Jesus,  and  thank  him  for  a  poor  friend. 

I  desire  your  husband  to  read  this  letter.  I  send  him  a  prison- 
er's blessing.  I  will  be  obliged  to  him  if  he  will  be  willing  to 
suffer  for  my  dear  Master.  Suffering  is  the  professor's  golden  gar- 
ment ;  there  shall  be  no  losses  on  Christ's  side  of  it.  Ye  have 
been  witnesses  of  much  joy  betwixt  Christ  and  me  at  communion- 
feasts,  the  remembrance  whereof,  (howbeit  I  be  feasted  in  secret,) 
holleth^  my  heart;  for  I  am  put  from  the  board-head^  and  the 
Kint'-'s  first  mess  to  his  by-board,'^  and  his  broken  meat  is  sweet 
unto  me.  I  thank  my  Lord  for  borrowed  crumbs,  no  less  than 
when  I  was  feasted  at  the  communion  table  at  Anwoth  and 
Kirkcudbright.  Pray  that  I  may  get  one  day  of  Christ  in  pub- 
he,  as  I  have  had  long  since,  before  my  eyes  be  closed.  Oh, 
that  my  Master  would  take  up  house  again,  and  lend  me  the 
keys  of  his  wine-cellar  again,  and  God  send  me  borrowed  drink 
till  then  ! 

Remember  my  love  to  Christ's  kinsmen  with  you.  I  pray  for 
Christ's  Father's  blessing  to  them  all.  Grace  be  with  you  :  a 
prisoner's  blessing  be  with  you.  I  write  it,  and  abide  by  it,  God 
will  be  glorious  in  Marion  Macknaught,  when  this  stormy  blast 

1  Forsaken,  cast  away.  2  A  slight  refreshment,  to  be  taken  standing. 

3  Offer  at  a  sale  *  Weak,  feeble.  ^  pierceth. 

6  Head  of  the  table.  7  Side  tabic. 


Rutherford's  letters.  269 

shall  be  over.     O  woman  beloved  of  God,  believe,  rejoice,  be  strong 
in  the  Lord  !     Grace  is  thy  portion. 

Your  brother,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  June  15,  1637. 


LETTER  CLXXVin. 


TO     THE     LADY     CULROSS 


Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  dare  not  say 
that  I  wonder  that  ye  have  never  written  to  me  in  my  bonds,  be- 
cause I  am  not  ignorant  of  the  cause  ;  yet  I  could  not  but  write 
to  you.  I  know  not  whether  joy  or  heaviness  in  my  soul  carrieth 
it  away  :  sorrow,  without  any  mixture  of  sweetness,  hath  not 
often  love-thoughts  of  Ciirist ;  but  I  see  that  the  Devil  can  insin- 
uate himself,  and  ride  his  errands  upon  the  thoughts  of  a  poor 
distressed  prisoner. 

I  am  wo '  that  I  am  making  Christ  my  unfriend,^  by  seeking 
pleas  ^  against  him,  because  I  am  the  first  in  the  kingdom  put  to 
utter  silence  ;  and  because  I  cannot  preach  my  Lord's  righteous- 
ness in  the  great  congregation.  I  am,  notwithstanding,  the  less 
solicitous  how  it  go,  if  there  be  not  wrath  in  my  cup.  But  I  know 
that  I  but  claw  my  wounds  when  my  Physician  hath  forbidden 
me  :  I  would  believe  in  the  dark  upon  luck's  head,  and  take  my 
hazard  of  Christ's  good-will,  and  rest  on  this,  that  in  my  fever  my 
Physician  is  at  my  bed-side,  and  that  .he  sympathizeth  with  me 
when  I  sigh.  My  borrowed  house,  and  another  man's  bed  and 
fire-side,  and  other  losses,  have  no  room  in  my  sorrow ;  a  greater 
heat  to  cast  out  a  less  fire,  is  a  good  remedy  for  some  burning.  I 
believe,  that  when  Christ  draweth  blood,  he  hath  skill  to  cut  the 
right  vein  ;  and  that  he  hath  taken  the  whole  ordering  and  dis- 
posing of  my  sufferings.  Let  him  tutor  me,  and  tutor  my  crosses, 
as  he  thinketh  good.  There  is  no  danger  nor  hazard  in  following 
such  a  guide,  howbeit  he  should  lead  me  through  Hell,  if  I  could 
put  faith  foremost,  and  fill  the  field  with  a  quiet  on-waiting,  and 
believing  to  see  the  salvation  of  God.  I  know  that  Christ  is  not 
obliged  to  let  me  see  both  the  sides  of  my  cross,  and  turn  it  over 
and  over  that  I  may  see  all.  My  faith  is  richer  to  live  upon 
credit,  and  Christ's  borrowed  money,  than  to  have  much  on  hand. 
Alas  !  I  have  forgotten  that  faith  in  times  past  hath  stopped  a 
leak  in  my  crazed  bark,  and  hath  filled  my  sails  with  a  fair  wind. 
I  see  it  a  work  of  God  that  experiences  are  all  lost,  when  sum- 
mons of  improbation,  to  prove  our  charters  of  Christ  to  be  counter- 
feits, are  raised  against  poor  souls  in  their  heavy  trials  :  but  let 

'  Grieved. 

2  Not  a  friend.    Tliis  word  does  not  denote  such  a  degree  of  hatred  as  is  implied  in 
the  word  "  enemy."  ^  Quarrels. 


270  Rutherford's  letters. 

me  be  a  sinner,  and  worse  than  the  chief  of  sinners,  yea,  a  guilty- 
devil,  I  am  sure  that  my  well-beloved  is  God ;  and  when  I  say  that 
Christ  is  God,  and  that  my  Christ  is  God,  I  have  said  all  things,  I 
can  say  no  more. 

I  would  that  I  could  build  as  much  on  this,  my  Christ  is  God,  as 
it  would  bear  ;  I  might  lay  all  the  world  upon  it.  I  am  sure,  that 
Christ  untried,  and  untaken-up  in  the  power  of  his  love,  kindness, 
mercies,  goodness,  wisdom,  long-suffering  and  greatness,  is  the 
rock  that  dim-sighted  travellers  dash  their  foot  against,  and  so 
stumble  fearfully.  But  my  wounds  are  sorest,  and  pain  me  most 
when  I  sin  against  his  love  and  mercy  ;  and  if  he  would  set  me 
and  my  conscience  by  the  ears  together,  and  resolve  not  to  red 
the  plea,'  but  let  us  deal  it  betwixt  us,,  my  spitting  upon  the  fair 
face  of  Christ's  love  and  mercies  by  my  jealousies,*^  unbelief  and 
doubting  would  be  enough  to  sink  me.  Oh,  oh,  I  am  convinced,  O 
Lord,  I  stand  dumb  before  thee  for  this,  let  me  be  mine  own  judge 
in  this,  and  I  take  a  dreadful  doom  upon  me  for  it ;  for  I  still 
misbelieve,^  though  I  have  seen  that  my  Lord  hath  made  my 
cross  as  if  it  were  all  crystal,  so  as  I  can  see  through  it  Christ's 
fair  face  and  Heaven,  and  that  God  hath  honored  a  lump  of  sinful 
flesh  and  blood,  the  like  of  me,  to  be  Christ's  honorable  lord-pris- 
oner. I  ought  to  esteem  the  walls  of  the  thieves'  hole,  (if  I  were 
shut  up  in  it,)  or  any  stinking  dungeon,  all  hung  with  tapestry, 
and  most  beautiful,  for  my  Lord  Jesus  ;  and  yet  I  am  not  so  shut 
up  but  that  the  sun  shineth  upon  my  prison,  and  the  fair  wide 
heaven  is  the  covering  of  it.  But  my  Lord,  in  his  sweet  visits, 
hath  done  more  ;  for  he  maketh  me  to  find  that  he  will  be  a  con- 
fined prisoner  with  me.  He  lyeth  down  and  riseth  up  with  me  : 
when  I  sigh  he  sigheth  ;  when  I  weep,  he  suffereth  with  me ;  and 
I  confess  that  here  is  the  blessed  issue  of  my  sufferings  already 
begun,  that  my  heart  is  filled  with  hunger  and  desire  to  have  him 
glorified  in  my  sufferings. 

Blessed  be  ye  of  the  Lord,  madam,  if  you  would  help  a  poor 
dyvour,*  and  cause  others  of  your  acquaintance  in  Christ  to  help 
me  to  pay  my  debt  of  love,  even  real  praises  to  Christ  my  Lord. 
Madam,  let  me  charge  you  in  the  Lord,  as  ye  shall  answer  to  him, 
to  help  me  in  this  duty,  (which  he  hath  tied  about  my  neck,  with 
a  chain  of  such  singular  expressions  of  his  loving  kindness,)  to 
set  on  high  Christ,  to  hold  in  my  honesty  at  his  hands  ;  for  I  have 
nothing  to  give  to  him.  Oh,  that  he  would  arrest  and  comprise  s 
my  love  and  my  heart  for  all !  I  am  a  dyvour, •*  who  have  no 
more  free  goods  in  the  world  for  Christ,  save  that;  it  is  both  the 
whole  heritage  I  have,  and  all  my  movables  besides.  Lord,  give 
the  thirsty  man  a  drink.  Oh,  to  be  over  the  ears  in  the  well ! 
Oh,  to  be  swattering,''  and  swimming  over  head  and  ears  in  , 
Christ's  love  \  I  would  not  have  Christ's  love  entering  into  me, 
but  I  would  enter  into  it,  and  be  swallowed  up  of  that  love.     But 

1  Settle  which  is  in  the  fault.  2  Suspicions. 

3  To  misbeliere,  not  to  believe  aright  or  fully.  ■*  Bankrupt, 

8  Legally  attach  for  debt. 
6  To  swaltcr,  to  flutter  and  dabble  over  head  in  wrater,  as  ducks  do. 


Rutherford's  letters.  271 

I  see  not  myself  here ;  for  I  fear  I  make  more  of  his  love  than  of 
himself;  whereas  himself  is  far  beyond  and  much  better  than  his 
love.  Oh,  if '  I  had  my  sinful  arms  filled  with  that  lovely  One, 
Christ !  IBlessed  by  my  rich  Lord  Jesus,  who  sendeth  not  away 
beggars  from  his  house  with  a  toom  -  dish.  He  filleth  the  vessels 
of  such  as  will  come  and  seek.  We  might  beg  ourselves  rich,  (if 
we  were  wise,)  if  we  could  hold  out  our  withered  hands  to  Christ, 
and  learn  to  suit=  and  seek,  ask  and  knock.  I  owe  my  salvation  for 
Christ's  glory,  I  owe  it  to  Christ ;  and  desire  that  my  hell,  yea,  a 
new  hell,  seven  times  hotter  by  far  than  the  old  Hell,  might  buy 
praises  before  men  and  angels  to  my  Lord  Jesus ;  providing  al- 
ways that  I  were  free  of  Christ's  hatred  and  displeasure.  What 
am  I,  to  be  forfeited  and  sold  in  soul  and  body,  to  have  my  great 
and  royal  King  set  on  high  and  extolled  above  all  ?  Oh,  if  ^  I 
knew  how  high  to  have  him  set,  and  all  the  world  far,  far  beneath 
the  soles  of  his  feet !  Nay,  I  deserve  not  to  be  the  matter  of  his 
praises,  far  less  to  be  an  agent  in  praising  of  him.  But  he  can 
win  *  his  own  glory  out  of  me,  and  out  of  worse  than  I,  (if  any 
such  be,)  if  it  please  his  holy  majesty  so  to  do : — he  knoweth  that 
I  am  not  now  flattering  him. 

Madam,  let  me  have  your  prayers,  as  ye  have  the  prayers  and 
blessing  of  him  that  is  separated  from  his  brethren.  Grace,  grace 
be  with  you. 

Your  own,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  June  15,  1637. 


LETTER    CLXXIX. 


TO   HIS    REVEREND,  AND    LOVING    BROTHER,  MR.   JOHN 

NEVAY. 

Reverend,  and  dear  Brother, —  Grace  mercy  and  peace 
be  to  you. — I  received  yours  of  April  11th,  as  I  did  another  of 
March  25th,  and  a  letter  for  Mr.  Andrew  Cant. 

I  am  not  a  little  grieved  that  our  Mother-church  is  running  so 
quickly  to  the  brothel-house,  and  that  we  are  hiring  lovers,  and 
giving  gifts  to  the  great  Mother  of  fornications.  Alas,  that  our 
Husband  is  like  to  quit  us  so  shortly  !  It  were  my  part,  (if  I  were 
able,)  when  our  Husband  is  departing,  to  stir  up  myself  to  take 
hold  of  him,  and  keep  him  in  this  land ;  for  1  know  him  to  be  a 
sweet  second,  and  a  lovely  companion  to  a  poor  prisoner. 

I  find  that  my  extremity  hath  sharpened  the  edge  of  his  love 
and  kindness,  so  that  heseemeth  to  devise  new  ways  of  expressing 
the  sweetness  of  his  love  to  my  soul.  Suffering  for  Christ  is  the 
very  element  wherein  Christ's  love  liveth,  and  exerciseth  itself,  in 
casting  out  flames  of  fire,  and  sparks  of  heat,  to  warm  such  a  fro- 

i  Oh,  that.  •  Empty. 

3  To  urge  a  request.  *  Earn. 


272  Rutherford's  letters. 

zen  heart  as  I  have  ;  and  if  Christ  weeping  in  sackcloth  he  so 
sweet,  I  cannot  find  any  imaginable  thoughts  to  think  what  he 
will  be,  when  we  clay-bodies,  (having  put  off  mortality,)  shall  come 
up  to  the  marriage-hall  and  great  palace,  and  behold  the  King 
clothed  in  his  robes  royal,  sitting  on  his  throne.  I  would  desire 
no  more  for  my  heaven  beneath  the  moon,  while  I  am  sighing  in 
this  house  of  clay,  than  daily  renewed  feasts  of  love  with  Christ, 
and  liberty  now  and  then  to  feed  my  hunger  with  a  kiss  of  that 
fairest  face,  that  is  like  the  sun  in  his  strength  at  noon-day.  I 
would  willingly  subscribe  an  ample  resignation  to  Christ  of  the 
Fourteen  Prelacies  of  this  land,  and  of  all  the  most  delightful 
pleasures  on  earth,  and  forfeit  my  part  of  this  clay-god,  this  earth, 
which  Adam's  foolish  children  worship,  to  have  no  other  exercise 
than  to  lye  on  a  love-bed  with  Christ,  and  fill  this  hungered  and 
famished  soul  with  kissing,  embracing,  and  real  enjoying  of  the 
Son  of  God  :  and  I  think  that  then,  I  might  write  to  my  friends, 
that  I  had  found  the  Golden  World,  and  look  out  and  laugh  at  the 
poor  bodies,  who  are  slaying  one  another  for  feathers.  For  verily,, 
brother,  since  I  came  to  this  prison,  I  have  conceived  a  new  and 
extraordinary  opinion  of  Christ,  w'nich  I  had  not  before  ;  for  I  per- 
ceive, we  frist^  all  our  joys  to  Christ,  till  he  and  we  be  in  our  own 
house  above,  as  married  parties, — thinking  that  there  is  nothing 
of  it  here  to  be  sought  or  found,  but  only  hope  and  fair  promises ; 
and  that  Christ  will  give  us  nothing  here  but  tears,  sadness,  and 
crosses ; — and  that  we  shall  never  feel  the  smell  of  the  flowers  of 
that  high  garden  of  paradise  above,  till  we  come  there.  Nay,  but 
I  find  that  it  is  possible  to  find  young  glory,  and  a  young  green 
paradise  of  joy,  even  here.  I  know  that  Christ's  kisses  will  cast 
a  more  strong  and  refreshful-  smell  of  incomparable  glory  and 
joy  in  Heaven,  than  they  do  here  ;  because  a  drink  of  the  Well  of 
life  up  at  the  well's  head,  is  more  sweet  and  fresh  by  far,  than  that 
which  we  get  in  our  borrowed,  old,  running-out  vessels,  and  our 
wooden  dishes  here ;  yet  I  am  now  persuaded,  it  is  our  folly  to 
frist '  all  till  the  term-day,  seeing  abundance  of  earnest  will  not 
diminish  anything  of  our  principal  sum.  We  dream  of  hunger  in 
Christ's  house,  while  we  are  here,  although  he  alloweth  feasts  to 
all  the  bairns,  within  God's  household  :  it  were  good,  then,  to  store 
ourselves  with  moe  borrowed  kisses  of  Christ,  and  with  moe  bor- 
rowed visits,  till  we  enter  heirs  to  our  new  inheritance,  and  our 
Tutor  put  us  in  possession  of  our  own,  when  we  are  past  minority. 
Oh,  that  all  the  young  heirs  would  seek  more,  and  a  greater,  and 
a  nearer  communion  with  my  Lord  Tutor,  the  prime  Heir  of  all, 
Christ !  I  wish  that,  for  my  part,  I  could  send  you,  and  that  gen- 
tleman who  wrote  his  commendations  to  me,  into  the  King's  inner- 
most cellar,  and  house-of-wine,  to  be  filled  with  love ; — a  drink  of 
this  love  is  worth  the  having  indeed.  We  carry  ourselves  but  too 
nicely  with  Christ  our  Lord  ;  and  our  Lord  loveth  not  niceness, 
and  dryness,  and  unconess  ^  in  friends.     Since  need-force  that  we 

•  Postpone.  2  Refreshing.  3  Reserve. 


Rutherford's  letters.  273 

must  be  in  Christ's  common, '  then  let  us  be  in  his  common  ; '  for 
it  will  be  no  otherwise. 

Now,  for  my  present  case  in  my  imprisonment, — deliverance, 
(for  any  appearance  that  I  see,)  looketh  cold-like.*^  My  hope,  if  it 
looked  to,  or  leaned  upon  men,  would  wither  soon  at  the  root,  like 
a  May-flower ;  yet  I  resolve  -to  solace  myself  with  on- waiting  on 
my  Lord,  and  to  let  my  faith  swim  where  it  loseth  ground.  I  am 
under  a  necessity  either  of  fainting,  (which  I  hope  my  Master,  of 
whom  I  boast  all  the  day,  will  avert,)  or  then^  to  lay  my  faith 
upon  Omnipotency,  and  to  wink  and  stick  by  my  grip.*  And  I 
hope  that  my  ship  shall  ride  it  out,  seeing  Christ  is  willing  to 
blow  his  sweet  wind  in  my  sails,  and  mendeth  and  closeth  the 
leaks  in  my  ship,  and  ruleth  all.  It  will  be  strange  if  a  believing 
passenger  be  casten^  overboard. 

As  for  your  master,  my  Lord  and  my  Lady,  I  shall  be  loath  to 
forget  them.  I  think  my  prayers,  (such  as  they  are,)  debt  due  to 
him  ;  and  I  shall  be  far  more  engaged  to  his  Lordship,  if  he  be 
fast  for  Christ,  (as  I  hope  he  will,)  now  when  so  many  of  his  coat 
and  quality  slip  from  Christ's  back,  and  leave  him  to  fend  for' 
himself. 

I  entreat  you  to  remember  my  love  to  that  worthy  gentleman, 
A.  C,  who  saluted  me  in  your  letter  :  I  have  heard  that  he  is  one 
of  my  Master's  friends,  for  the  which  cause  I  am  tied  to  him.  I 
wish  that  he  may  more  and  more  fall  in  love  with  Christ. 

Now  for  your  question  : — As  far  as  I  rawly  conceive,  I  think 
that  God  is  praised  two  ways  ;  1st,  By  a  concionaP  profession  of 
his  highness  before  men,  such  as  is  the  very  hearing  of  the  word, 
and  receiving  of  either  of  the  sacraments  ;  in  which  acts,  by  pro- 
fession, we  give  out  to  men,  that  he  is  our  God,  with  whom  we 
are  in  covenant,  and  our  Lawgiver.  Thus  eating  and  drinking 
in  the  Lord's  Supper,  is  an  annunciation  and  profession  before 
men,  that  Christ  is  our  slain  Redeemer.  Here,  because  God  speak- 
eth  to  us,  not  we  to  him,  it  is  not  a  formal  thanksgiving,  but  an 
annunciation,  or  predication  of  Christ's  death,  concional,'  not 
adorative,  neither  hath  it  God  for  the  immediate  object,  and,  there- 
fore, no  kneeling  can  be  here. 

2ndly,  There  is  another  praising  of  God,  formal,  when  we  are 
either  formally  blessing  God,  or  speaking  liis  praises.  And  this 
I  take  to  be  twofold  : — 1.  When  we  directly  and  formally  direct 
praises  and  thanksgiving  to  God.  This  may  well  be  done  kneel- 
ing, in  token  of  our  recognizance  of  his  highness  ;  yet  not  so,  but 
that  it  may  be  done  standing  or  sitting,  especially  seeing  joyful 
elevation,  (which  should  be  in  praising,)  is  not  formally  signified 
by  kneeling.  2.  When  we  speak  good  of  God,  and  declare  his 
glorious  nature  and  attributes,  extolling  him  before  men,  to  excite 
men  to  conceive  highly  of  him.  The  former  I  hold  to  be  worship 
every  way  immediate,  else  I  know  not  any  immediate  worship  at 

1  Under  obligation  to  Christ.  2  Most  hopeless.  3  Otherwise. 

*  To  shut  my  eyes,  hold  on  with  might  and  main,  and  abide  by  the  consequences. 
5  Cast.  6  Shift  for.  '  Declarative  in,  or  by  act  of,  a  public  assembly, 

18 


274  Rutherford's  letters. 

all :  the  latter  hath  God  for  the  subject,  not  properly  the  object, 
seeing  the  predication  is  directed  to  men  immediately,  rather  than 
to  God,  for  here  we  speak  of  God  by  way  of  praising,  rather  than 
to  God.  And  for  my  own  part,  as  I  am,  for  the  present,  minded, 
I  see  not  how  this  can  be  done  kneeling,  seeing  it  is  jyradicatio 
Dei  et  Christi,  non  Imidatio  aut  henedictio  Dei.  But  observe 
that  it  is  formal  praising  of  God,  and  not  merely  concional,'  as  I 
distinguished  in  the  first  member  ;  for,  in  the  first  member,  any 
speaking  of  God,  or  of  his  works  of  creation,  providence,  and  re- 
demption, is  indirect  and  concionaP  praising  of  him,  and  formally 
preaching,  or  an  act  of  teaching,  not  an  act  of  predication  of  his 
praises  ;  for  there  is  a  difference  betwixt  the  simple  relation  of  the 
virtues  of  a  thing,  which  is  formally  teaching,  and  the  extolling 
of  the  worth  of  a  thing,  by  way  of  commendation,  to  cause  others 
to  praise  with  us. 

Thus  recommending  you  to  God's  sweet  grace,  I  rest. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  June  15,  1637. 


LETTER  CLXXX. 

TO   THE    MUCH  HONORED  JOHN  GORDON,  OF    CARDONESS,  ELDER. 

Much  honored,  and  dearest  in  my  Lord, — Grace,  mercy, 
and  peace  be  to  you. — My  soul  longeth  exceedingly  to  hear  how 
matters  go  betwixt  you  and  Christ ;  and  whether  or  not  there  be 
any  work  of  Christ  in  that  parish,  that  will  bide  the  trial  of  fire 
and  water.  Let  me  be  weighed  of  my  Lord  in  a  just  balance,  if 
your  souls  lye  not  weighty  upon  me.  Ye  go  to  bed  and  ye  rise 
with  me  :  thoughts  of  your  soul,  (my  Dearest  in  our  Lord,)  depart 
not  from  me  in  my  sleep  ;  ye  have  a  great  part  of  my  tears,  sighs, 
supplications,  and  prayers.  Oh,  if  ^  I  could  buy  your  soul's  sal- 
vation with  any  suffering  whatsoever,  and  that  ye  and  I  might 
meet  with  joy  up  in  the  rainbow,  when  we  shall  stand  before  our 
Judge !  Oh,  my  Lord  forbid,  that  I  have  any  hard  thing  to  de- 
pone' against  you  in  that  day  !  Oh,  that  He  who  quickeneth  the 
dead,  would  give  life  to  my  sowing  among  you  !  What  joy  is 
there,  (next  to  Christ,)  that  standeth  on  this  side  of  death,  which 
would  comfort  me  more,  than  that  the  souls  of  that  poor  people 
were  in  safety,  and  beyond  all  hazard  of  being  lost ! 

Sir,  show  the  people  this  ;  for  when  I  write  to  you,  I  think  I 
write  to  you  all,  old  and  young.  Fulfil  my  joy,  and  seek  the 
Lord.  Sure  I  am,  that  once  I  discovered  my  lovely,  royal,  princely 
Lord  Jesus  to  you  all.  Wo,  wo,  wo  shall  be  your  part  of  it  for 
evermore,  if  the  Gospel  be  not  the  savor  of  life  unto  life  to  you. 
As  many  sermons  as  I  preached,  as  many  sentences  as  I  uttered, 

1  Declarative  in,  or  by  act  of,  a  public  assembly.  2  Oh,  that. 

9  To  depose,  to  witness. 


Rutherford's  letters.  275 

as  many  points  of  dittay  ^  shall  they  be,  when  the  Lord  shall 
plead  with  the  world,  for  the  evil  of  their  doings.  Believe  me,  I 
find  Heaven  a  city  hard  to  be  won.  "  The  righteous  shall 
scarcely  be  saved."  Oh,  what  violence  of  thronging  will  Heaven 
take !  Alas  !  I  see  many  deceiving  themselves  ;  for  we  will  all 
to  Heaven  now.  Every  foul  dog  with  his  foul  feet  will  in  at  the 
nearest,  to  the  new  and  clean  Jerusalem.  All  say  they  have  faith  ; 
and  the  greatest  part  in  the  world  know  not,  and  will  not  con- 
sider, that  a  slip  in  the  matter  of  their  salvation,  is  the  most  piti- 
able slip  that  can  be  ;  and  that  no  loss  is  comparable  to  this  loss. 
Oh  then,  see  that  there  be  not  a  loose  pin  in  the  work  of  your 
salvation  !  for  ye  will  not  believe  how  quickly  the  Judge  will  come ; 
and  for  yourself,  I  know  that  death  is  waiting,  and  hovering,  and 
lingering  at  God's  command,  that  ye  may  be  prepared.  Then  ye 
had  need  to  stir  your  time,  and  to  take  eternity  and  death,  to  your 
riper  advisement  :  a  wrong  step,  or  a  wrong  stot,''  in  going  out  of 
this  life,  is,  in  one  property,  like  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  can  never  be  forgiven,  because  ye  cannot  come  back  again 
through  the  last  water  to  mourn  for  it.  I  know  your  accounts  are 
many,  and  will  take  telling,  and  laying,  and  reckoning  betwixt 
you  and  yovu*  Lord.  Fit  your  accounts,  and  order  them.  Lose 
not  the  last  play,  whatever  ye  do,  for  in  that  play  with  death  your 
precious  soul  is  the  prize  :  for  the  Lord's  sake  spill '  not  the  play, 
and  lose  not  such  a  treasure.  Ye  know,  that  out  of  love  which  1 
had  to  your  soul,  and  out  of  desire  which  I  had  to  make  an 
honest  accomit  of  you,  I  testified  my  displeasure  and  disliking  of 
your  ways  very  often,  both  in  private  and  public  :  I  am  not  now 
a  witness  of  your  doings,  but  your  Judge  is  always  your  witness. 
I  beseech  you  by  the  mercies  of  God,  by  the  salvation  of  your  soul, 
by  your  comforts  when  your  eye-strings  shall  break,  and  the  face 
wax  pale,  and  the  soul  shall  tremble  to  be  out  of  the  lodging  of 
clay,  and  by  your  compearance  *  before  your  awful  Judge,  after 
the  sight  of  this  letter,  to  take  a  new  course  with  your  ways,  and 
now,  in  the  end  of  your  day,  make  sure  of  Heaven.  Examine 
yourself  if  ye  be  in  good  earnest  in  Christ ;  for  some,  (Heb,  vi.  4, 
5,)  are  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  taste  of  the  good  word  of 
God,  and  of  the  powers  of  the  life  to  come,  and  yet  have  no  part 
in  Christ  at  all.  Many  think  they  believe,  but  never  tremble  ;  the 
devils  are  farther  on  than  these,  (James  ii.  19.)  Make  sure  to 
yourself  that  ye  are  above  ordinary  professors.  The  sixth  part  of 
your  span-length  and  hand-breadth  of  days  is  scarcely  before  you : 
— haste,  haste,  for  the  tide  will  not  bide.'  Put  Christ  upon  all 
your  accounts  and  your  secrets.  Better  it  is  that  you  give  him 
your  accounts  in  this  life,  out  of  your  own  hand,  than  that,  after 
this  life,  he  take  them  from  you.  I  never  knew  so  well  what  sin 
was,  as  since  I  came  to  Aberdeen,  howbeit  I  was  preaching  of  it 
to  you.     To  feel  the  smoke  of  Hell's  fire  in  the  throat  for  half  an 

1  Indictment.  2  Movement.     Stot  signifies  the  rebounding  of  a  ball. 

3  Spoil,  ruin.  *  Appearance  in  obedience  to  legal  citation. 

5  Stay,  wait. 


276  Rutherford's  letters. 

hour ;  to  stand  before  a  river  of  fire  and  brimstone  broader  than 
the  earth  ;  and  to  think  to  be  bound  hand  and  foot,  and  casten 
into  the  midst  of  it  quick,  and  then  to  have  God  locking  tbe  prison- 
door,  never  to  be  opened  for  aU  eternity  !  Oh  how  it  will  shake 
a  conscience  that  hath  any  life  in  it !  I  find  the  fruits  of  my 
pains  to  have  Christ  and  that  people  once  fairly  met,  now  meet 
my  soul  in  my  sad  hours  :  and  I  rejoice  that  I  gave  fair  warning 
of  all  the  corruptions  now  entering  into  Christ's  house  ;  and  now 
many  a  sweet,  sweet,  soft  kiss,  many  perfumed,  well-smelled 
kisses,  and  embracements  have  I  received  of  my  royal  Master. 
He  and  I  have  had  nuich  love  together.  I  have  for  the  present  a 
sick  dwining  '  life,  with  much  pain,  and  much  love  sickness  for 
Christ.  Ob,  what  would  I  give  to  have  a  bed  made  to  my  wea- 
ried soul,  in  his  bosom  !  I  would  frist  ^  Heaven  for  many  years, 
to  have  my  fill  of  Jesus  in  this  life,  and  to  have  occasion  to  offer 
Christ  to  my  people,  and  to  woo  many  people  to  Christ.  I  cannot 
tell  you  what  sweet  pain,  and  delightsome  torments  are  in  Christ's 
love  ;  I  often  challenge  ^  time  that  holdeth  us  asunder.  I  profess 
to  you,  I  have  no  rest,  I  have  no  ease,  whill  I  be  over  head  and 
ears  in  love's  ocean.  If  Christ's  love,  (that  fountain  of  delight,) 
were  laid  as  open  to  me  as  I  w^ould  wish,  oh,  how  I  would  drink, 
and  drink  abundantly  !  oh,  how  drunken  would  this  my  soul  be ! 
I  half  call  *  his  absence  cruel ;  and  the  mask  and  veil  on  Christ's 
face  a  cruel  covering,  that  hideth  such  a  fair  face  from  a  sick 
soul.  I  dare  not  challenge  ^  himself,  but  his  absence  is  a  moun- 
tain of  iron  upon  my  heavy  heart.  Oh,  when  shall  we  meet? 
Oh,  how  long  is  it  to  the  dawning  of  the  marriage-day  !  O  sweet 
Lord  Jesus,  take  wide  ^  steps ;  O  my  Lord,  come  over  mountains 
at  one  stride !  O  my  Beloved,  flee  like  a  roe,  or  a  young  hart,  on 
the  mountains  of  separation.'^  Oh,  if  he  would  fold  the  Heavens 
together  like  an  old  cloak,  and  shovel  time  and  days  out  of  the 
way,  and  make  ready  in  haste  the  Lamb's  wife  for  her  Husband ! 
Since  he  looked  upon  me,  my  heart  is  not  mine  own,  he  hath  run 
away  to  Heaven  with  it.  I  know  it  was  not  for  nothing  that  1 
spake  so  meikle^  good  of  Christ  to  you  in  public.  Oh,  if  the 
Heaven,  and  the  Heaven  of  heavens  were  paper,  and  the  sea  ink, 
and  the  multitude  of  mountains  pens  of  brass,  and  I  able  to  write 
that  paper,  within  and  without,  full  of  the  praises  of  my  fairest, 
my  dearest,  my  loveliest,  my  sweetest,  my  matchless,  and  my 
most  marrowless "  and  marvellous  Well-beloved  !  Wo  is  me,  I  can- 
not set  him  out  to  men  and  angels  !  Ob,  there  are  few  tongues 
to  sing  lovcrsongs  of  his  incomparable  excellency  !  What  can 
I,  poor  prisoner,  do  to  exalt  him  ?  or  what  course  can  I  take 
to  extol  my  lofty  and  lovely  Lord  Jesus  ?  I  am  put  to  my  wit's 
end,  how  to  get  his  name  made  great.  Blessed  they,  who  would 
help  me  in  this  !     How  sweet  is  Christ's  back  !     Oh,  what  then 

1  Pining. 

2  To  frist,  to  postpone,  with  the  confidence,  however,  of  ultimately  obtaining  pos- 
session. 3   To  challenge,  to  call  in  question.  *  Almost  call. 

5  Long.  6  Song  of  Sol.  ii.  17.  '  Oh,  that. 

9  Much.  9  Peerless,  unequalled. 


Rutherford's  letters.  277 

is  in  his  face?  Those  that  see  his  face,  how  dow  •  they  get  their 
eye  plucked  off  him  again  ?  Look  up  to  him  and  love  him.  Oh, 
love  and  live  !  It  were  life  to  me  if  you  would  read  this  letter  to 
that  people,  and  if  they  did  profit  by  it.  Oh,  if  ^  I  could  cause 
them  to  die  of  love  for  Jesus  !  Charge  them  by  the  salvation  of 
their  souls,  to  hang  about  Christ's  neck,  and  take  their  fill  of  his 
love,  and  follow  him,  as  I  taught  them.  Part  by  no  means  with 
Christ.  Hold  fast  what  ye  have  received.  Keep  the  truth  once 
delivered.  If  ye  or  that  people  quit  it  in  a  hair,  or  in  a  hoof,  ye 
break  your  conscience  in  twain  ;  and  who  then  can  mend  it,  and 
cast '  a  knot  on  it  ?  My  dearest  in  the  Lord,  stand  fast  in  Christ ; 
keep  the  faith ;  contend  for  Christ ;  wrestle  for  him,  and  take 
men's  feud  for  God's  favor  :  there  is  no  comparison  betwixt  these. 
Oh  that  the  Lord  would  fulfil  my  joy,  and  keep  the  young  bride 
that  is  at  Anwoth  to  Christ, 

And  now,  whoever  they  be,  that  have  returned  to  the  old  vomit 
since  my  departure,  I  bind  upon  their  back,  in  my  Master's  name 
and  authority,  the  long-lasting,  weighty  vengeance,  and  curse  of 
God :  in  my  Lord's  name  I  give  them  a  black,  unmixed,  pure 
wrath,  which  my  Master  will  ratify  and  make  good,  when  we 
stand  together  before  him,  except  they  ffliiously*  repent,  and  turn 
to  the  Lord.  And  I  write  to  thee,  poor  mourning  and  broken- 
hearted believer,  be  thou  who  thou  wilt,  of  the  free  salvation. 
Christ's  sweet  balm  for  thy  wounds,  O  poor  humble  Believer  ; 
Christ's  kisses  for  thy  watery  cheeks  :  Christ's  blood  of  atonement 
for  thy  guilty  soul ;  Christ's  Heaven  for  thy  poor  soul,  though 
once  banished  out  of  Paradise  ;  and  my  Master  will  make  good 
my  word  ere  long.  Oh  that  people  were  wise !  Oh  that  people 
were  wise!  Oh  that  people  would  speer  out^  Christ,  and  never 
rest  whill  they  find  him.  Oh,  how  my  soul  will  mourn  in  secret, 
if  my  nine  years'  pained  head,  and  sore  ^  breast,  and  pained  back, 
and  grieved  heart,  and  private  and  public  prayers  to  God,  will  all 
be  for  nothing  among  that  people  !  Did  my  Lord  Jesus  send  me 
but  to  summon  you  before  your  Judge,  and  to  leave  you  summons 
at  your  houses?  Was  I  sent  as  a  witness  only  to  gather  your 
dittays  ?  "^  Oh,  may  God  forbid  !  Often  did  I  tell  you  of  a  fan  of 
God's  word  to  come  among  you,  for  the  contempt  of  it.  I  told 
you  often  of  wrath,  wrath  from  the  Lord,  to  come  upon  Scotland  ; 
and  yet  I  bide  by  my  Master's  word  ;  it  is  quickly  coming.  Desola- 
tion for  Scotland,  because  of  the  quarrel  of  a  broken  covenant. 

Now,  worthy  sir,  now  my  dear  people,  my  joy,  and  my  crown 
in  the  Lord,  let  him  be  your  fear.  Seek  the  Lord,  and  his  face — 
save  your  souls.  Doves  !  flee  to  Christ's  windows.  Pray  for  me, 
and  praise  for  me.  The  blessing  of  my  God,  the  prayers  and 
blessing  of  a  poor  prisoner,  and  your  lawful  pastor,  be  upon  you. 
Your  lawful,  and  loving  pastor,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  June  16,  1637. 

1  Are  able  to.  2  Oh,  that.  3  Tie. 

*  In  time,  seasonably.  5   To  speer  out,  to  discover  by  diligent  inquiry, 

6  Aching.  ">  Indictments. 


278  Rutherford's  letters. 


LETTER  CLXXXL 

TO     EARLSTON,     YOUNGER. 

Much  Honored,  and  Well-beloved  in  the  Lord, — Grace, 
mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — Your  letters  give  a  dash  to  my  lazi- 
ness in  writing.  I  must  first  tell  you,  that  there  is  not  such  a 
glassy,  icy,  and  slippery  piece  of  way  betwixt  you  and  Heaven,  as 
youth  ;  and  I  have  experience  to  say  with  me  here,  and  to  seal 
what  I  assert.  The  old  ashes  of  the  sins  of  my  youth  are  now 
fire  of  sorrow  to  me.  I  have  seen  the  Devil,  as  it  were,  dead  and 
buried,  and  yet  rise  again,  and  be  a  worse  devil  than  ever  he  was  ; 
— therefore,  my  brotiier,  beware  of  a  green  young  devil,  that  hath 
never  been  buried.  The  Devil  in  his  flowers,  (I  mean  the  hot, 
fiery  lusts  and  passions  of  youth,)  is  much  to  be  feared.  Better 
yoke  with'  an  old  gray-haired,  withered,  dry  devil :  for  in  youth  he 
findeth  dry  sticks,  and  dry  coals,  and  a  hot  hearth-stone  ;  and  how 
soon  can  he  with  his  flint  cast  fire,^  and  with  his  bellows  blow  it 
up,  and  fire  the  house  ?  ^anctified  thoughts,  thoughts  made  con- 
science of,  and  called  in,  and  kept  in  awe,  are  green  fuel  that  burn 
not,  and  are  a  water  for  Satan's  coal.  Yet  I  must  tell  you,  that 
the  whole  saints  now  triumphant  in  Heaven,  and  standing  before 
the  throne,  are  nothing  but  Christ's  forlorn  and  beggarly  dyvours.^ 
What  are  they  but  a  pack  of  redeemed  sinners?  but  their  re- 
demption is  not  only  past  the  seals,  but  completed  ;  and  yours  is 
on  the  wheels,  and  in  doing. 

All  Christ's  good  bairns  go  to  Heaven  with  a  broken  brow,  and 
with  a  crooked  leg.  Christ  hath  an  advantage  of  you,  and  I  pray 
you  to  let  him  have  it,  he  will  find  employment  for  his  calling  in 
you.  If  it  were  not  with  you  as  ye  write,  grace  should  find  no 
sale  nor  market  in  you ;  but  ye  must  be  content  to  give  Christ 
somewhat  to  do.  I  am  glad  that  he  is  employed  that  way.  Let 
your  bleeding  soul  and  your  sores  be  put  in  the  hand  of  this  expert 
Physician  ;  let  young  and  strong  corruptions  and  his  free  grace  be 
yoked  together,  and  let  Christ  and  your  sins  deal  it  betwixt  them. 
I  shall  be  loath  to  put  you  off  your  fears,  and  your  sense  of  dead- 
ness — I  wish  it  were  more  ; — there  be  some  wounds  of  that  nature, 
that  their  bleeding  should  not  be  soon  stopped.  You  must  take  a 
house  beside  the  Physician.  It  will  be  a  miracle  if  ye  be  the  first 
sick  man  whom  he  put  away  uncured,  and  worse  than  he  found 
you.  Nay,  nay,  Christ  is  honest,  and  in  that  is  flyting-free^  with 
sinners,  (John  vi.  37,)  "  And  him  that  cometh  unto  me  I  will  in  no 
wise  cast  out."  Take  ye  that.  It  cannot  be  presumption  to  take 
that  as  your  own,  when  you  find  that  your  wounds  stound'  you. 
Presumption  is  ever  whole  at  the  heart,  and  hath  but  the  truant- 

1   To  yoke  with,  to  engage  in  conflict  with.  2  To  cast  fire,  to  strike  fire. 

3  Bankrupts. 

4  Blameless,  and,  therefore,  entitled  to  chide  or  rebuke  one  that  is  not  so. 

5  To  stound,  suddenly  and  intermittently  to  pain. 


Rutherford's  letters.  279 

sickness/  and  groaneth  only  for  the  fashion  t^  faith  hath  sense  of 
sickness,  and  looketh  like  a  friend  to  the  promises  ;  and  looking  to 
Christ  therein  is  glad  to  see  a  known  face.  Christ  is  as  full  a  feast 
as  ye  can  have  to  hunger.  Nay,  Christ,  I  say,  is  not  a  full  man's 
leavings  ;  his  mercy  sendeth  always  a  letter  of  defiance  to  all  your 
sins,  if  there  were  ten  thousand  moe '  of  them. 

I  grant  you  that  it  is  a  hard  matter  for  a  poor  hungry  man  to 
win  his  meat'  upon  hidden  Christ:  for  then,  the  key  of  his  pan- 
try-door, and  of  the  house-of-wine,  is  a-seeking,  and  cannot  be 
had;  but  hunger  must  breakthrough  iron  locks.  I  bemoan  them 
not  who  can  make  a  din,  and  all  the  fields  ado,^  for  a  lost  Saviour. 
Ye  must  let  him  hear  it,  (to  say  so,)  upon  both  sides  of  his  head, 
when  he  hideth  himself;  it  is  not  time  then  to  be  bird-mouthed^  and 
patient.  Christ  is  rare  indeed,  and  a  delicacy  to  a  sinner.  He  is 
a  miracle,  and  a  world's  wonder  to  a  seeking  and  a  weeping  sin- 
ner ;  but  yet  such  a  miracle  as  shall  be  seen  by  them,  who  will 
come  and  see.  The  seeker  and  sigher,  is  at  last  a  singer  and  en- 
joyer — nay,  I  have  seen  a  dumb  man  get  alms  from  Christ.  He 
that  can  tell  his  tale,  and  send  such  a  letter  to  Heaven  as  he  hath 
sent  to  Aberdeen,  it  is  very  like  he  will  come  speed''  with  Christ : 
it  bodeth  God's  mercy  to  complain  heartily  for  sin.  Let  wrestling 
be  with  Christ  till  he  sa};-,  "  How  is  it,  sir,  that  I  cannot  be  quit 
of  your  bills,  and  your  misleared**  cries  ?"  and  then  hope  for  Christ's 
blessing,  and  his  blessing  is  better  than  ten  other  blessings.  Think 
not  shame  ^  because  of  your  guiltiness  :  necessity  must  not  blush 
to  beg  :  it  standeth  you  hard  to  be  without  Christ ;  and,  therefore, 
that  which  idle  on-waiting  cannot  do,  misnurtured '"  crying  and 
knocking  will  do. 

And  for  doublings,  because  you  are  not  as  you  were  long  since 
with  your  Master,  consider  three  things :  1st,  What  if  Christ  had 
such  tottering  thoughts  of  the  bargain  of  the  New  Covenant  be- 
twixt you  and  him,  as  you  have?  2ndly,  Your  heart  is  not  the 
compass  which  Christ  saileth  by.  He  will  give  you  leave  to  sing 
as  you  please,  but  he  will  not  dance  to  your  daft  "  spring.  It  is 
not  referred  to  you  and  your  thoughts,  what  Christ  will  do  with 
the  charters  betwixt  you  and  him  :  your  own  misbelief  hath  torn 
them  ;  but  he  hath  the  principal  in  Heaven  with  himself  Your 
thoughts  are  no  parts  of  the  New  Covenant :  dreams  change  not 
Christ.  3rdly,  Doubtings  are  your  sins,  but  they  are  Christ's 
drugs,  and  ingredients  that  the  Physician  maketh  use  of  for  the 
curing  of  your  pride.  Is  it  not  suitable  for  a  beggar  to  say  at 
meat.  "God  reward  the  winners?"'^  for  then  he  saith  that  he 
knoweth  who  beareth  the  charges  of  the  house.     It  is  also  meet 

1  Feigned  sickness.  2  por  the  sake  of  appearances. 

3  More.  *  To  earn  his  hvelihood. 

5  That  is,  can  fill  all  the  fields  with  their  outcries,  in  allusion  to  the  bellowings  of 
cattle  when  they  have  lost  their  mates.  s  Mealy-mouthed. 

7  Succeed,  prosper. 

8  Ill-bred,  unmannerly,  implying  also  the  idea  of  greediness. 

9  Be  not  ashamed.  '"  Unsubdued.  '^  Foolish. 

'2  That  is,  "  God  reward  the  givers."  The  phrase  is  formed  upon  the  principle  laid 
down  in  Acts  xx.  35,  "  It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive." 


280  Rutherford's  letters. 

that  ye  should  know,  by  experience,  that  faith  is  not  nature's  ill- 
gotten  bastard,  but  your  Lord's  free  gift,  that  lay  in  the  womb  of 
God's  free  grace — praised  be  the  Winner.^  I  may  add  a4thly  :  In 
the  passing  of  your  bill  and  your  charters,  when  they  went  through 
the  Mediator's  great  seal,  and  were  concluded,  faith's  advice  was 
not  sought :  faith  hath  not  a  vote  beside  Christ's  merits :  blood, 
blood,  dear  blood,  that  came  from  your  Cautioner's^  holy  body, 
maketh  that  sure  work.  The  use,  then,  which  ye  have  of  faith 
now,  (having  already  closed  with  Jesus  Christ  for  justification,)  is, 
to  take  out  a  copy  of  your  pardon  ;  and  so  ye  have  peace  with 
God  upon  the  account  of  Christ:  for,  ■  since  faith  apprehendeth 
pardon,  but  never  payeth  a  penny  for  it,  no  marvel  that  salvation 
doth  not  die  and  live,  ebb  or  flow,  with  the  working  of  faith.  But 
because  it  is  your  Lord's  honor  to  believe  his  mercy,  and  his  fidel- 
ity, it  is  infinite  goodness  in  our  Lord,  that  misbelief^  giveth  a  dash 
to  our  Lord's  glory,  and  not  to  our  salvation.  And  so,  whoever 
want,  (yea,  howbeit  God  here  bear  with  the  want  of  what  we  are 
obliged  to  give  him,  even  the  glory  of  his  grace  by  believing.)  yet 
a  poor  covenanted  sinner  wanteth  not ;  but  if  guiltiness  were  re- 
moved, doubtings  would  find  no  friend,  nor  life ;  and  yet  faith  is  to 
believe  the  removal  of  guiltiness,  in  Christ.  A  reason  why  ye  get 
less  now  (as  ye  think)  than  before  (as  I  take  it)  is,  because,  at  our 
first  conversion,  our  Lord  putteth  the  meat  in  young  bairns'  mouths 
with  his  own  hand :  but  when  we  grow  to  some  further  perfection, 
we  must  take  Heaven  by  violence,  and  take  by  violence  from 
Christ  what  we  get ;  and  he  can,  and  doth  hold,  because  he  will 
have  us  to  draw.  Remember  now  that  ye  must  live  upon  violent 
plucking.  Laziness  is  a  greater  fault  now  than  long  since.  We 
love  always  to  have  the  pap  put  in  our  mouth. 

Now  for  myself;  alas  !  I  am  not  the  man  I  go  for  in  this  na- 
tion; men  have  not  just  weights  to  weigh  me  in.  Oh,  but  I  am 
a  silly  feckless  *  body,  and  overgrown  with  weeds  ;  corruption  is 
rank  and  fat  in  me.  Oh,  if^  I  were  answerable  to  this  holy 
cause,  and  to  that  honorable  Prince's  love  for  whom  I  now  suffer ! 
If  Christ  should  refer  the  matter  to  me,  (in  his  presence  I  speak 
it,)  I  might  think  shame  ^  to  vote  my  own  salvation.  I  think 
Christ  might  say,  "  Thinkest  tliou  not  shame «  to  claim  Heaven, 
who  doest  so  little  for  it?"  I  am  very  often  so,  that  I  know  not 
whether  I  sink  or  swim  in  the  water.  I  find  myself  a  bag  of 
light  froth.  I  would  bear  no  weight,  (but  vanities,  and  nothings 
weigh  in  Christ's  balance,)  if  my  Lord  cast  not  in  borrowed  weight 
and  metal,  even  Christ's  righteousness,  to  weigh  for  me.  The 
stock  I  have  is  not  mine  own ;  I  am  but  the  merchant  that  traf- 
ficketh  with  other  folks'  goods  :  if  my  creditor,  Christ,  should  take 
from  me  what  he  hath  lent,  I  should  not  long  keep  the  cause- 
way,^ but  Christ  hath  made  it  mine  and  his.     I  think  it  man- 

i  That  is,  Christ,  who  has  merited  or  won  a  right  to  become  the  dispenser  of  the  gifts 
of  God's  free  grace. 

2  Surety's.  3  Weak  faith.  *  Weak,  pithless.  5  oh,  that. 

6  Be  ashamed.  7  Appear,  without  shame  or  fear,  in  public. 


Rutherford's  letters.  281 

hood  to  play  the  coward,  and  jouk  •  in  the  lee-side  of  Christ ;  and 
thus  I  am  not  only  saved  from  my  enemies,  but  I  obtain  the  vic- 
tory. I  am  so  empty  that  I  think  it  were  an  alms-deed  in  Christ, 
if  he  would  win  a  poor  prisoner's  blessing  for  evermore,  and  fill 
me  with  his  love.  I  complain  that  when  Christ  cometh,  he  com- 
eth  always  to  fetch  fire  ;  he  is  ever  in  haste,  he  may  not  tarry  ; 
and  poor  I,  (a  beggarly  dyvour,-)  get  but  a  standing  visit  and  a 
standing  kiss,  and  but,  "How  doest  thou?"  in  the  by-going.^  I 
dare  not  say  he  is  lordly,  because  he  is  made  a  king  now  at  the 
right  hand  of  God ;  or  is  grown  miskenning^  and  dry  to  his  poor 
friends ;  (for  he  cannot  make  more  of  his  kisses  than  they  are 
worth  ;)  but  I  think  it  my  happiness  to  love  the  love  of  Christ :  and 
when  he  goeth  away,  the  memory  of  his  sweet  presence  is  like  a 
feast  in  a  dear  summer.  I  have  comfort  in  this,  that  my  soul  de- 
sireth  that  every  hour  of  my  imprisonment  were  a  company  of 
heavenly  tongues  to  praise  him  on  my  behalf;  albeit,  my  bonds 
were  prolonged  for  many  hundred  years.  Oh,  that  I  could  be  the 
man  who  could  procure  my  Lord's  glory  to  flow  like  a  full  sea, 
and  blow  like  a  mighty  wind  upon  all  the  four  airths^  of  Scot- 
land, England,  and  Ireland  !  Oh,  if"  I  could  write  a  book  of  his 
praises.  O  fairest  among  the  sons  of  men,  why  stayest  thou  so 
long  away  ?  O  heavens,  move  fast !  O  time,  run,  run,  and 
hasten  the  marriage-day  !  for  love  is  tormented  with  delays.  O 
angels,  O  seraphims,  who  stand  before  him,  O  blessed  spirits  who 
now  see  his  face,  set  him  on  high  !  for  when  ye  have  worn  your 
harps  in  his  praises,  all  is  too  little,  and  is  nothing,  to  cast  the 
smell  of  the  praise  of  that  fair  flower,  that  fragrant  rose  of  Sharon, 
through  many  worlds  ! 

Sir,  take  my  hearty  commendations  to  him,  and  tell  him  that 
I  am  sick  of  love. 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  June  16,  1637. 


LETTER  CLXXXIL 


I  TO    HIS    HONORED,    AND    DEAR    BROTHER,    ALEXANDER 
GORDON,    OP    KNOCKGRAY. 

Dearest,  and  truly  Honored  Brother, —  Grace,  mercy, 
and  peace  be  to  you.  I  have  seen  no  letter  from  you  since  I  came 
to  Aberdeen  :  I  will  not  interpret  it  to  be  forgetfulness.  I  am  here 
in  a  fair  prison  :  Christ  is  my  sweet  and  honorable  fellow-prisoner, 

1  To  jouk,  to  incline  the  body  forward  by  a  sudden  motion,  in  order  to  avoid  a  stroke 
or  injury.  2  Bankrupt.  3  Passing.  ' 

4  So  proud  as  not  to  condescend  to  acknowledge  acquaintance  with, 
s  Four  quarters  or  cardinal  points  of  the  compass.  «  Oh,  that. 


282  Rutherford's  letters. 

and  T  his  sad  and  joyful  lord-prisoner,'  (if  I  may  speak  so.)  I 
think  this  cross  becometh  me  well,  and  is  suitable  to  me  in  respect 
of  my  duty  to  suffer  for  Christ ;  howbeit  not  in  regard  of  my  de- 
serving to  be  thus  honored.  However  it  be,  I  see  that  Christ  is 
strong,  even  lying  in  the  dust,  in  prison,  and  in  banishment. 
Losses  and  disgraces  are  the  wheels  of  Christ's  triumphing  chariot. 
In  the  sufferings  of  his  own  saints,  as  he  intendeth  their  good,  so 
he  intendeth  his  own  glory,  and  that  is  the  butt  his  arrows  shoot -^ 
at :  and  Christ  shooteth  not  at  the  rovers,*^  he  hitteth  what  he 
purposeth  to  hit ;  therefore,  he  doth  make  his  own  feckless  ^  and 
weak  nothings,  and  those  who  are  the  contempt  of  men,  "  a  new 
sharp  threshing  instrument,  having  teeth,  to  thresh  the  moun- 
tains, and  beat  them  small,  and  to  make  the  hills  as  chaff,  and  to 
fan  them,"  (Isaiah  xh.  15,  16.)  What  harder  stuff,  or  harder 
grain  for  threshing  out,  than  high  and  rocky  mountains  ?  but  the 
saints  are  God's  threshing  instruments  to  beat  them  all  into  chaff. 
Are  we  not  God's  leeni  ^  vessels  ?  and  yet  when  they  cast  us  over 
an  house  we  are  not  broken  into  sherds.  We  creep  in  under  our 
Lord's  wings  in  the  great  shower,  and  the  water  cannot  come 
through  those  wings.  It  is  folly  then  for  men  to  say,  "  This  is 
not  Christ's  plea,  he  will  lose  the  wed-fee  f  men  are  like  to  be- 
guile him" — that  were  indeed  a  strange  play.  Nay,  I  dare  pledge 
my  soul,  and  lay  it  in  pawn  on  Christ's  side  of  it,  and  be  half- 
tinner,^  half-winner  with  my  Master  !  Let  fools  laugh  the  fool's 
laughter,  and  scorn  Christ,  and  bid  the  weeping  captives  in  Baby- 
lon "  sing  us  one  of  the  songs  of  Zion,  play  a  spring  to  cheer  up 
your  sad-hearted  God."  We  may  sing  upon  luck's-head'^  before- 
hand even  in  our  winter-storm,  in  the  expectation  of  a  summer 
sun,  at  the  turn  of  the  year.  No  created  powers  in  Hell,  or  out 
of  Hell,  can  mar  the  music  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  nor  spill  ^  our  song 
of  joy.  Let  us  then  be  glad,  and  rejoice  in  the  salvation  of  our 
Lord  :  for  faith  had  never  yet  cause  to  have  wet  cheeks  and  hing- 
ing ^  down  brows,  or  to  droop  or  die.  What  can  ail  faith,  seeing 
Christ  suffereth  himself,  (with  reverence  to  him  be  it  spoken,)  to 
be  commanded  by  it,  and  Christ  commandeth  all  things  ?  Faith 
may  dance,  because  Christ  singeth ;  and  we  may  come  into  the 
choir,  and  lift  our  hoarse  and  rough  voices,  and  chirp,  and  sing, 
and  shout  for  joy  with  our  Lord  Jesus.  We  see  oxen  go  to  the 
shambles  leaping  and  startling  ; '"  we  see  God's  fed  oxen,  pre- 
pared for  the  day  of  slaughter,  go  dancing  and  singing  down  to 
the  black  chambers  of  Hell ;  and  why  should  we  go  to  Heaven 
weeping,  as  if  we  were  hke  to  fall  down  through  the  earth  for 
sorrow  ?  If  God  were  dead,  (if  I  may  speak  so,  with  reverence 
of  Him  who  liveth  forever  and  ever,)  and  Christ  buried,  and  rot- 
ten among  the  worms,  we  might  have  cause  to  look  like  dead 
folks  :  but,  "the  Lord  liveth,  and  blessed  be  the  Rock  of  our  sal- 

'  That  is,  treated  by  Christ  with  the  greatest  kindness  and  honor.         2  At  random. 
3  Unsubstantial,  feeble.  *  Earthen.  «  Bet,  wager.  *  Half  loser. 

'  That  is,  upon  certainty  of  success.  8  Ruin,  spoil. 

9  Hanging.  lo  Running  about  in  an  excited,  gladsome  manner. 


RUTHERFORD  S    LETTERS. 


283 


vation."  (Psalm  xviii.  46.)  None  have  right  to  joy  but  we  ;  for  joy 
is  sown  for  us,  and  an  ill  summer  or  harvest  will  not  spill  ^  the  crop. 
The  children  of  this  world  have  much  robbed  joy  that  is  not  well- 
come.2  It  is  no  good  sport  they  laugh  at  :  they  steal  joy,  as  it 
were,  from  God ;  for  he  commandeth  them  to  mourn  and  howl. 
Then  let  us  claim  our  leel-come^  and  lawfully  conquessed  ^  joy. 
My  dear  brother,  I  cannot  but  speak  what  I  have  felt ;  seeing 
my  Lord  Jesus  hath  broken  a  box  of  spikenard  upon  the  head  of 
his  poor  prisoner,  and  it  is  hard  to  hide  a  sweet  smell ;  it  is  a  pain 
to  smother  Christ's  love ;  it  will  be  out  whether  we  will  or  not. 
If  we  did  but  speak  according  to  the  matter,  a  cross  for  Christ 
should  have  another  name ;  yea,  a  cross,  especially  when  he 
Cometh  with  his  arms  full  of  joys,  is  the  happiest  hard  tree  that 
ever  was  laid  upon  my  weak  shoulder.  Christ  and  his  cross  to- 
gether are  sweet  company,  and  a  blessed  couple.  My  prison  is 
my  palace,  my  sorrow  is  with  child  of  joy,  my  losses  are  rich 
losses,  my  pain  easy  pain,  my  heavy  days  are  holy  and  happy 
days.  I  may  tell  a  new  tale  of  Christ  to  my  friends.  Oh,  if  ^  I 
could  make  a  love  song  of  him,  and  could  commend  Christ,  and 
tune  his  praises  aright !  Oh,  if  ^  I  could  set  all  tongues  in  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland  to  work,  to  help  me  to  sing  a  new  song  of  my 
Well-beloved !  Oh,  if*  I  could  be  a  bridge  over  a  water  for  my 
Lord  Jesus  to  walk  upon,  and  keep  his  feet  dry  !  Oh,  if  ^  my  poor 
bit  heaven  could  go  betwixt  my  Lord  and  blasphemy,  and  dis- 
honor !  (upon  condition  he  loved  me.)  Oh,  that  my  heart  could 
say  this  word,  and  abide  by  it  forever  !  Is  it  not  great  art,  and 
incomparable  wisdom  in  my  Lord,  who  can  bring  forth  such  fair 
apples  out  of  this  crabbed  tree  of  the  cross  ?  Nay,  my  Father's 
never-enough  admired  providence  can  make  a  fair  feast  out  of  a 
black  devil.  Nothing  can  come  wrong  to  my  Lord  in  his  sweet 
working.  I  would  even  fall  sound  asleep  in  Christ's  arms,  and 
my  sinful  head  on  his  holy  breast,  while  he  kisseth  me ;  were  it 
not  that  often  the  wind  turneth  to  the  north,  and  whiles  my  sweet 
Lord  Jesus  is  so,  that  he  will  neither  give  nor  take,  borrow  nor 
lend  with  me.  I  complain  that  he  is  not  social ;  I  half  call  him 
proud  and  lordly  of  his  company,  and  nice  of  his  looks  ;  which 
yet  is  not  true.  It  would  content  me  to  give,  albeit  he  should  not 
take.  I  should  be  content  to  want  his  kisses  at  such  times,  pro- 
viding he  would  be  content  to  come  near-hand,  and  take  my 
wersh,3  dry,  and  feckless*^  kisses.  But  at  that  time  he  will  not  be 
entreated,  but  let  a  poor  soul  stand  still  and  knock,  and  never  let- 
on  him '  that  he  heareth  ;  and  then  the  old  leavings  and  broken 
meat,  and  dry  sighs,  are  greater  cheer  than  I  can  tell.  All  I  have 
then  is,  that  howbeit  the  law  and  wrath  have  gotten  a  decreet^ 
against  me,  I  can  yet  lippen  ^  that  meikle  "  good  in  Christ,  as  to 

1  Ruin,  spoil.  2  Lawfully  obtained. 

3  Obtained  by  purchase  or  industry,  in  opposition  to  obtained  by  inheritance. 
*  Oh,  that.  5  Insipid.  ^  Feeble,  pithless. 

'  Seem  to  take  notice.  ^  Sentence  of  a  court. 

9  To  lippen  in,  to  put  confidence  in.  i"  Much. 


284  Rutherford's  letters. 

get  a  suspension,'  and  to  bring  ray  cause  in  reasoning  again  be- 
fore my  Well-beloved.  I  desire  but  to  be  heard,  and  at  last  he 
is  content  to  come  and  agree  the  matter  with  a  fool,  and  forgive 
freely,  because  he  is  God.  Oh,  if  ^  men  would  glorify  him,  and 
taste  of  Christ's  sweetness  ! 

Brother,  ye  have  need  to  be  busy  with  Christ  for  this  whorish 
Kirk.  I  fear  lest  Christ  cast  water  upon  Scotland's  coal ;  nay,  I 
know  that  Christ  and  his  wife  will  be  heard,  he  will  plead  for  the 
broken  Covenant.     Arm  you  against  that  time. 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
Aberdeen,  June  16,  1637. 


LETTER  CLXXXIIL 

TO    MR.    J  .     R. 


Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  unto  you. — Upon 
the  report  which  I  hear  of  you,  (without  any  further  acquaint- 
ance, except  our  straitest  bonds  in  our  Lord  Jesus,)  I  thought 
good  to  write  unto  you,  hearing  of  your  danger  to  be  thrust  out 
of  the  Lord's  house  for  his  name's  sake :  therefore,  my  earnest  and 
humble  desire  to  God  is,  that  ye  may  be  strengthened  in  the  grace 
of  God,  and,  by  the  power  of  his  might,  may  go  on  for  Christ,  not 
standing  in  awe  of  a  worm  that  shall  die.  I  hope  that  ye  will  not 
put  your  baud  to  the  ark  to  give  it  a  wrong  totch,^  and  to  over- 
turn it,  as  many  now  do,  when  the  archers  are  shooting  sore  at 
Joseph,  whose  bow  shall  abide  in  its  strength.  We  owe  to  our 
royal  King  and  princely  Master  a  testimony.  Oh,  how  blessed 
are  they  who  can  ward  a  blow  off  Christ,  and  his  borne-down 
truth  !  Men  think  Christ  a  gone  man^  now,  and  that  he  shall 
never  get  up  his  head  again  ;  and  they  believe  that  his  court  ^  is 
failed,  because  he  suffereth  men  to  break  their  spears  and  swords 
upon  him,  and  the  enemies  to  plough  Zion,  and  make  long  and 
deep  their  furrows  on  her  back.  But  it  would  not  be  so,  if  the 
Lord  had  not  a  sowing  for  his  ploughing.  What  can  he  do,  but 
melt  an  old  drossy  Kirk,  that  he  may  bring  out  a  new  bride  out 
of  the  fire  again  !  I  think  that  Christ  is  just  now  repairing  his 
house,  and  exchanging  his  old  vessels  with  new  vessels,  and  is 
going  through  this  land,  and  taking  up  an  inventory  and  a  roll 
of  so  many  of  Levi's  sons,  and  good  professors,  that  he  may  make 
them  new  work  for  the  Second  Temple  ;  and  whatsoever  shall  be 
found  not  to  be  for  the  work  shall  be  casten«  over  the  wall.  When 
the  house  shall  be  builded,  he  will  lay  by  ^  his  hammers,  as  hav- 

1  Decree  of  a  court  suspending  the  execution  of  a  sentence.  ^  Oh,  that. 

3  A  sudden  push,  so  as  to  make  the  object  pushed  at  move. 

4  A  man  utterly  overcome  or  conquered.  ^  Favor  in  court. 
6  Thrown.                                                                  '  Aside. 


Rutherford's  letters.  285 

ing  no  more  to  do  with  them.  It  is  possible  that  he  may  do  worse 
to  them  than  lay  them  by  :  and  I  think  the  vengeance  of  the 
Lord,  and  the  vengeance  of  his  temple,  shall  be  upon  them. 

I  desire  no  more  than  to  keep  weight  when  I  am  past  the  fire : 
and  I  can  now,  in  some  weak  measure,  give  Christ  a  testimonial  * 
of  a  lovely  and  loving  companion  under  suffering  for  him.  I  saw 
him  before,  but  afar  off!  His  beauty  to  my  eye-sight  groweth. 
A  fig.  a  straw  for  ten  worlds'  plastered  glory,  and  for  childish  shad- 
ows, the  idol  of  clay,  (this  god,  the  World,)  that  fools  fight  for.  If 
I  had  a  lease  of  Christ  of  my  own  dating,  (for  whoever  once  cometh 
nigh  hand  "^  and  taketh  a  hearty  look  of  Christ's  inner  side,  shall 
never  wring  nor  wrestle  themselves  out  of  his  love-grips  ^  again,) 
I  would  rest  contentedly  in  my  prison  :  yea,  in  a  prison  without 
light  of  sun  or  candle,  providing  Christ  and  I  had  a  love-bed,  not 
of  mine,  but  of  Christ's  own  making  ;  that  we  might  lie  together 
among  the  lilies  till  the  day  break,  and  the  shadows  fiee  away. 
Who  knoweth  how  sweet  a  drink  of  Christ's  love  is  ?  Oh,  but  to 
live  on  Christ's  love  is  a  king's  hfe !  The  worst  thing  of  Christ, 
even  that  which  seemeth  to  be  the  refuse  of  Christ,  his  hard  cross, 
his  black  cross,  is  white  and  fair  ;  and  the  cross  receiveth  a  beau- 
tiful lustre,  and  a  perfumed  smell  from  Jesus  : — my  dear  brother, 
scaur  ^  not  at  it. 

While  ye  have  time  to  stand  upon  the  watch-tower,  and  speak, 
contend  with  this  land,  plead  with  your  Harlot-mother,  who  hath 
been  a  treacherous  half-marrow «  to  her  Husband,  Jesus.  For  I 
would  think  liberty,  to  preach  one  day,  the  root  and  top  of  my 
desires  ;  and  would  seek  no  n^ore  of  the  blessings  that  are  to  be 
had  on  this  side  of  time,  till  I  be  over  the  water,  than  to  spend 
this,  my  crazy  clay-house,  in  his  service  and  saving  of  souls.  But 
I  hold  my  peace,  because  he  hath  done  it.  My  shallow  and  ebb « 
thoughts  are  not  the  compass  which  Christ  saileth  by.  I  leave 
his  ways  to  himself,  for  they  are  far,  far  above  me :  only  I  would 
contend  w4th  Christ  for  his  lov£,  and  be  bold  to  make  a  plea  ^  with 
Jesus,  my  Lord,  for  a  heart-fill  of  his  love ;  for  there  is  no  more 
left  to  me.  What  standeth  beyond  the  far  end^  of  my  sufferings, 
and  wdiat  shall  be  the  event,  he  knoweth  ;  and  I  hope,  to  my  joy, 
%vill  make  me  know,  when  God  will  unfold  his  decrees  concerning 
me ;  for  there  are  windings,  and  tos  and  fros  in  his  ways,  which 
blind  bodies  like  us  cannot  see. 

Thus  much  for  farther  acquaintance :  so  recommending  you, 
and  what  is  before  you,  to  the  grace  of  God,  I  rest. 
Your  very  loving  brother. 

In  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  June  16,  1637. 

1  Certificate.  2  Near.  3  Love-embrace. 

4  Boggle.  5  Married  partner.  6  Exceedingly  shallow. 

7  Controversy.  ^  Farther  end. 


286  Rutherford's  letters. 

LETTER  CLXXXIV. 

TO     MR.     WILLIAM     DALGLEISH. 

Reverend,  and  Well-beloved  Brother, — Grace,  mercy, 
and  peace  be  unto  you. — I  have  heard  somewhat  of  your  trials  in 
Galloway.  I  bless  the  Lord,  who  hath  begun  first  in  that  corner, 
to  make  you  a  new  kirk  to  himself.  Christ  hath  the  less  ado  be- 
hind, when  he  had  refined  you. 

Let  me  entreat  you,  my  dearly  beloved,  to  be  fast  to  Christ. 
My  Witness  is  above,  my  dearest  brother,  that  ye  have  added 
much  joy  to  me  in  my  bonds,  when  I  hear  that  ye  grow  in  the 
grace,  and  zeal  of  God  for  your  Master.  Our  ministry,  whether 
by  preaching  or  suffering,  will  cast  a  smell  through  the  world  both 
of  Heaven  and  Hell,  (2  Cor.  ii.  15,  16.)  I  persuade  you,  my  dear 
brother,  that  there  is  nothing  out  of  Heaven,  next  to  Christ,  dearer 
to  me  than  my  ministry  ;  and  the  worth  of  it,  in  my  estimation, 
is  swelled,  and  paineth  me  exceedingly  :  yet  I  am  content,  for  the 
honor  of  my  Lord,  to  surrender  it  back  again  to  the  Lord  of  the 
vineyard  ;  let  him  do  with  it,  and  me  both,  what  he  thinketh  good  ; 
— I  think  myself  too  little  for  him. 

And  let  me  speak  to  you,  how  kind  a  fellow-prisoner  is  Christ 
to  me  !  Believe  me,  this  kind  of  cross,  (that  would  not  go  by '  my 
door,  but  would  needs  visit  me,)  is  still  the  longer  the  more  wel- 
come to  me.  It  is  true,  my  silent  Sabbaths  have  been,  and  are, 
glassy  ice,  whereon  my  faith  can  scarce  hold  its  feet,  and  I  am 
often  blown  on  my  back,  and  off"  my  feet,  with  a  storm  of  doubting ; 
yet  truly,  my  bonds  all  this  time  cast  a  mighty  and  rank  smell  of 
high  and  deep  love  in  Christ.  I  cannot,  indeed,  see  through  my 
cross  to  the  far  end  f  yet  I  believe  I  am  in  Christ's  books,  and  in  his 
decree  (not  yet  unfolded  to  me)  a  man  triumphing,  dancing,  and 
singing,  on  the  other  side  of  the  Red  Sea,  and  laughing  and  prais- 
ing the  Lamb,  over  beyond  time,  sorrow,  deprivation,  prelates'  in- 
dignation, losses,  want  of  friends,  and  death.  Heaven  is  not  a 
fowl  flying  in  the  air,  (as  men  use  to  speak  of  things  that  are  un- 
certain :)  nay,  it  is  well-paid  for,  Christ's  cornprisement^  lieth  on 
glory,  for  all  the  mourners  in  Zion  and  shall  never  be  loosed. 
Let  us  be  glad,  and  rejoice,  that  we  have  blood,  losses  and  wounds, 
to  show  our  Master  and  Captain  at  his  appearance,  and  what  we 
suffered  for  his  cause. 

Wo  is  me,  my  dear  brother,  that  I  say  often,  I  am  but  dry 
bones,  which  my  Lord  will  not  bring  out  of  the  grave  again  ;  and 
that  my  faithless  fears  say,  "  Oh,  I  am  a  dry  tree,  that  can  bear 
no  fruit ;  I  am  a  useless  body,  who  can  beget  no  children  to  the 
Lord  in  his  house  !"  Hopes  of  deliverance  look  cold  and  uncertain, 
and  afar  off",  as  if  I  had  done  with  it.     It  is  much  for  Christ  (if  I 

1  Past.  s  Farther  end. 

3  Legal  attachment  for  debt. 


Rutherford's  letters.  287 

may  say  so)  to  get  law-borrows  ^  of  my  sorrow,  and  of  my  quar- 
relous  heart.  Christ's  love  playeth  me  fair  play.  I  am  not 
wronged  at  all ;  but  there  is  a  tricking  and  false  heart  within  me, 
that  still  playeth  Christ  foul  play.  I  am  a  cumbersome  neighbor 
to  Christ ;  it  is  a  wonder,  that  he  dwelleth  beside  the  like  of  me  : 
yet  I  often  get  the  advantage  of  the  hill  above  my  temptations ; 
and  then  I  despise  temptation,  even  Hell  itself,  and  the  stink  of 
it,  and  the  instruments  of  it,  and  am  proud  of  my  honorable  Mas- 
ter ;  and  I  resolve,  whether  contrary  winds  will  or  not,  to  fetch 
Christ's  harbor  ;  and  I  think  a  wilful  and  stiff  contention  with  my 
Lord  Jesus  for  his  love  very  lawful.  It  is  sometimes  hard  to  me 
to  win  my  meat  ^  upon  Christ's  love,  because  my  faith  is  sick,  and 
my  hope  withereth.  and  my  eyes  wax  dim  ;  and  unkind  and  com- 
fort-eclipsing clouds  go  over  the  fair  and  bright  Sun,  Jesus ;  and 
then,  when  I  and  temptation  tryste^  the  matter  together,  we  spilH 
all  through  unbelief  Sweet,  sweet  for  evermore  would  my  life 
be,  if  I  could  keep  faith  in  exercise  !  but  I  see  that  my  fire  cannot 
always  cast  light ;  I  have  even  a  poor  man's  hard  world  when  he 
goeth  away.  But  surely,  since  my  entry  hither,  many  a  time  hath 
my  fair  sun  shined  without  a  cloud  ;  hot  and  burning  hath  Christ's 
love  been  to  me.  I  have  no  vent  to  the  expression  of  jt ;  I  must 
be  content  with  stolen  and  smothered  desires  of  Christ's  glory. 
Oh,  how  far  is  his  love  behind  the  hand"  with  me!  I  am  just 
like  a  man  who  hath  nothing  to  pay  his  thousands  of  debt  :  all 
that  can  be  gotten  of  him,  is  to  seize  upon  his  person.  Except 
Christ  would  seize  upon  myself,  and  make  the  readiest  payment 
that  can  be  of  my  heart  and  love  to  himself,  I  have  no  other  thing 
to  give  him.  If  my  sufferings  could  do  beholders  good,  and  edify 
bis  Kirk,  and  proclaim  the  incomparable  worth  of  Christ's  love  to 
the  world,  oh,  then,  would  my  soul  be  overjoyed,  and  my  sad 
heart  be  cheered  and  calmed  ! 

Dear  brother,  I  cannot  tell  what  is  become  of  my  labors  among 
that  people  !  If  all  that  my  Lord  builded  by  me  be  casten  ^  down, 
and  the  bottom  be  fallen  out  of  the  profession  of  the  parish,  and 
none  stand  by  Christ,  whose  love  I  once  preached  as  clearly  and 
plainly  as  I  could,  (though  far  below  its  worth  and  excellence,) 
to  that  people ;  if  so,  how  can  I  bear  it !  And  if  another  make  a 
foul  harvest,  where  I  have  made  a  painful  and  honest  sowing,  it 
will  not  soon  digest  with  me.  But  I  know  that  his  ways  pass 
finding  out.  Yet  my  Witness,  both  within  me  and  above  me, 
knoweth,  and  my  pained  breast  upon  the  Lord's  day  at  night,  my 
desire  to  have  had  Christ  awful,  and  amiable,  and  sweet  to  that 
people,  is  now  my  joy.  It  was  my  desire  and  aim  to  make  Christ 
and  them  one,  and,  if  I  see  my  hopes  die  in  the  bud,  ere  they 
bloom '  a  little,  and  come  to  no  fruit,  I  die  with  grief     O  my  God, 

1  Legal  security  which  a  man  is  obliged  to  give  to  one  who  swears  the  peace 
against  him,  that  he  will  not  injure  him  in  person  or  property. 

2  Earn  my  living. 

3  To  trysU  a  matter,  to  bring  it  for  adjustment  before  an  appointed  meeting. 

*  Spoil.         s  That  is,  in  receiving  its  due  return.  8  Thrown.  7  Blossom. 


288  Rutherford's  letters. 

seek  not  an  account  of  the  violence  done  to  me  by  my  brethren, 
whose  salvation  I  love  and  desire :  I  pray  that  they  and  I  be  not 
heard  as  contrary  parties  in  the  day  of  our  compearance  '  before 
our  Judge,  in  that  process,  led  by  them  against  my  ministry, 
which  I  received  from  Christ.  I  knoAV  that  a  little  inch,  and  less 
than  the  third  part  of  this  span-length  and  hand-breadth  of  time, 
which  is  posting  away,  will  put  me  without  the  stroke,  and  above 
the  reach  of  either  brethren  or  foes  :  and  it  is  a  short-lasting  in- 
jury done  to  me,  and  to  my  pains  in  that  part  of  my  Lord's  vine- 
yard. Oh,  how  silly  ^  an  advantage,  is  my  deprivation  to  men, 
seeing  that  my  Lord  Jesus  hath  many  ways  to  recover  his  own 
losses,  and  is  irresistible  to  compass  his  own  glorious  ends,  that  his 
lily  may  grow  amongst  thorns,  and  his  little  Kingdom  exalt  it- 
self, even  under  the  swords  and  spears  of  contrary  powers ! 

But,  my  dear  brother,  go  on  in  the  strength  of  his  rich  grace 
whom  ye  serve.  Stand  fast  for  Christ.  Deliver  the  Gospel  off 
your  hand,  and  your  ministry  to  your  Master,  with  a  clean  and 
undefiled  conscience.  Loose  not  a  pin  of  Christ's  tabernacle.  Do 
not  so  much  as  pick  with  your  nail  at  one  board  or  border  of  the 
Ark,  Have  no  part  or  dealing,  upon  any  terms,  in  a  hoof  ^  in  a 
closed  window,^  or  in  a  bowing  of  your  knee,  in  casting  down  of 
the  temple.  But  be  a  mourning  and  speaking  witness  against 
them  who  now  ruin  Zion.  Our  Master  will  be  on  us  all  in  a  clap, 
ere  ever  we  wit.  That  day  will  discover  all  our  whites  and  our 
blacks,  concerning  this  controversy  of  poor  oppressed  Zion.  Let 
us  make  our  part  of  it  good,  that  it  may  be  able  to  abide  the  fire, 
when  hay  and  stubble  shall  be  burned  to  ashes.  Nothing,  noth- 
ing, I  say  nothing,  but  sound  sanctification  can  abide  the  Lord's 
fan.  I  stand  to  my  testimony,  that  I  preached  often  of  Scotland 
— Lamentation,  mourning,  and  wo  abideth  thee,  O  Scotland  ! 
O  Scotland,  the  fearful  quarrel  of  a  broken  covenant  standeth 
good  with  thy  Lord  ! 

Now,  remember  my  Lord  to  all  my  friends,  and  to  my  parish- 
ioners, as  if  I  named  each  of  them  particularly.  I  recommend 
you  and  God's  people,  committed  by  Christ  to  your  trust,  to  the 
rich  grace  of  our  all-sufficient  Lord.  Remember  my  bonds.  Praise 
my  Lord,  who  beareth  me  up  in  my  sufferings.  As  ye  find  oc- 
casion, according  to  the  wisdom  given  you,  show  our  acquaintance 
what  the  Lord  hath  done  to  my  soul.  This  I  seek  not,  verily,  to 
hunt  my  own  praise,  but  that  my  sweetest  and  dearest  Blaster 
may  be  magnified  in  my  sufferings.     I  rest, 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  June  16,  1637. 

1  Appearance.  2  Contemptible,  pitiful. 

3  That  is,  in  the  smallest  particular.     See  Exod.  x.  26,  and  Dan.  vi.  10. 


Rutherford's  letters.  289 

LETTER  CLXXXV. 

TO     MARION     MACK NAUGHT. 

Dearly  Beloved  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, — Grace,  mer- 
cy, and  peace,  be  to  you. — Few  know  the  heart  of  a  stranger  and 
prisoner.  I  am  in  the  hands  of  mine  enemies.  I  would  that 
honest,  and  lawful  means  were  essayed  for  bringing-  me  home  to 
ray  charge,  now  when  Mr.  A.  R.  and  Mr.  H.  R.  are  restored.  It 
concerneth  you  of  Galloway  most,  to  use  supplications  and  ad- 
dresses for  this  purpose,  and  try,  if  by  fair  means  I  can  be  brought 
back  again.  As  for  liberty,  without  I  be  restored  to  my  flock,  it 
is  little  to  me  ;  for  my  silence  is  my  greatest  prison.  However  it 
be,  I  wait  for  the  Lord ;  I  hope  not  to  rot  in  my  sufferings  : — Lord, 
give  me  submission  to  wait  on.  My  heart  is  sad  that  my  days 
flee  away,  and  I  do  no  service  to  my  Lord  in  his  house,  now 
when  his  harvest,  and  the  souls  of  perishing  people  require  it ;  but 
his  ways  are  not  Hke  my  ways,  neither  can  I  find  him  out.  Oh, 
that  he  would  shine  upon  my  darkness,  and  bring  forth  my  morn- 
ing hght  from  under  the  thick  cloud,  that  men  have  spread  over 
me !  Oh,  that  the  Almighty  would  lay  my  cause  in  a  balance, 
and  weigh  me,  if  my  soul  was  not  taken  up,'  when  others  were 
sleeping,  how  to  have  Christ  betrothed  with  a  bride,  in  that  part 
of  the  land  !  But  that  day  that  my  mouth  was  most  unjustly  and 
cruelly  closed,  the  bloom  ^  fell  off  my  branches,  and  my  joy  did 
cast  the  flower.  Howbeit,  I  have  been  casting  myself  under  God's 
feet,  and  wrestling  to  believe  vmder  a  hidden  and  covered  Lord, 
yet  my  fainting  cometh  before  I  eat,  and  my  faith  hath  bowed 
Avith  the  sore  cast,  and  under  this  almost  insupportable  weight. 
Oh,  that  it  break  not !  I  dare  not  say  that  the  Lord  hath  put  out 
my  candle,  and  hath  casten  water  upon  my  poor  coal,  and  bioken 
the  stakes  of  my  tabernacle  :  but  I  have  tasted  bitterness,  and 
eaten  gall  and  wormwood,  since  that  day  on  which  my  Master 
laid  bonds  upon  me  to  speak  no  more.  I  speak  not  this,  because 
the  Lord  is  unco  ^  to  me  ;  but  because  beholders,  that  stand  on  dry 
land,  see  not  my  sea-storm.  The  witnesses  of  my  sad  cross,  are 
but  strangers  to  my  sad  days  and  nights.  Oh,  that  Christ  would 
let  me  alone,  and  speak  love  to  me,  and  come  home  to  me,  and 
bring  sunnner  with  him  !  Oh,  that  I  might  preach  his  beauty 
and  glor}'-,  as  once  I  did,  before  my  clay-tent  be  removed  to  dark- 
ness ;  and  that  I  might  lift  Christ  off  the  ground,  and  my  branches 
might  be  watered  with  the  dew  of  God,  and  my  joy  in  his  work 
might  grow  green  again,  and  bud,  and  send  out  a  flower !  But 
I  am  but  a  short-sighted  creature,  and  my  candle  casteth  not  light 
afar  off.  He  knoweth  all  that  is  done  to  me ;  how  that  when  I 
had  but  one  joy,  and  no  more,  and  one  green  flower  that  I  es- 
teemed to  be  my  garland,  he  came  in  one  hour  and  dried  up  my 

*  Occupied.  2  Blossom.  3  Distant,  reserved. 

19 


290  Rutherford's  letters. 

flower  at  the  root,  and  took  away  mine  only  eye,  and  my  one  ^ 
only  crown  and  garland.  What  can  I  say  ?  Surely  my  guilti- 
ness hath  been  remembered  before  him,  and  he  was  seeking  to 
take  down  my  sails,  and  to  land  the  flower  of  my  delights,  and  to 
let  it  lye  on  the  coast,  like  an  old  broken  ship,  that  is  no  more  for 
the  sea.  But  I  praise  him  for  this  waled  -  stroke.  I  welcome 
this  furnace ;  God's  wisdom  made  choice  of  it  for  me,  and  it  must 
be  best,  because  it  was  his  choice.  Oh,  that  I  may  wait  for  him 
till  the  morning  of  this  benighted  Kirk  break  out !  This  poor 
afflicted  Kirk  had  a  fair  morning ;  but  her  night  came  upon  her 
before  her  noon-day,  and  she  was  like  a  traveller,  forced  to  take 
house  in  the  morning  of  his  journey  :  and  now  her  adversaries  are 
the  chief  men  in  the  land  ;  her  ways  mourn  ;  her  gates  languish  ; 
her  children  sigh  for  bread  ;  and  there  is  none  to  be  instant  with 
the  Lord,  that  he  would  come  again  to  his  house,  and  dry  the  face 
of  his  weeping  spouse,  and  comfort  Zion's  mourners,  who  are 
waiting  for  him.  I  know  that  he  will  make  corn  to  grow  upon 
the  top  of  his  withered  Mount  Zion  again. 

Remember  my  bonds,  and  forget  me  not.  Oh,  that  my  Lord 
would  bring  me  again  amongst  you,  with  abundance  of  the 
Gospel  of  Christ !  But  oh,  that  I  may  set  down  my  desires,  where 
my  Lord  biddeth  me  !  Remember  my  love  in  the  Lord  to  your 
husband — God  make  him  faithful  to  Christ — and  my  blessing  to 
your  three  children.  Faint  not  in  prayer  for  this  Kirk.  Desire 
my  people  not  to  receive  a  stranger  and  intruder  upon  my  minis- 
try. Let  me  stand  in  that  right  and  station  that  my  Lord  Jesus 
gave  me. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  and  Master,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CLXXXVL 

TO     JOHN     GORDON,     AT     RUSCO. 

Dear  Brother, — I  earnestly  desire  to  know  the  case  of  your 
soul,  and  to  understand  that  ye  have  made  sure  work  of  Heaven 
and  salvation. 

1.  Remember  that  salvation  is  one  of  Christ's  dainties  which  he 
giveth  but  to  a  few.  2.  That  it  is  violent  sweating  and  striving 
that  taketh  Heaven.  3.  That  it  cost  Christ's  blood  to  purchase 
that  house  to  sinners,  and  to  set  mankind  down  as  the  King's 
free-tenants  and  free-liolders.  4.  That  many  make  a  start  tow- 
ards Heaven,  who  fall  on  their  back,  and  win  ^  not  up  to  the  top 
of  the  mount.  It  plucketh  heart  and  legs  from  them,  and  (hey 
sit  down  and  give  it  over,  because  the  Devil  setteth  a  sweet- 

'  This  numeral,  construed  in  this  manner,  is,  in  the  Scottish  dialect,  indicative  of 
great  emphasis.  2  Carefully  selected.  ^  Attain. 


Rutherford's  letters.  291 

smelled  flower  to  their  nose,  this  fair  busked '  world,  wherewith 
they  are  bewitched,  and  so  forget  or  refuse  to  go  forward.  5.  Re- 
member tliat  many  go  far  on,  and  reform  many  things,  and  can 
find  tears,  as  Esau  did ;  and  suffer  hunger  for  truth,  as  Judas  did  ; 
and  wish  and  desire  the  end  of  the  righteous,  as  Balaam  did  ;  and 
profess  fair,  and  fight  for  the  Lord,  as  Saul  did ;  and  desire  the 
saints  of  God  to  pray  for  them,  as  Pharaoh  and  Simon  Magus  did  ; 
and.  prophesy  and  speak  of  Christ,  as  Caiaphas  did ;  and  walk 
softly  and  mourn  for  fear  of  Judgments,  as  Ahab  did  ;  and  put 
away  gross  sins  and  idolatry,  as  Jehu  did  ;  and  hear  the  word  of 
God  gladly,  and  reform  their  life  in  many  things  according  to  the 
word,  as  Herod  did  ;  and  say,  "  Master,"  to  Christ,  "  I  will  follow 
thee  whither  thou  goest,"  as  the  man  who  offered  to  be  Christ's 
servant,  (Matt.  viii.  19;)  and  may  taste  of  the  virtues  of  the  hfe 
to  come,  and  be  partaker  of  the  wonderful  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  taste  of  the  good  word  of  God,  as  the  apostates,  who  sin 
against  the  Holy  Ghost,  (Heb.  vi.:)  and  yet,  all  these  are  but  like 
gold  in  clink  and  color,  and  are  watered  ^  brass  and  base  metal. 
These  are  written,  that  we  should  try  ourselves,  and  not  rest  till 
we  be  a  step  nearer  Christ  than  sun-burned  and  withering  profes- 
sors can  come.  6.  Consider,  it  is  impossible  that  your  idol-sins  and 
ye  can  go  to  Heaven  together  :  and,  that  they,  who  will  not  part 
with  these,  cannot  indeed  love  Christ  at  the  bottom,  but  only  in 
word  and  show,  which  will  not  do  the  business.  7.  Remember 
how  swiftly  God's  post,  time,  flieth  away  ;  and  that  your  forenoon 
is  already  spent,  your  afternoon  will  come,  and  then  your  evening, 
and,  at  last,  night,  when  ye  cannot  see  to  work  :  let  your  heart  be 
set  upon  the  finishing  of  your  journey,  and  the  summing  and  lay- 
ing of  your  accounts  with  your  Lord.  Oh,  how  blessed  shall  ye 
be,  to  have  a  joyful  welcome  of  your  Lord  at  night !  How  blessed 
are  they,  who  in  time  take  sure  course  with  their  souls  !  Bless 
his  great  name,  for  what  ye  possess  in  goods  and  children,  ease 
and  worldly  contentment,  that  he  hath  given  you  :  and  seek  to  be 
like  Christ  in  humility  and  lowliness  of  mind :  and  be  not  great 
and  entire^  with  the  world  :  make  it  not  your  god  nor  your  lover, 
whom  ye  trust  unto,  for  it  will  deceive  you. 

I  recommend  Christ  and  his  love  to  you,  in  all  things.  Let  him 
have  the  flower  of  your  heart  and  your  love.  Set  a  low  price  upon 
all  things  but  Christ ;  and  cry  down,  in  your  thoughts,  clay  and 
dirt,  that  will  not  comfort  you,  when  ye  get  summons  to  remove, 
and  compear^  before  your  Judge,  to  answer  for  all  the  deeds  done 
in  the  body.  The  Lord  give  you  wisdom  in  all  things.  I  beseech 
you  to  sanctify  God  in  your  speaking,  for  holy  and  reverend  is  his 
name  :  and  be  temperate  and  sober  :  companion ry,^  as  it  is  called, 
is  a  sin  that  holdeth  men  out  of  Heaven.  I  will  not  believe,  that 
ye  will  receive  the  ministry  of  a  stranger,  who  will  preach  a  new 
and  unco*  doctrine  to  you.     Let  my  salvation  stand  for  it,  if  I 

1  Decked.  2  plaited  with  silver. 

3  On  the  most  intimate  and  familiar  terms.  ■»  Appear. 

5  Too  much  sociality,  or  fondness  of  company.  ^  Strange. 


292  Rutherford's  letters. 

delivered  not  the  plain  and  whole  counsel  of  God  to  you  in  his 
word. 

Read  this  letter  to  your  wife,  and  remember  my  love  to  her ; 
and  request  her  to  take  heed  to  do  what  I  write  to  you.  I  pray 
for  you,  and  yours.  Remember  me  in  your  prayers  to  our  Lord, 
that  he  would  be  pleased  to  send  me  amongst  you  again.  Grace 
be  with  you. 

Your  lawful,  and  loving  pastor,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CLXXXVIL 

TO     MR.     HUGH     HENDERSON. 

Reverend  and  dear  Brother,— Who  knoweth,  but  the 
wind  may  turn  into  the  west  again,  upon  Christ  and  his  desolate 
bride  in  this  land  ;  and  that  Christ  may  get  his  summer  by  course 
again  ?  for  he  hath  had  ill  weather  this  long  time,  and  could  not 
find  law  or  justice  for  himself  and  his  truth  these  many  years.  I 
am  sure  the  wheels  of  this  crazed  and  broken  Kirk  run  all  upon 
no  otlier  axle-tree,  nor  is  there  any  other  to  roll  them,  and  cog ' 
them,  and  drive  them,  than  tlie  wisdom  and  good  pleasure  of  our 
Lord ;  and  it  were  a  just  trick,  and  glorious,  of  never-sleeping 
Providence,  to  bring  our  brethren's  darts,  which  they  have  shot  at 
us,  back  upon  their  own  heads.  Suppose  they  have  two  strings 
to  their  bow,  and  can  take  one  as  another  faileth  them,  yet  there 
are  more  than  three  strings  upon  our  Loid's  bow  ;  and,  besides, 
he  cannot  miss  the  white  "^  that  he  shooteth  at.  I  know  that  he 
shuffleth  up  and  down  in  his  hand  the  great  body  of  Heaven  and 
earth ;  and  that  Kirk  and  commonwealth  are  in  his  hand,  like  a 
stock  of  cards,^  and  that  he  dealeth  the  play  to  the  mourners  of 
Zion,  and  to  those  that  say,  "  Lie  down,  that  we  may  go  over 
you,"  at  his  own  sovereign  pleasure  :  and  I  am  sure,  that  Zion's 
adversaries,  in  this  play,  shall  not  take  up  their  own  stakes  again. 
Oh,  how  sweet  a  thing  is  it  to  trust  in  him  !  When  Christ  hath 
sleeped  out  his  sleep,  (if  I  may  speak  so  of  Him,  who  is  the 
Watchman  of  Israel,  that  neither  slumbereth  nor  sleepeth,)  and 
his  own  are  tried,  he  will  arise  as  a  strong  man  after  wine,  and 
make  bare  his  holy  arm,  and  put  on  vengeance  as  a  cloak,  and 
deal  vengeance  thick  and  double  amongst  the  haters  of  Zion.  It 
may  be  that  we  may  see  him  sow,  and  send  down  maledictions 
and  vengeances,  as  thick  as  drops  of  rain  or  hail,  upon  his  ene- 
mies ;  for  our  Lord  oweth  them  a  black  day,  and  he  useth  duly  to 
pay  his  debts  : — neither  his  friends  and  followers,  nor  his  foes  and 
adversaries,  shall  have  it  to  say,  "  that  he  is  not  faithful  and  exact 
in  keeping  his  word." 

1  To  cog,  to  place  a  stone  or  piece  of  wood  wedgewise  between  a  wheel  and  the 
ground,  so  as  to  prevent  the  wheel  from  moving. 

2  Mark  in  a  target,  at  which  shooters  aim.  3  Pack  of  cards. 


Rutherford's  letters.  293 

I  know  of  no  bar  in  God's  way,  lAit  Scotland's  guiltiness  ;  and 
he  can  come  over  that  impediment,  and  break  that  bar  also,  and 
then  say  to  guilty  Scotland,  as  he  said,  (Ezek.  xxxvi.,)  "Not  for 
your  sakes,"  etc.  On-waiting  had  ever  yet  a  blessed  issue ;  and 
to  keep  the  word  of  God's  patience,  keepeth  still  the  saints  dry  in 
the  water,  cold  in  the  fire,  and  breathing  and  blood-hot  in  the 
grave.  What  are  prisons  of  iron  walls,  and  gates  of  brass  to 
Christ?  Not  so  good  as  fail-dykes,^  fortifications  of  straw,  or  old 
tottering  walls.  If  he  give  the  word,  then  chains  will  fall  off  the 
arms  and  legs  of  his  prisoners.  God  be  thanked,  that  our  Lord 
Jesus  hath  the  tutoring  of  King  and  court  and  nobles  ;  and  that 
he  can  dry  the  gutters  ^  and  the  mires  in  Zion,  and  lay  causeways 
to  the  temple  with  the  carcases  of  bastard  Lord-prelates,  and  idol- 
shepherds.  The  corn  on  the  house-tops  got  never  the  husband- 
man's prayers,  and  so  is  seen  on  it,  for  it  fiUeth  not  the  hand  of 
mowers.  Christ,  and  truth,  and  innocency  worketh  even  under 
the  earth  :  and  verily  there  is  hope  for  the  righteous.  We  see  not 
what  conclusions  pass  in  Heaven  anent  all  the  affairs  of  God's 
house.  We  need  not  give  hire  to  God  to  take  vengeance  of  his 
enemies,  for  justice  worketh  without  hire.  Oh,  that  the  seed  of 
hope  would  grow  again,  and  come  to  maturity  !  and  that  we  could 
importune  Christ,  and  double  our  knocks  at  his  gate,  and  cast  our 
cries  and  shouts  over  the  wall,  that  he  might  come  out,  and  make 
our  Jerusalem  the  praise  of  the  whole  earth,  and  give  us  salvation 
for  walls  and  bulwarks !  If  Christ  bud,  and  grow  green,  and 
bloom  ^  and  bear  seed  again  in  Scotland,  and  his  Father  send  him 
two  summers  in  one  year,  and  bless  his  crop,  oh,  what  cause  have 
we  to  rejoice  in  the  free  salvation  of  our  Lord,  and  to  set  up  our 
banners  in  the  name  of  our  God  !  Oh,  that  he  would  hasten  the 
confusion  of  the  leprous  strumpet,  the  Mother  and  Mistress  of 
abominations  in  the  earth,  and  take  graven  images  out  of  the  way, 
and  come  in  with  the  Jews  in  troops,  and  agree  with  his  old  out- 
cast and  forsaken  wife,  and  take  them  again  to  his  bed  of  love ! 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  our  Master  and  Lord.  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CLXXXVIII. 

TO     THE     LADY     LARGIRIE. 

Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  exhort  you 
in  the  Lord,  to  go  on  in  your  journey  to  Heaven  ;  and  to  be  con- 
tent with  such  fare  by  the  way,  as  Christ  and  his  followers  have 
had  before  you  ;  for  they  had  always  the  wind  on  their  faces ;  and 
our  Lord  hath  not  changed  the  way  to  us  for  our  ease,  but  will 
have  us  following  our  sweet  Guide.  Alas,  how  doth  sin  clog  us 
in  our  journey,  and  retard  us  !  What  fools  are  we,  to  have  a  by- 
'  Walls  of  turf.  2  Psalm  cxxix.  8.  3  Blossom. 


294  RUTHERFORD  S    LETTERS. 

good/  or  any  other  love,  or  match  to  our  souls,  beside  Christ !  It 
were  best  for  us,  like  ill  bairns,  who  are  best  heard  at  home,  to  seek 
our  own  home,  and  to  sell  our  hopes  of  this  little  clay-inn  and  idol  of 
the  earth,  where  we  are  neither  well  summered,  nor  well  wintered. 
Oh,  that  our  souls  would  so  fall  at  odds  with  the  love  of  this  world, 
as  to  think  of  it  as  a  traveller  doth  of  a  drink  of  water,  which  is 
not  any  part  of  his  treasure,  but  goeth  away  with  the  using ; — for 
ten-miles  journey  maketh  that  drink  to  him  as  nothing.  Oh,  that 
we  had  as  soon  done  with  this  world,  and  could  as  quickly  dispatch 
the  love  of  it !  but  as  a  child  cannot  hold  two  apples  in  his  little 
hand,  but  the  one  putteth  the  other  out  of  its  room  ;  so  neither 
can  we  be  masters  and  lords  of  two  loves.  Blessed  were  we,  if  we 
could  make  ourselves  masters  of  that  invaluable  treasure,  the  love 
of  Christ ;  or  rather  suffer  ourselves  to  be  mastered  and  subdued 
to  Christ's  love,  so  as  Christ  were  our  all  things,  and  all  other 
things  our  nothings,  and  the  refuse  of  our  delights.  Oh  let  us  be 
ready  for  shipping  against  the  time  our  Lord's  wind  and  tide 
call  for  us  !  Death  is  the  last  thief,  that  will  come  without  the 
least  din  or  noise  of  feet,  and  take  our  souls  away,  and  we  shall 
take  our  leave  of  time  and  face  eternity  ;  and  our  Lord  will  lay 
together  the  two  sides  of  this  earthly  tabernacle,  and  fold  us,  and 
lay  us  by,*^  as  a  man  layeth  by*  clothes  at  night,  and  put  the  one 
half  of  us  in  a  house  of  clay,  the  dark  grave,  and  the  other  half  of 
us  in  Heaven  or  Hell.  Seek  to  be  found  of  your  Lord  in  peace, 
and  gather  in  your  flitting,'  and  put  your  soid  in  order,  for  Christ 
will  not  give  a  nail-breadth  of  time  to  our  little  sand-glass. 

Pray  for  Zion,  and  for  me  his  prisoner,  that  he  would  be  pleased 
to  bring  me  amongst  you  again,  full  of  Christ,  and  fraughted  and 
loaded  with  the  blessing  of  his  Gospel. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  only  Lord  and  Master,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CLXXXIX. 

TO     EARLSTON,     YOUNGER. 

Worthy  and  dearly  beloved  in  our  Lord, — Grace, 
mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  long  to  hear  from  you.  I  remain 
still  a  prisoner  of  hope,  and  do  think  it  service  to  the  Lord,  to  wait 
on  still  with  submission,  till  the  Lord's  morning  sky  break,  and 
his  summer  day  dawn  :  for  I  am  persuaded  that  it  is  a  piece  of 
the  chief  end  of  our  life,  which  God  sent  us  for  some  years  down 
to  this  earth,  among  devils  and  men,  the  fire-brands  of  the  Devil, 
and  temptations,  that  we  might  suffer  for  a  time  here  amongst 
our  enemies  ;  otherwise  we  might  have  made  Heaven  to  wait  on 

•  An  object  which  we  secretly  regard  as  our  chief  good,  different  from  that  on  which 
our  affections  are  avowedly  placed.  2  Past. 

3  Goods  to  be  removed  from  one  residence  to  another. 


Rutherford's  letters.  295 

us,  at  our  coming  out  of  the  womb,  and  have  carried  us  home  to 
our  country,  without  letting  us  set  down  our  feet  in  this  knotty 
and  thorny  life.  But  seeing  a  piece  of  suffering  is  carved  to  every 
one  of  us,  less  or  more,  as  Infinite  Wisdom  hath  thought  good, 
our  part  is  to  harden  and  habituate  our  soft  and  thin-skinned  na- 
ture, to  endure  fire  and  water,  devils,  lions,  men,  losses,  wo'  hearts, 
as  these  that  are  looked  upon  by  God,  angels,  men,  and  devils.  Oh, 
what  folly  is  it,  to  sit  down  and  weep  upon  a  decree  of  God,  that 
is  both  deaf  and  dumb  to  our  tears,  and  must  stand  still  as  un- 
movable  as  God  who  made  it!  for  who  can  come  behind  our  Lord, 
to  alter,  or  better  wliat  he  hath  decreed  and  done?  It  were  better 
to  make  windows  in  our  prison,  and  to  look  out  to  God  and  our 
country,  Heaven,  and  to  cry,  like  fettered  men,  who  long  for  the 
King's  free  air,  "Lord,  let  thy  kingdom  come!  Oh,  let  the  Bride- 
groom come  !  And,  O  day,  O  fair  day,  O  everlasting  summer 
day,  dawn  and  shine  out,  break  out  from  under  the  black  night- 
sky,  and  shine  !"  I  am  persuaded  that,  if  every  day  a  little  stone 
in  the  prison  w^alls  were  broken,  and  thereby  assurance  given  to  the 
chained  prisoner  lying  under  twenty  stone  of  irons  upon  arms  and 
legs,  that  at  length  his  chain  should  wear  into  two  pieces,  and  a  hole 
should  be  made  at  length,  as  wide  as  he  might  come  safely  out 
to  his  long-desired  liberty  ;  he  would,  in  patience,  wait  on,  till 
time  should  hoUnhe  prison  wall  and  break  his  chains.  The 
Lord's  hopeful  prisoners,  under  their  trials,  are  in  that  case.  Years 
and  months  will  take  out  now  one  little  stone,  then  another,  of  this 
house  of  clay,  and  at  length  time  shall  win'  out  the  breadth  of  a 
fair  door,  and  send  out  the  imprisoned  soul  to  the  free  air  in  Heav- 
en ;  and  time  shall  file  off",  by  little  and  little,  our  iron  bolts,  wliich 
are  now  on  legs  and  arms,  and  outdate,  and  wear  our  troubles 
threadbare,  and  full  of  holes,  and  then  wear  them  to  nothing  ; — • 
for  what  I  suffered  yesterday,  I  know,  shall  never  come  again  to 
trouble  me. 

Oh,  that  we  could  breathe  out  new  hope  and  new  submission 
every  day,  into  Christ's  lap  !  For  certainly,  a  weight  of  glory, 
well  weighed,  yea,  increasing  to  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal 
weight,  shall  recompense  both  weight  and  length  of  liglit,  and 
clipped  and  short-dated^  crosses.  Our  waters  are  but  ebb,' and 
come  neither  to  our  chin,  nor  to  the  stopping  of  our  breath.  I 
may  see,  (if  I  would  borrow  eyes  from  Christ,)  dry  land,  and  that 
near  ;  why,  then,  should  we  not  laugh  at  adversity,  and  scorn  our 
short-born,  and  soon-dying  temptations  ?  I  rejoice  in  the  hope  of 
that  glory  to  be  revealed,  for  it  is  no  uncertain  glory  which  we 
look  for.  Our  hope  is  not  lumg  upon  such  an  untwisted  thread, 
as,  "I  imagine  so,"  or,  "It  is  likely:"  but  the  cable,  the  strong 
towe«  of  our  fastened  anchor,  is  the  oath  and  promise  of  Him 
who  is  eternal  verity  ;  our  salvation  is  fastened  with  God's  own 
hand,  and  with  Christ's  own  strength,  to  the  strong  stoup,'  of 
God's  unchangeable  nature.     (Mai.  iii.  6,)  "I  am  the  Lord,  I 

1  Grieved.  2  Pierce  through.  3  Get.  <  Transitory. 

5  Shallow  6  Hawser.  "^  Stake,  post 


296  Rutherford's  letters. 

chansre  not ;  and,  ibeiefore,  ye  sons  of  Jacob  are  not  consumed." 
We  may  play,  and  dance,  and  leap  upon  our  worthy  and  immov- 
able Rock;  the  ground  is  sure  and  good,  and  will  bide'  Hell's 
branpling,  and  devils'  brangling,  and  the  world's  assaults. 

Oh,  if  otn-  faith  could  ride  it  out,  against  the  high  and  proud 
Avaves  and  winds,  when  our  sea  seemeth  to  be  all  on  fire  !  Oh, 
how  oft  do  I  let  my  grips'  go  !  I  am  put  to  swimming  and  half 
sinking.  I  find  that  the  Devil  hath  the  advantage  of  the  ground, 
in  this  battle  ;  for  he  fighteth  on  knovvii  ground,  in  our  corrupt 
nature.  Alas  !  that  is  a  friend  near  of  kin  and  blood  to  himself, 
and  will  not  fail  to  fall  foul  upon  us  :  and  hence  it  is,  that  He  who 
savetli  to  the  uttermost,  and  leadeth  many  sons  to  glory,  is  still 
righting  my  salvation,  and  twenty  times  a  day  I  ravel  my  heaven, 
and  then  1  must  come  vv^ith  my  ill-ravelled  work  to  Christ,  to 
cumber  him  (as  it  Vv^ere,)  to  right  it,  and  to  seek  again  the  right 
end  of  the  thread,  and  to  fold  up  again  my  eternal  glory  with  his 
own  hand,  and  to  give  a  right  cast  of  his  holy  and  gracious  hand 
to  my  marred  and  spilled^  salvation.  Certainly  it  is  a  cumber- 
some thing,  to  keep  a  foohsh  child  from  falls  and  broken  brows, 
and  weeping  for  this  and  that  toy,  and  rash  running,  and  sick- 
ness, and  bairns'  diseases;  ere  he  win*  through  them  all,  and 
win^  out  of  the  mires,  he  costeth  meikle  black  cumber  and  fash- 
ery  ^  to  his  keepers  :  and  so  is  a  believer  a  cumbersome  piece  of 
work,  and  an  ill-ravelled  hesp,^  (as  we  use  to  say,)  to  Christ ;  but 
God  be  thanked,  for  many  spilled  salvations,  and  many  ill-ravelled 
liesps  hath  Christ  jnended,  since  first  he  entered  Tutor  to  lost 
mankind.  Oh,  what  could  we,  bairns,  do  without  him!  how  soon 
would  we  mar  all !  But  the  less  of  our  weight  be  upon  our  own 
feeble  legs,  and  the  more  that  we  be  on  Christ  the  strong  Rock, 
the  better  for  us  ;  it  is  good  for  us,  that  ever  Christ  took  the  cum- 
ber of  us  ;  it  is  our  heaven,  to  lay  many  weights  and  burdens  upon 
Christ,  and  to  make  him  all  we  have,  root  and  top,  beginning  and 
ending  of  our  salvation.     Lord  hold  us  here. 

Now  to  this  tutor,  and  rich  Lord,  I  recommend  you.  Hold  fast 
till  he  come  ;  and  remember  his  prisoner. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  and  your  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CXC. 

TO     MR.     WILLIAM     DALGLEISH. 

Reverend,  and  dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace 
be  to  you — I  received  your  letter.  I  bless  your  high  and  only 
wise  Lord,  who  hath  broken  the  snare  that  men  had  laid  for  you ; 
and  I  hope,  that  now  he  will  keep  you  in  his  house,  in  despite  of  the 

1  Stand.  2  Hold.  3  Spoiled.  *  Get. 

5  Unspeakable  trouble  and  annoyance.  ^  Hank  of  yarn. 


Rutherford's  letters.  297 

powers  of  Hell.  Who  knoweth,  but  the  streets  of  our  Jerusalem 
shall  yet  be  filled  with  young  men,  and  with  old  men,  and  boys, 
and  women  with  child ;  and  that  they  shall  plant  vines  in  the 
mountains  of  Samaria?  I  am  sure  that  the  wheels,  paces,  and 
motions  of  this  poor  Church  are  tempered  and  ruled,  not  as  men 
would,  but  according  to  the  good  pleasure  and  infinite  wisdom  of 
our  only  wise  Lord. 

I  am  here,  waiting  in  hope  that  my  innocency,  in  this  honor- 
able cause,  shall  melt  this  cloud  that  men  have  casten  over  me. 
I  know  that  my  Lord  had  his  own  quarrels  against  me,  and  that 
my  dross  stood  in  need  of  this  hot  furnace :  but  I  rejoice  in  this, 
that  fair  truth,  beautiful  truth,  (whose  glory  my  Lord  cleareth  to 
me  more  and  more,)  beareth  me  company  ;  and  that  my  weak 
aims  to  honor  my  Master,  in  bringing  guests  to  his  house,  now 
swell  upon  me  in  comforts ;  and  that  I  am  not  afraid  that  I  want 
a  witness  in  Heaven,  that  it  was  my  joy  to  have  a  crown  put 
upon  Christ's  head  in  that  country.  Oh,  what  joy  would  I  have, 
to  see  the  wind  turn  upon  the  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ,  and 
to  see  my  Lord  Jesus  restored,  with  the  voice  of  praise,  to  his  own 
free  throne  again  ;  and  to  be  brought  amongst  you,  to  see  the 
beauty  of  the  Lord's  house  ! 

I  hope  that  country  will  not  be  so  silly,  as  to  suffer  men  to 
pluck  you  away  from  them  ;  and,  that  ye  will  use  means  to  keep 
my  place  empty  and  to  bring  me  back  again  to  the  people,  to 
whom  I  have  Christ's  right  and  his  Church's  lawful  calling. 

Dear  brother,  let  Christ  be  dearer  and  dearer  to  you  ;  let  the 
conquest '  of  souls  be  top  and  root,  flower  and  bloom  of  your  joys 
and  desires,  on  this  side  of  sun  and  moon :  and  in  the  day,  when 
the  Lord  shall  pull  up  the  four  stakes  of  this  clay  tent  of  the 
earth,  and  the  last  pickle^  of  sand  shall  be  at  the  nick^  of  falling 
down  in  your  watch-glass,  and  the  master  shall  call  the  servants 
of  the  vineyard  to  give  them  their  hire,  ye  will  esteem  the  bloom 
of  this  world's  glory  like  the  colors  of  the  rainbow,  that  no  man 
can  put  into  his  purse  and  treasure ;  your  labor  and  pains  will 
then  smile  upon  you. 

My  Lord  now  hath  given  me  experience,  (howbeit  weak  and 
small,)  that  our  best  fare  here  is  hunger.  We  are  but  at  God's 
by-board,^  in  this  lower  house  ;  we  have  cause  to  long  for  supper- 
time,  and  the  high  table,  up  in  the  high  palace  ;  this  world  deserv- 
eth  nothing,  but  the  outer  court  of  our  soul.  Lord,  hasten  the 
marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb.  I  find  it  still  peace  to  give  up 
with  this  present  world,  as  with  an  old  decourted^  and  cast-off 
lover :  my  bread  and  drink  in  it,  is  not  so  much  worth  that  I 
should  not  loathe  the  inns,  and  pack  up  my  desires  for  Christ, 
whom  I  have  sent  out  to  the  feckless^  creatures  in  it.  Grace, 
grace  be  with  you. 

'  Your  affectionate  brother,  and  Christ's  prisoner,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1G37. 

1  Acquisition.  2  Grain  3  Point. 

*  Side-table.  5  Discarded.  6  Feeble,  worthless 


298  Rutherford's  letters. 


LETTER  CXCI. 

TO     THE      LAIRD      OF     CALLY. 

Much  Honored  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you — 
I  long  to  hear  how  your  sonl  prospereth  !  I  have  that  confidence  J 
that  your  soul  mindeth  Christ  and  salvation.  I  beseech  you,  in 
the  Lord,  to  give  more  pains  and  diligence  to  fetch  Heaven,  than 
the  country -sort  of  lazy  professors,  who  think  their  own  faith  and 
their  own  godliness,  because  it  is  their  own,  best ;  and  content 
themselves  with  a  cold-rife  '  custom  and  course,  with  a  resolution 
to  summer  and  winter  in  that  sort  of  profession  whicli  the  multi- 
tude and  the  times  favor  most;  and  are  still  shaping  and  clipping 
and  carving  their  faith,  according  as  it  may  best  stand  with  their 
summer  sun  and  a  whole  skin ;  and  so  breathe  out  both  hot  and 
cold  in  God's  matters,  according  to  the  course  of  the  times :  this 
is  their  compass  which  they  sail  toward  Heaven  by,  instead  of  a 
better.  Worthy,  and  dear  sir,  separate  yourself  from  such,  and 
bend  yourself  to  the  utmost  of  your  strength  and  breath,  in  run- 
nuig  fast  for  salvation :  and,  in  taking  Christ's  kingdom,  use  vio- 
lence. It  cost  Christ  and  all  his  followers  sharp  showers  and  hot 
sweats,  ere  they  won^  to  the  top  of  the  mountain:  but  still  our 
soft  nature  would  have  heaven  coming  to  our  bed-side,  when  we 
are  sleeping,  and  lying  down  with  us,  that  we  might  go  to  Heaven 
in  warm  clothes  ;  but  all  that  came  there,  found  wet  feet  by  the  way, 
and  sharp  storms,  that  did  take  the  skin  off  their  face,  and  found 
tos  and  fros,  and  ups  and  downs,  and  many  enemies  by  the  way. 

It  is  impossible  that  a  man  can  take  his  lusts  to  Heaven  with 
him  ;  such  wares  as  these  will  not  be  welcome  there.  Oh,  how 
loth  are  we  to  forego  our  packalds  ^  and  burdens,  that  hinder  us 
to  run  our  race  with  patience  !  It  is  no  small  work  to  displease 
and  anger  nature,  that  we  may  please  God.  Oh,  if  ^  it  be  hard  to 
win  one  foot  or  half  an  inch  out  of  our  own  will,  our  own  wit, 
out  of  our  own  ease  and  worldly  lusts;  and  so  to  deny  ourself 
and  to  say,  "  It  is  not  I  but  Christ,  not  I  but  grace,  not  I  but  God's 
glory,  not  I  but  God's  love  constraining  me,  not  I  but  the  Lord's 
word,  not  I  but  Christ's  commanding  power  in  me  !"  Oh,  what 
pains,  and  what  a  death  is  it  to  nature,  to  turn  me,  myself,  my 
lust,  my  ease,  my  credit,  over  unto  my  Lord,  my  Saviour,  my 
King,  and  my  God,  my  Lord's  will,  my  Lord's  grace  !  But  alas  ! 
that  idol,  that  whorish  creature,  myself,  is  the  master-idol  we  all 
bow  to.  What  made  Evah  miscarry?  and  what  hurried  her 
headlong  upon  the  forbidden  fruit,  but  that  wretched  thing  her- 
self ?  What  drew  that  brother-murderer  to  kill  Abel  ?  that  wild 
himself.  What  drove  the  old  world  on  to  corrupt  their  ways? 
what,  but  themselves,  and  their  own  pleasure  ?  What  was  the 
cause   of  Solomon's   falhng   into  adultery   and   multiplying   of 

1  Cold,  indiflerent.  2  Got.  3  Wallets.  •»  Oh,  but. 


Rutherford's  letters.  299 

strange  wives?  what,  but  himself,  whom  he  would  rather  pleasure 
than  God  ?  What  was  the  hook  that  took  David  and  snared  him 
first  in  adultery,  but  his  self-kist;  and  then  in  murder,  but  his 
self-credit  and  self-honor?  What  led  Peter  on  to  deny  his  Lord? 
Avas  it  not  a  piece  of  himself,  and  self-love  to  a  whole  skin  ? 
What  made  Judas  sell  his  Master  for  thirty  pieces  of  money,  but 
a  piece  of  self-love,  idolizing  of  avaricious  self?  What  made 
Demas  to  go  off  the  way  of  the  Gospel,  to  embrace  this  present 
world?  even  self-love  and  love  of  gain  for  himself  Every  man 
blameth  the  Devil  for  his  sins ;  but  the  great  devil,  the  house-devil 
of  every  man,  the  house-devil  that  eateth  and  lyeth  in  every 
man's  bosom,  is  that  idol  that  killeth  all,  himself.  Oh,  blessed 
are  they,  who  can  deny  themselves,  and  put  Christ  in  the  room 
of  themselves  !  Oh,  would  to  the  Lord,  that  I  had  not  a  myself, 
but  Christ ;  nor,  a  my  lust,  but  Christ ;  nor,  a  my  ease,  but 
Christ ;  nor,  a  my  honor,  but  Christ  !  Oh,  sweet  word  !  (Gal. 
ii.  20,)  "  I  live  no  more,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me  !"  Oh,  if  every 
one  would  put  away  himself,  his  own  self,  his  own  ease,  his  own 
pleasure,  his  own  credit,  and  his  own  twenty  things,  his  own  hun- 
dred things,  which  he  setteth  up,  as  idols,  above  Christ !  Dear 
sir,  I  know  that  ye  will  be  looking  back  to  your  old  self,  and  to 
your  self-lust  and  self-idol,  which  ye  set  up  in  the  lusts  of  youth, 
above  Christ. 

Worthy  sir,  pardon  this  my  freedom  of  love.  God  is  my  witness, 
that  it  is  out  of  an  earnest  desire  after  your  soul's  eternal  welfare, 
that  I  use  this  freedom  of  speech.  Your  sun,  I  know,  is  lower, 
and  your  evening  sky  and  sun-setting  nearer  than  when  I  saw 
you  last :  strive  to  end  your  task  before  night,  and  to  make  Christ, 
yourself,  and  to  acquaint  your  love  and  your  heart  with  the  Lord, 
Stand  now  by  Christ  and  his  truth,  when  so  many  fall  foully,  and 
are  false  to  him.  I  hope  that  ye  love  him  and  his  truth  :  let  me 
have  power  with  you  to  confirm  you  in  him.  I  think  more  of  my 
Lord's  sweet  cross  than  of  a  crown  of  gold,  and  a  free  kingdom 
lying  to  it. 

Sir,  I  remember  you  in  my  prayers  to  the  Lord,  according  to  ray 
promise.  Help  me  with  your  prayers,  that  our  Lord  would  be 
pleased  to  bring  me  amongst  you  again,  with  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweetest  Lord,  and  Master,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CXCIL 

TO  JOHN  GORDON,  OF  CARDONESS,  YOUNGER. 

Dearly  Beloved  in  our  Lord, —  Grace,  mercy,  and  peace 
be  to  you. — I  long  exceedingly  to  hear  of  the  case  of  your  soul, 
which  hath  a  large  share  both  of  my  prayers  and  careful  thoughts. 


300  Rutherford's  letters. 

Sir,  remember  that  a  precious  treasure  and  prize  is  upon  this  short 
play  that  ye  are  now  upon  ;  even  the  eternity  of  well  or  wo  to  your 
soul  staudeth  upon  the  little  point  of  your  well  or  ill  employed 
short  and  swift  posting  sand-glass.'  Seek  the  Lord  while  he  may 
be  found ;  the  Lord  waiteth  upon  you.  Your  soul  is  of  no  little 
price.  Gold  or  silver  of  as  much  bounds  as  would  cover  the  high- 
est heaven  round  about  cannot  buy  it.  To  live  as  others  do,  and 
to  be  free  of  open  sins,  that  the  world  crieth  shame  upon,  will  not 
bring  you  to  Heaven.  As  much  civility  and  country  discretion  as 
would  lye  between  you  and  Heaven,  will  not  lead  you  one  foot  or 
one  inch  above  condemned  nature  ;  and  therefore  take  pains  upon 
seeking  of  salvation,  and  give  your  will,  wit,  humor,  the  green 
desires  of  youth's  pleasures,  off  your  hand  to  Christ.  It  is  not 
possible  for  you  to  know  till  experience  teach  you,  how  dangerous 
a  time  youth  is :  it  is  like  green  and  wet  timber ;  when  Christ 
casteth  fire  on  it,  it  taketh  not  fire.  There  is  need  here  of  more 
than  ordinary  pains,  for  corrupt  nature  hath  a  good  back-friend  of 
youth  :  and  sinning  against  light  will  put  out  your  candle,  and 
stupify  your  conscience,  and  bring  upon  it  more  coverings  and 
skin,  and  the  feeling  and  sense  of  guiltiness ;  and  when  that  is 
done,  the  Devil  is  like  a  mad  horse  that  hath  broken  his  bridle, 
and  runneth  away  with  his  rider  whither  he  listeth.  Learn  to 
know  that  which  the  Apostle  knew — the  deceitfulness  of  sin. 
Strive  to  make  prayer,  and  reading,  and  holy  company,  and  holy 
conference  your  delight ;  and  when  delight  cometh  in,  ye  shall  by 
little  and  little  smell  the  sweetness  of  Christ,  till  at  length  your 
soul  be  over  head  and  ears  in  Christ's  sweetness.  Then  shall  ye 
be  taken  up  to  the  top  of  the  mountain  with  the  Lord,  to  know 
the  ravishments  of  spiritual  love,  and  the  glory  and  excellency 
of  a  seen,  revealed,  felt,  and  embraced  Christ :  and  then  ye  shall 
not  be  able  to  loose  yourself  off  Christ,  and  to  bind  your  soul  to 
old  lovers :  then,  and  never  till  then,  are  all  the  paces,  motions, 
walkings,  and  wheels  of  your  soul  in  a  right  tune,  and  in  a  spirit- 
ual temper. 

But  if  this  world  and  the  lusts  thereof  be  your  delight,  I  know 
n.ot  what  Christ  can  make  of  you ;  ye  cannot  be  metal  to  be  a 
vessel  of  glory  and  mercy.  As  the  Lord  hveth,  thousand  thou- 
sands are  beguiled  with  security,  because  God,  and  wrath,  and 
judgment  are  not  terrible  to  them.  Stand  in  awe  of  God,  and  of 
the  w^arnings  of  a  checking  and  rebuking  conscience.  Make 
others  to  see  Christ  in  you,  moving,  doing,  speaking  and  thinking : 
your  actions  will  smell  of  him,  if  he  be  in  you.  There  is  an  instinct 
in  the  new-born  babes  of  Christ,  like  the  instinct  of  nature  that 
leads  birds  to  build  their  nests,  and  bring  forth  their  young,  and 
love  such  and  such  places,  as  woods,  forests,  and  wilderness,  better 
than  other  places.  The  instinct  of  nature  maketh  a  man  love 
his  mother-country,  above  all  countries  ;  the  instinct  of  renewed 
nature  and  supernatural  grace,  will  lead  you  to  such  and  such 
works,  as  to  love  your  country  above,  to  sigh  to  be  clothed  with 

1  Hour-glass. 


Rutherford's  letters.  301 

your  house  not  made  with  hands,  and  to  call  your  borrowed  prison 
here  below,  a  borrowed  prison ;  and  to  look  upon  it  servant-like 
and  pilgiira-like  :  and  the  pilgrim's  eye  and  look  is  a  disdainful- 
like  discontented  cast  of  his  eye,  his  heart  crying  after  his  eye, 
"  Fy,  fy,  this  is  not  like  my  country." 

I  recommend  to  you  the  mending  of  a  hole,  and  reforming  of  a 
failing,  one  or  other,  every  week  ;  and  put  off'  a  sin  or  a  piece  of 
it,  as  of  anger,  wrath,  lust,  intemperance,  every  day,  that  ye  may 
more  easily  master  the  remnant  of  your  corruption.  God  hath 
given  you  a  wife  ;  love  her,  and  let  her  breasts  satisfy  you  ;  and, 
for  the  Lord's  sake,  drink  no  waters,  but  out  of  your  own  cistern  : 
strange  wells  are  poison.  Strive  to  learn  some  new  way  against 
your  corruptions  from  the  man  of  God.  Mr.  William  Dalgleish,  or 
other  servants  of  God.  Sleep  not  sound,  till  ye  find  yourself  in 
that  case,  that  ye  dare  look  death  in  the  face  and  durst  hazard 
your  soul  upon  eternity.  I  am  sure,  that  many  ells  and  inches 
of  the  short  thread  of  your  life  are  by-hand'  since  I  saw  you:  and 
that  thread  hath  an  end  ;  and  ye  have  no  hand  to  cast  a  knot, 
and  add  one  day  or  a  finger-breadth  to  the  end  of  it.  When  hearing, 
and  seeing,  and  the  outer  walls  of  the  clay-house  shall  fall  down,  and 
life  shall  render  the  besieged  castle  of  clay  to  death  and  judgment, 
and  ye  find  your  time  worn  ebb  ^  and  run  out,  what  thoughts  will 
you  then  have  of  idol-pleasures  that  possibl}^  are  now  sweet?  what 
bud'  or  hire  would  you  tlien  give  for  the  Lord's  favor?  and  what 
a  price  would  ye  then  give  for  pardon?  It  were  not  amiss  to  think, 
"  What  if  I  were  to  receive  a  doom,  and  to  enter  into  a  furnace  of 
fire  and  brimstone?  what  if  it  come  to  this,  that  I  shall  have 
no  portion  but  utter  darkness  ?  and  what  if  I  be  brought  to  this, 
to  be  banished  from  the  presence  of  God,  and  to  be  given  over  to 
God's  Serjeants,  the  Devil,  and  tlie  power  of  the  Second  Death?" 
Put  your  soul,  by  supposition,  in  such  a  case,  and  consider  what 
horror  would  take  hold  of  you,  and  what  ye  would  then  esteem 
of  pleasing  yourself  in  the  course  of  sin.  Oh,  dear  sir,  for  the 
Lord's  sake  awake  to  live  righteously,  and  love  your  poor  soul ! 
and  after  ye  have  seen  this  my  letter,  say  with  yourself,  "  The 
Lord  wil  seek  an  account  of  this  warning  which  I  have  received." 

Lodge  Christ  in  your  family.  Receive  no  stranger  hirehng  as 
your  pastor.     I  bless  your  chiklren.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  lawful  and  loving  pastor,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CXCIIL 

TO     ROBERT     GORDON,     BAILLIE     OF     AYR. 

Worthy  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  long  to 
hear  from  you.     Our  Lord  is  with  his  afflicted  Kirk,  so  that  this 
1  Gone  past.  ^  Shallow.  3  Bribe. 


302  Rutherford's  letters. 

burning  bush  is  not  consumed  to  ashes.  I  know  that  submissive 
on- wailing  for  the  Lord  will  at  length  ripen  the  joy  and  dehver- 
ance  of  his  own,  who  are  truly  blessed  on-waiters.  What  is  the 
dry  and  miscarrying  hope  of  all  them  who  are  not  in  Christ,  but 
confusion  and  wind  ?  Oh,  how  pitifully  and  miserably  are  the 
children  of  this  world  beguiled,  whose  wine  cometh  home  to  them, 
water,  and  their  gold,  brass  and  tin  !  And  what  wonder,  that 
hopes  builded  upon  sand  should  fall  and  sink  ?  It  were  good  for 
us  all  to  abandon  the  forlorn,  and  blasted,  and  withered  hope, 
which  we  have  had  in  the  creature  ;  and  let  us  henceforth  come 
and  drink  water  out  of  our  own  well,  even  the  fountain  of  living 
waters,  and  build  ourselves  and  our  hope  upon  Christ,  our  Rock. 
But,  alas  !  that  that  natural  love,  which  we  have  to  this  borrowed 
home,  that  we  were  born  in  ;  and  that  this  clay  city,  the  vain 
earth,  should  have  the  largest  share  of  our  heart !  Our  poor,  lean, 
and  empty  dreams  of  confidence  in  something  beside  God,  are  no 
further  travelled  than  up  and  down  the  noughty'  and  feckless' 
creatures.  God  may  say  of  us,  as  he  said,  (Amos  vi.  13,)  "  Ye 
rejoice  in  a  thing  of  nought."  Surely  we  spin  our  spider's  web 
with  pain,  and  build  our  rotten  and  tottering  house  upon  a  lie,  and 
falsehood,  and  vanity. 

Oh,  when  will  we  learn  to  have  thoughts  higher  than  the  sun 
and  moon,  and  learn  our  joy,  hope,  confidence,  and  our  soul's  de- 
sires, to  look  up  to  our  best  country,  and  to  look  down  to  clay 
tents  set  up  for  a  night's  lodging  or  two  in  this  unknown  land,  and 
laugh  at  our  childish  conceptions  and  imaginations,  that  suck  our 
joy  out  of  creatures,  wo,  sorrow,  losses,  and  grief !  "  O  sweetest 
Lord  Jesus  !  O  fairest  Godhead  !  O  Flower  of  men  and  angels  ! 
why  are  we  such  strangers  to,  and  far-off  beholders  of  thy  glory." 
Oh,  it  were  our  happiness  for  evermore,  that  God  would  cast  a 
pest,  a  botch,  a  leprosy,  upon  our  part  of  this  great  whore,  a  fair 
and  well-busked  ^  world,  that  clay  might  no  longer  deceive  us  ! 
But  oh,  that  God  may  burn  and  blast  our  hope  hereaway,*  rather 
than  that  our  hope  should  live  to  burn  us  !  Alas,  the  wrong  side 
of  Christ,  to  speak  so,  his  black  side,  his  suffering  side,  his  wounds, 
his  bare  coat,  his  wants,  his  wrongs,  the  oppressions  of  men  done 
to  him,  are  turned  towards  men's  eyes  ;  and  they  see  not  the  best 
and  fairest  side  of  Christ,  nor  see  they  his  amiable  face  and  his 
beauty,  that  men  and  angels  wonder  at. 

Sir,  lend  your  thoughts  to  these  things,  and  learn  to  contemn 
this  world,  and  to  turn  your  eyes  and  heart  away  from  beholding 
the  masked  beauty  of  all  things  under  time's  law  and  doom.  See 
Him  who  is  invisible  and  his  invisible  things  ;  draw  by^  the  cur- 
tain, and  look  in  with  liking  and  longing  to  a  kingdom  undefiled, 
that  fadeth  not  away,  reserved  for  you  in  the  Heaven.  This  is 
worthy  of  your  pains,  and  worthy  of  your  soul's  sweating,  and  la- 
boring, and  seeking  after,  night  and  day.  Fire  will  flee"  over  the 
earth,  and  all  that  is  in  it ;  even  destruction  from  the  Almighty. 

1  Having  nothing  in  it.  2  Unsubstantial.  3  Gaily  decked. 

••  In  this  present  sense.  5  Aside.  ^  Fly. 


Rutherford's  letters.  303 

Fy,  fy  upon  that  hope,  that  shall  be  dried  up  by  the  root !  Fy 
upon  the  drunken  night  bargains,  and  the  drunken  and  mad  cov- 
enants, that  sinners  make  with  death  and  Hell  after  cups,  and 
when  men's  souls  are  mad  and  drunken  with  the  love  of  this  law- 
less life.  They  think  to  make  a  nest  for  their  hopes,  and  take 
quarters  and  conditions  of  Hell  and  death,  that  they  shall  have 
ease,  long  life,  peace  ;  and  in  the  morning,  when  the  Last  Trum- 
pet shall  awake  them,  then  they  rue  the  block.'  It  is  time,  and 
high  time  for  you,  to  think  upon  death  and  your  accounts,  and  to 
remember  what  ye  are,  and  where  ye  will  be  before  the  year  of  our 
Lord  1700.  I  hope  ye  are  thinking  upon  this.  Pull  at  your  soul, 
and  draw  it  aside  from  the  company  that  it  is  with,  and  round 
and  wbisper  into  it  news  of  eternity,  death,  judgment.  Heaven 
and  Hell. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CXCIV. 

TO     ALEXANDER     GORDON,     OF     EARLSTON. 

Much  Honored  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — 
It  is  like,  if  ye,  the  gentry  and  nobility  of  this  nation,  be  men  in 
the  streets,  as  the  word  speaketh,  for  the  Lord,  that  he  will  now 
deliver  his  flock,  and  gather  and  rescue  his  scattered  sheep,  from 
the  hands  of  cruel  and  rigorous  lords,  that  have  ruled  over  them 
with  force.  Oh,  that  mine  eyes  might  see  the  moon-light  turn  to 
the  light  of  the  sun  !  But  I  still  fear  that  the  quarrel  of  a  broken 
covenant  in  Scotland  standeth  before  the  Lord. 

However  it  be,  I  avouch  it  before  the  world,  that  the  tabernacle 
of  the  Lord  shall  again  be  in  the  midst  of  Scotland,  and  the  glory 
of  the  Lord  shall  dwell  in  beauty,  as  the  hglit  of  many  days  in 
one,  in  this  land.  Oh,  what  could  my  soul  desire  more,  next  to 
my  Lord  Jesus,  while  I  am  in  this  flesh,  but  that  Christ  and  his 
kingdom  might  be  great  among  Jews  and  Gentiles  ;  and  that  the 
isles,  (and  amongst  them  overclouded  and  darkened  Britain,)  might 
have  the  glory  of  a  noon-day's  sun  !  Oh,  that  I  had  anything, 
(I  will  not  except  my  part  in  Christ,)  to  wadset ^  or  lay  in  pledge, 
to  redeem  and  buy  such  glory  to  my  highest  and  royal  Prince, 
my  sweet  Lord  Jesus!  My  poor  little  heaven  were  well  bestowed, 
if  it  could  stand  a  pawn  forever,  to  set  on  high  the  glory  of  my 
Lord ;  but  I  know  that  he  needeth  not  wages  nor  hire  at  my 
hand ;  yea,  I  know,  if  my  eternal  glory  could  weigh  down  in 
weight  its  lone,^  all  the  eternal  glory  of  the  blessed  angels,  and  of 
all  the  spirits  of  just  and  perfect  men,  glorified  and  to  be  glorified, 

1  Bargain.  *  Alienate.  3  By  itself  alone. 


304  Rutherford's  letters. 

oh,  alas  !  how  far  am  I  engaged  to  forego  it  for,  and  give  it  over 
to  Christ,  so  being  he  might  thereby  be  set  on  high  above  ten 
thousand  thousand  millions  of  heavens,  in  the  conquest  of  many, 
many  nations  to  his  kingdom  !  Oh,  that  his  kingdom  would 
come  !  Oh,  that  all  the  world  would  stoop  before  him  !  Oh, 
blessed  hands  that  shall  put  the  crown  upon  Christ's  head  in  Scot- 
land !  But,  alas  !  I  can  scarce  get  leave  to  ware '  my  love  on 
him :  I  can  fmd  no  ways  to  lay  out  my  heart  upon  Christ ;  and 
my  love,  that  I  with  my  soul  bestow  on  him,  is  like  to  die  upon 
my  hand,  and  I  think  it  no  bairns'  play  to  be  hungered  with 
Christ's  love.  To  love  him,  and  to  want  him,  wanteth  little  of 
Hell.  I  am  sure  that  he  knoweth  how  my  joy  would  swell  upon 
me,  from  a  little  well  to  a  great  sea,  to  have  as  much  of  his 
love,  and  as  wide  a  soul  answerable  to  comprehend  it,  till  I  cried, 
"  Hold,  Lord,  no  more."  But  I  find  that  he  will  not  have  me  to 
be  mine  own  steward,  nor  mine  own  carver.  Christ  keepeth  the 
keys  of  Christ,  (to  speak  so,)  and  of  his  own  love,  and  he  is  a 
wiser  distributer  than  I  can  take  up  :  I  know  that  there  is  more 
in  him  than  would  make  me  run  over  like  a  coast- ful  sea.  I 
were  happy  for  evermore,  to  get  leave  to  stand  but  beside  Christ 
and  his  love,  and  to  look  in,  suppose  I  were  interdicted  of  God  to 
come  near-hand, 2  touch,  or  embrace,  kiss,  or  set  to  my  sinful  head, 
and  drink  myself  drunk  with  that  lovely  thing.  God  send  me 
that  which  I  would  have ;  for  I  now  verily  see,  more  clearly  than 
before,  our  folly  in  drinking  dead  waters,  and  in  playing  the  whore 
with  our  soul's  love  upon  running-out  wells,  and  broken  sherds  of 
creatures  of  yesterday,  which  time  will  unlaw  ^  with  the  penalty 
of  losing  tlieir  being  and  natural  ornaments.  Oh,  when  a  soul's 
love  is  itching,  (to  speak  so,)  for  God  ;  and  when  Christ,  in  his 
boundless  and  bottomless  love,  beauty,  and  excellency,  cometh 
and  rubbeth  up  and  exciteth  that  love,  what  can  be  heaven,  if 
this  be  not  heaven?  I  am  sure  that  this  bit  feckless,*  narrow  and 
short  love  of  regenerated  sinners,  was  born  for  no  other  end,  than 
to  breathe,  and  live,  and  love,  and  dwell  in  the  bosom  and  betwixt 
the  breasts  of  Christ.  Where  is  there  a  bed  or  a  lodging  for  the 
saints'  love,  but  Christ  ?  Oh,  that  he  would  take  ourselves  off 
our  hand  !  for  neither  we,  nor  the  creatures  can  be  either  due  con- 
quest ^  or  lawful  heritage  to  love :  Christ,  and  none  but  Christ,  is 
lord  and  proprietor  of  it.  Oh,  alas,  how  pitiful  is  it,  that  so  much 
of  our  love  goeth  by''  him  !  Oh,  but  we  be  wretched  wasters  of 
our  soul's  love  !  I  know  it  to  be  the  depth  of  bottomless  and  un- 
searchable providence,  that  the  saints  are  suffered  to  play  the 
whore  from  God,  and  that  their  love  goeth  a-hunting,  when  God 
knoweth  that  it  shall  roast  nothing  of  that  at  supper  time.  The 
renewed  would  have  it  otherwise ;  and  why  is  it  so,  seeing  our 
Lord  can  keep  us  without  nodding,  tottering,  or  reeling,  or  any 
fall  at  all?  Our  desires,  I  hope,  shall  meet  with  perfection:  but 
God  will  have  our  sins  an  oflice-house  for  God's  grace,  and  hath 

'  Expend,  lay  out.  2  Near.  3  Fine,  amerce. 

<  Feeble.  5  Acquisition  by  purchase  or  industry.  ^  Past. 


Rutherford's  letters.  305 

made  sin  a  matter  of  an  unlaw  ^  and  penalty  for  the  Son  of  God's 
blood:  and  howbeit  sin  should  be  our  sorrow,  yet  there  is  a  sort 
of  acquiescing  and  resting  upon  God's  dispensation  required  of  us, 
that  there  is  such  a  thing  in  us  as  sin,  whereupon  mercy,  forgive- 
ness, healing,  curing,  in  our  sweet  physician,  may  find  a  field  to 
work  upon.  Oh,  what  a  deep  is  here,  that  created  wisdom  can- 
not take  up  !  However  matters  go,  it  is  our  happiness  to  win  new 
ground  daily,  in  Christ's  love,  and  to  purchase  a  new  piece  of  it 
daily,  and  to  add  conquest '^  to  conquest,^  till  our  Lord  Jesus  and 
we  be  so  near  each  other,  that  Satan  shall  not  draw  a  straw  or  a 
thread  betwixt  us. 

And,  for  myself,  I  have  no  greater  joy,  in  my  well-favored  bonds 
for  Christ,  than  that  I  know  time  will  put  hirn  and  me  together; 
and  that  my  love  and  longing  hath  room  and  liberty,  amidst  my 
bonds  and  foes,  (whereof  there  are  not  a  few  here  of  all  ranks,)  to 
go  to  visit  the  borders,  and  outer  coasts  of  the  country  of  my  Lord 
Jesus,  and  see,  at  least  afar  off  and  darkly,  the  country  which 
shall  be  mine  inheritance,  which  is  the  due  of  my  Lord  Jesus,  both 
through  birth  and  conquest.'^  I  dare  avouch  to  all  that  know  God, 
that  the  saints  know  not  tlie  length  and  largeness  of  the  sweet 
earnest  and  of  the  sweet  green  sheaves  before  the  harvest,  that 
might  be  had  on  this  side  of  the  water,  if  we  would  take  more 
pains  :  and  that  we  all  go  to  Heaven  with  less  earnest,  and  lighter 
purses  of  the  hoped-for  sum,  than  otherwise  we  might  do,  if  we 
took  more  pains  to  win  further  in  upon  Christ,  in  this  pilgrimage 
of  our  absence  from  him. 

Grace,  grace  and  glory  be  your  portion. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CXCV. 


TO     ROBERT     STUART, 


My  very  dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to 
you. — Ye  are  heartily  welcome  to  my  world  of  suffering,  and 
heartily  welcome  to  my  Master's  house :  God  give  you  much  joy 
of  your  new  Master.  If  I  have  been  in  the  house  before  you,  I 
were  not  faithful  to  give  the  house  an  ill  name,  or  to  speak  evil 
of  the  Lord  of  the  family ;  I  rather  wish  God's  holy  Spirit, — O 
Lord,  breathe  upon  me  with  that  Spirit, — to  tell  you  the  fashions 
of  the  house.  One  thing  I  can  say,  by  on-waiting  ye  will  grow  a 
great  man  with  the  Lord  of  the  house.  Hang  on  till  ye  get  some 
good  from  Christ.  Lay  all  your  loads  and  your  v.^eights  by  faith 
upon  Christ;  take  ease  to  yourself,  and  let  him  bear  all:  he  can, 
he  dow,^  he  will  bear  you,  howbeit  Hell  were  upon  your  back.  I 
rejoice  that  he  is  come,  and  hath  chosen  you  in  the  furnace ;  it 

1  A  fine.  2  Acquisition  by  purchase  or  industry.  3  is  able. 

20 


306  Rutherford's  letters. 

was  even  there  where  ye  and  he  set  tryst. ^  That  is  an  old  gate' 
of  Christ's  :  he  keepeth  the  good  old  fashion  with  you.  that  was  in 
Hosea's  days.  (Hos.  ii.  14,)  "There,  behold,  I  will  allure  her,  and 
brino-  her  to  the  wilderness,  and  speak  to  her  heart."  There  was 
no  talking  to  her  heart,  while  he  and  she  were  in  the  fair  and 
flourisliing  city,  and  at  ease  ;  but  out  in  the  cold,  hungry,  waste 
wilderness,  he  allureth  her  ;  he  whispered  news  into  her  ear  there, 
and  said,  "  Thou  art  mine."  What  would  ye  think  of  such  a 
bode  ?  ^  Ye  may  soon  do  worse  than  say,  "  Lord,  hold  all  ;^  Lord 
Jesus,  a  bargain  be  it,  it  shall  not  go  back  on  my  side." 

Ye  have  gotten  a  great  advantage  in  the  way  to  Heaven  that 
ye  have  started  to  the  gate^  in  the  morning.  Like  a  fool,  as  I 
was,  I  suffered  my  sun  to  be  high  in  the  heaven,  and  near  after- 
noon, before  ever  I  took  the  gate'  by  the  end.  I  pray  you  now 
keep  the  advantage  ye  have.  My  heart,  be  not  lazy  ;  set  quickly 
up  the  brae^  on  hands  and  feet,  as  if  the  last  pickle  of  sand  were 
running  out  of  your  glass,  and  death  were  coming  to  turn  the 
glass  :  and  be  very  careful  to  take  heed  to  your  feet,  in  (hat  slip- 
pery and  dangerous  way  of  youth,  that  ye  are  walking  in.  The 
Devil  and  temptations  now  have  the  advantage  of  the  brae  of 
you,  and  are  upon  your  wand-hand '  and  your  working-hand.'' 
Dry  timber  will  soon  take  fire.  Be  covetous  and  greedy  of  the 
grace  of  God,  and  beware  that  it  be  not  holiness  which  cometh 
only  from  the  cross  ;  for  too  many  are  that  way  disposed.  (Psalm 
Ixxviii.  34,)  "When  he  slew  them  then  they  sought  him,  and 
they  returned  and  inquired  early  after  God."  (Ver.  36,)  "  Never- 
theless, they  did  flatter  him  with  their  mouth,  and  they  lied  unto 
him  with  their  tongues."  It  is  a  part  of  our  hypocris}'",  to  give 
God  fair  w4iite-words,^  when  he  hath  us  in  his  grips,*  (if  I  may 
speak  so,)  and  to  flatter  him  till  we  win'"  to  the  fair  fields  again. 
Tr}^  well  green  godliness,  and  examine  what  it  is  that  ye  love  in 
Christ.  If  ye  love  but  Christ's  sunny  side,  and  would  have  only 
summer  weather  and  a  land-gate,"  not  a  sea-way  to  Heaven,  your 
profes-^ion  will  play  you  a  slip,  and  the  winter-well  will  go  dry 
again  in  summer. 

Make  no  sports  nor  bairns'  play  of  Christ ;  but  labor  for  a  sound 
and  lively  sight  of  sin,  that  ye  may  judge  yourself  an  undone 
man,  a  damned  slave  of  Hell  and  of  sin,  one  dying  in  your  own 
blood,  except  Christ  come  and  rue  upon  you,  and  take  you  up  ; 
and,  therefore,  make  sure  and  fast  work  of  conversion.  Cast  the 
earth  deep  ;  and  down,  down  with  the  old  work,  the  building  of 
confusion  that  was  there  before  ;  and  let  Christ  lay  new  work, 
and  make  a  new  creation  within  you.  Look  if  Christ's  rain  goeth 
down  to  the  root  of  your  withered  plants,  and  if  his  love  wound 

•  Made  apj)ointmpnt  to  meet.  2  Custom,  manner.  _  ^  Offer. 

^  I-.et  all  that  has  heen  said  hold  good:  an  expression  used  in  accepting  an  offer, 
equivalent  to  done  in  English.  5  Road.  *  Hill. 

■'  Tlie  hand  which  holds  the  wand  or  whip  that  is  used  to  drive  a  horse  in  working. 
Working-hand,  the  hand  which  guides  the  horse.  7'o  be  upon  one's  irand-hnnd  and 
tDorkim:  hand,  to  beset  one  on  every  side.  *  Cajoling  speeches. 

9  Gripe.  i"  Get.  "  Way  by  land 


Rutherford's  letters.  307 

yoiii-  heart  whill  it  bleed  with  sorrow  for  sin,  and  if  ye  can  pant 
and  fall  a-swoon,'  and  be  like  to  die  for  that  lovely  One,  Jesus. 
I  know  that  Christ  will  not  be  hid  where  he  is  ;  grace  will  ever 
speak  for  itself,  and  be  fruitful  in  well-doing  ;  the  sanctified  cross 
is  a  fruitful  tree,  it  bringeth  forth  many  apples. 

If  I  should  tell  you  by  some  weak  experience,  what  I  have 
found  in  Christ,  ye  or  others  could  hardly  believe  me.  I  thought 
not  the  hundredth  part  of  Christ  long  since,  that  I  do  now,  though, 
alas  !  my  thoughts  are  still  infinitely  below  his  worth.  I  have  a 
dwming,2  sickly,  and  pained  life,  for  a  real  possession  of  him  ;  and 
am  troubled  with  love-brashes'  and  love-fevers  ;  but  it  is  a  sweet 
pain.  I  would  refuse  no  conditions,  not  Hell  excepted,  (reserving 
always  God's  hatred,)  to  buy  possession  of  Jesus  :  but,  alas  !  I  am 
not  a  merchant,  who  have  any  money  to  give  for  him  :  I  must 
either  come  to  a  good-cheap*  market,  where  wares  are  had  for 
nothing,  else  I  go  home  empty.  But  I  have  casten^  this  work 
upon  Christ  to  get  me  himself  I  have  his  faith,  and  truth,  and 
promise,  (as  a  pawn  of  his,)  all  engaged  that  I  shall  obtain  that 
which  my  hungry  desires  would  be  at,  and  I  esteem  that  the 
choice  of  my  happiness  ;  and  for  Christ's  cross,  especially  the  gar- 
land and  dower  of  all  crosses,  to  suffer  for  his  name,  I  esteem  it 
more  than  I  can  write  or  speak  to  you.  And  I  write  it  under 
mine  own  hand  to  you,  that  it  is  one  of  the  steps  of  the  ladder  up 
to  our  country,  and  Christ,  (whoever  be  one,)  is  still  at  the  heavy 
end  of  this  black  tree,  and  so  it  is  but  as  a  feather  to  me.  I  need 
not  run  at  leisure,  because  of  a  burden  on  my  back  :  my  back  never 
bare  the  like  of  it ;  the  more  heavily  crossed  for  Christ,  the  soul  is 
still  the  lighter  for  the  journey. 

Now,  would  to  God  that  all  cold-blooded,  faint-hearled  soldiers 
of  Christ  would  look  again  to  Jesus,  and  to  his  love  ;  and  when 
they  look,  1  would  have  them  to  look  again  and  again,  and  fill 
themselves  with  beholding  of  Christ's  beauty;  and  I  dare  say  then, 
that  Christ  would  come  into  great  court «  and  request  with  many. 
The  virgins  would  flock  fast  about  the  Bridegroom  ;  they  would 
embrace  and  take  hold  of  him,  and  not  let  him  go  : — but  when  I 
have  spoken  of  him.  till  my  head  rive,  I  have  said  just  nothing,  I 
may  begin  again.  A  God-head,  a  God-head  is  a  world's  wonder. 
Set  ten  thousand  thousand  new-made  worlds  of  angels  and  elect 
men,  and  double  them  in  numl)er,  ten  thousand,  thousand,  thou- 
sand times;  let  their  heart  and  tongues  be  ten  thousand  thousand 
times  more  agile  and  large,  than  the  heart  and  tongues  of  the  ser- 
aphims  that  stand  with  six  wings  before  him,  (Isa.  vi.  2,)  when 
they  have  said  all  for  the  glorifying  and  praising  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  they  have  but  spoken  little'  or  nothing;  his  love  will  abide 
all  possible  creatures  to  praise.  Oh,  if  I  could  wear  this  tongue 
to  the  stump,  in  extolling  his  highness  !  But  it  is  my  daily-grow- 
ing sorrow,  that  I  am  confounded  with  his  incomparable  love,  and 
that  he  doelh  so  great  things  for  my  soul,  and  hath  got  never  yet 

1  Into  a  swoon.  2  Pining.  3  Fits  of  love-sickness. 

*  Gratuitous.  s  Cast.  «  Favor.  T  Oh,  that. 


308  Rutherford's  letters. 

anything  of  me  worth  the  speaking  of.  Sir,  I  charge  you,  help 
me  to  praise  him :  it  is  a  shame  to  speak  of  what  he  hatli  done  for 
me  and  what  I  do  to  him  again.  I  am  sure  that  Christ  hath 
many  drowned  dyvours'  in  Heaven  heside  him  :  and  when  we  are 
convened,  man  and  angel,  at  the  great  day,  in  that  fair  last  meet- 
ino-,  we  are  all  but  his  drowned  dyvours:'  it  is  hard  to  say,  who 
oweth  him  most.  If  men  could  do  no  more,  I  would  have  them 
to  wonder  :  if  we  cannot  be  filled  with  Christ's  love,  we  may  be 
filled  with  wondering. 

Sir,  I  would  that  I  could  persuade  you  to  grow  sick  for  Christ, 
and  to  long  after  him,  and  be  pained  with  love  for  himself: — but 
His  tongue  is  in  Heaven  who  can  do  it !  To  him  and  his  rich 
grace  I  recommend  you. 

I  pray  you,  pray  for  me,  and  forget  not  to  praise. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  June  17,  1637. 


LETTER  CXCVL 

TO     THE     LADY     GAITGIRTH. 

Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.— I  long  to 
know  how  matters  stand  betwixt  Christ  and  your  soul.  1  know 
that  ye  find  him  still  the  longer  the  better ;  time  cannot  change  him 
in  his  love  :  ye  may  yourself  ebb  and  flow,  rise  and  fall,  wax  and 
wane  ;  but  your  Lord  is  this  day  as  he  was  yesterday  ;  and  it  is 
your  comfort  that  your  salvation  is  not  rolled  upon  wheels  of  your 
own  making,  neither  have  ye  to  do  with  a  Christ  of  your  own 
shaping.  God  hath  singled  out  a  Mediator,  strong  and  mighty  : 
if  ye  and  your  burdens  were  as  heavy  as  ten  hills  or  hells,  he  is  able 
to  bear  you,  and  save  you  to  the  uttermost.  Your  often  seeking 
to  him,  cannot  make  you  a  burden  to  him.  I  know  that  Christ 
compassioneth  you,  and  maketh  a  moan'  for  you,  in  all  your 
dumps,  and  under  your  down-castings  ;  but  it  is  good  for  you,  that 
he  hideth  himself  sometimes.  It  is  not  niceness,  dryness,  nor 
coldness  of  love,  that  causeth  Christ  to  withdraw,  and  slip  in 
under  a  curtain  and  a  veil,  that  ye  cannot  see  him ;  but  he  know- 
eth  that  ye  could  not  bear  with  upsails,  a  fair  gale,  a  full  moon 
and  a  high  spring-tide  of  his  felt  love,  and  always  a  fair  summer- 
day  and  a  summer-sun  of  a  felt  and  possessed  and  embracing 
Lord  Jesus.  His  kisses  and  his  visits  to  his  dearest  ones  are  thin- 
sown.  He  could  not  let  out  his  rivers  of  love  upon  his  own,  but 
these  rivers  would  be  in  hazard  of  loosening  a  young  plant  at  the 
root;  and  he  knoweth  this  of  you.  Ye  should,  therefore,  frist' 
Christ's  kindness,  as  to  its  sensible  and  full  manifestations,  till  ye 
and  he  be  above  sun  and  moon  :  that  is  the  country  where  ye  will 
be  enlarged  for  that  love  which  ye  dow  not*  now  contain. 

>  Bankrupts.  2  Bemoaneth. 

8  Postpone  the  possession  oC  *  Are  not  able. 


Rutherford's  letters.  309 

Cast  the  burden  of  your  sweet  babes  upon  Christ,  and  hghten 
your  heart,  by  laying-  your  all  upon  him  :  he  will  be  their  God.  I 
hope  to  see  you  up  the  mountain  yet,  and  glad  in  the  salvation  of 
God.  Frame  yourself  for  Christ,  and  gloom'  not  upon  his  cross. 
I  find  him  so  sweet,  that  my  love,  suppose  I  would  charge  it  to  re- 
move from  Christ,  would  not  obey  me  :  his  love  hath  stronger  fin- 
gers than  to  let  go  its  grips'  of  us,  bairns,  who  cannot  go  but  by 
such  a  hold  as  Christ.  It  is  good  that  we  want  legs  of  our  own, 
since  we  may  borrow  from  Christ ;  and  it  is  our  happiness  that 
Christ  is  under  an  act  of  cautionry^  for  Heaven,  and  that  Christ 
is  booked  in  Heaven,  as  the  principal  debtor,  for  such  poor  bodies 
as  we  are. 

I  request  you,  to  give  the  Laird,  your  husband,  thanks  for  hi« 
care  of  me,  in  that  he  hath  appeared,  in  public,  for  a  prisoner  of 
Christ.  I  pray  and  write  mercy,  and  peace,  and  blessings  to  him 
and  his. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you  forever. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER   CXCVH. 

TO     ]MR.      JOHN     FERGUSHILL. 

Rkverend  and  dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace 
be  to  you. — My  longings  and  desires  for  a  sight  of  the  new-builded 
tabernacle  of  Christ  again  in  Scotland,  that  tabernacle  that  came 
down  from  Heaven,  hath  now  taken  some  life  again,  when  I  see 
Christ  making  a  rnint^  to  sow  vengeance  among  his  enemies.  I 
care  not,  if  this  land  be  ripe  for  such  a  great  wonderful  mercy  ; 
but  I  know,  he  must  do  it,  whenever  it  is  done,  without  hire.  I 
find  the  grief  of  my  silence,  and  my  fear  to  be  holden  at  the  door 
of  Christ's  house,  swelling  upon  me;  and  the  truth  is,  were  it  not 
that  I  am  dawted^  now  and  then  with  pieces  of  Christ's  sweet 
love  and  comforts,  I  fear  I  should  .have  made  an  ill  browst*  of 
this  honorable  cross,  that  I  know  such  a  soft  and  silly-minded 
body  as  I  am,  is  not  worthy  of:  for  I  have  little  in  me  but  soft- 
ness, and  superlative  and  excessive  apprehensions  of  fear,  and  sad- 
ness, and  sorrow;  and  often  God's  terrors  do  surround  me,  because 
Christ  looketh  not  so  favorably  upon  me,  as  a  poor  witness  would 
have  him  ;  and  I  wonder,  how  I  have  passed  a  year  and  a  quarter's 
im|)risonnient.  without  shaming  my  sweet  Lord  to  whom  I  desire 
to  be  faithful:  and  I  think  I  shall  die  but^  even  minting^and  aim- 
ing to  serve  and  honor  my  Lord  Jesus.  Few  know  how  toom' 
and  empty  I  am  at  home  ;  but  it  is  a  part  of  marriage-love  and 

1  Frown.  2  Hold,  gripe.  3  Suretystiip. 

*  Indication,  by  signs,  of  an  intention.  s  Cockered. 

6  The  quantity  of  ale  brewed  at  one  time ;  metaphorically,  the  consequences  of  one's 
conduct.  7  Without.  8  Intimating  an  intention.  »  Empty. 


310  Rutherford's  letters. 

husband-love,  that  my  Lord  Jesus  goeth  not  to  the  streets  with 
his  chiding  against  nie  :  it  is  but  stolen  and  concealed  anger  that 
I  find  and  feel,  and  his  glooms'  to  rne  are  kept  under  roof,  that  he 
will  not  have  mine  enemies  hear  what  is  betwixt  me  and  him. 
And,  believe  me,  I  say  the  truth  in  Ciirist,  that  the  only  gall  and 
wormwood  in  my  cup,  and  that  which  hath  filled  me  with  fear, 
hath  been,  lest  my  sins,  that  sun  and  moon  and  the  Lord's  chil- 
dren were  never  witness  to,  shoiild  have  moved  my  Lord  to  strike 
me  with  dumb  Sabbaths  : — Lord,  pardon  my  soft  and  weak  jeal- 
ousies,^ if  I  here  be  in  an  error. 

My  very  dear  brother,  I  would  have  looked  for  larger  and  more 
particular  letters  from  you,  for  my  comfort  in  this ;  for  your  words 
before  have  strengthened  me.  I  pray  you  to  mend  this,  and  be 
thankful  and  painful,  while  ye  have  a  piece  or  corner  of  the  Lord's 
vineyard  to  dress.  Oh,  would  to  God  that  I  could  have  leave  to 
follow  you  to  break  the  clods  !  But  I  wish  I  could  command  my 
soul  to  be  silent,  and  to  wait  upon  the  Lord.  I  am  sure,  that 
while  Christ  lives,  I  am  well  enough  friend-stead.^  I  hope  that 
he  will  extend  his  kindness  and  power  for  me  ;  but  God  be 
thanked  it  is  not  worse  with  me,  than  a  cross  for  Christ  and  his 
truth.  I  know  that  he  might  have  pitched  upon  many  more 
choice  and  w^orthy  witnesses,  if  he  had  pleased ;  but  I  seek  no 
more,  (be  what  timber  I  will,  suppose  I  were  made  of  a  piece  of 
Hell,)  than  that  my  Lord,  in  his  infinite  art,  hew  glory  to  his 
name,  and  enlargement  to  Christ's  Kingdom,  out  of  me.  Oh,  that 
I  could  attain  to  this,  to  desire  that  my  part  of  Christ  might  be 
laid  in  pledge  for  the  heightening  of  Christ's  throne  in  Britain  ! 
Let  my  Lord  redeem  the  pledge,  or,  if  he  please,  let  it  sink  and 
drown  unredeemed.  But  what  can  I  add  to  him?  or  what  way 
can  a  smothered  and  borne-doAvn  prisoner  set  out  Christ  in  open 
market,  as  a  lovely  and  desirable  Lord,  to  many  souls  ?  I  know 
that  he  seeth  to  his  own  glory,  better  than  my  ebb*  thoughts  can 
dream  of;  and  that  the  wheels  and  paces  of  this  poor  distempered 
Kirk  are  in  his  hands,  and  that  things  shall  roll  as  Christ  will 
have  them  : — only,  Lord  tryst ^  the  matter  so,  as  Christ  may  be 
made  a  householder  and  lord  again  in  Scotland,  and  wet  faces  for 
his  departure  may  be  dried  at  his  sweet  and  much  desired  wel- 
come home.  I  see,  that  in  all  our  trials,  our  Lord  will  not  mix 
our  wares  and  his  grace  over-head  througli  other  ;^  but  he  will 
have  each  man  to  know  his  own,  that  the  like  of  me  may  say  in 
my  sufferings,  "This  is  Christ's  grace,  and  this  is  but  my  coarse 
stuff:  this  is  free  grace,  and  this  is  but  nature  and  reason."  We 
know  what  our  legs  would  play  us,  if  they  should  carry  us  through 
all  our  waters;  and  the  least  thing  our  Lord  can  have  of  us,  is,  to 
know  we  are  grace's  debtors  or  grace's  dyvours  ^  and  that  nature 
is  off^  a  base  house  and  blood,  and  grace  is  better  born,  and  of 
kin  and  blood  to  Christ,  and  off*  a  better  house.     Oh,  that  I  were 

1  Frowns.  2  Suspicions.  9  Befriended. 

*  Shallow.  5  Appoint,  arrange. 

6  One  witti  another,  promiscuously.  7  Bankrupts  ^  Descended  from. 


Rutherford's  letters.  311 

free  of  that  idol,  which  they  call  Myself;  and  that  Christ  were  for 
Myself,  and  Myself  a  decourted '  cypher,  and  a  denied  and  fore- 
sworn thing  !  But  that  proud  thing,  Myself,  will  not  play,  except 
it  ride  up  side  for  side  with  Christ,  or  rather  have  place  before 
him.  O  Myself, — another  devil,  as  evil  as  the  Prince  of  devils  ! — 
if  thou  couldest  give  Christ  the  way,  and  take  thine  own  room, 
which  is  to  sit  as  low  as  nothing  or  corruption  !  Oh,  but  we  have 
much  need  to  be  ransomed  and  redeemed  by  Christ,  from  that 
ziiasler-tyrant,  that  cruel  and  lawless  lord,  Ourself  Nay,  when  I 
am  seeking  Christ,  and  am  out  of  myself,  I  have  the  third  part  of 
a  squint  eye  upon  that  vain,  vain  thing.  Myself,  Myself,  and  some- 
thing of  mine  own  : — but  I  must  hold  here. 

I  desire  you  to  contribute  your  help,  to  see  if  I  can  be  restored 
to  my  wasted  and  lost  flock.  I  see  not  how  it  can  be,  except  the 
lords  would  procure  me  a  liberty  to  preach  :  and  they  have  reason; 
1.  Because  the  opposers  and  my  adversaries  have  practised  their 
new  canons  upon  me,  whereof  one  is.  That  no  deprived  minister 
preach,  under  the  pain  of  excommunication.  2.  Because  my  op- 
posing of  these  canons,  was  a  special  thing  that  incensed  Syd- 
serf^  against  me.  3.  Because  I  was  judicially  accused  for  my 
book  against  the  Arminians,  and  commanded  by  the  Chancellor, 
to  acknowledge  that  I  had  done  a  fault  in  writing  against  Dr. 
Jackson,  a  wicked  Arminian.    Pray  for  a  room  in  the  house  to  me. 

Grace,  grace  be,  (as  it  is,)  your  portion. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CXCVIII. 

TO  JOHN  STUART,  PROVOST  OF  AYR. 

Worthy  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  long 
for  the  time,  when  I  shall  see  the  beauty  of  the  Lord  in  his  house; 
and  would  be  as  glad  of  it  as  of  any  sight  on  earth,  to  see  (he  halt, 
the  blind,  and  the  lame,  come  back  to  Zion  with  supplications, 
(Jer.  xxxi.  8,  9.)  "Going  and  weeping,  and  seeking  the  Lord,  ask- 
ing the  way  to  Zion  with  their  faces  thitherward,"  (Jer.  1.  4,  5;) 
and  to  see  the  Woman  travailing  in  birth,  delivered  of  the  man- 
child  of  a  blessed  reformation.  If  this  land  were  humbled,  I  would 
look  that  our  skies  should  clear,  and  our  day  dawn  again  ;  and  ye 
should  then  bless  Christ,  who  is  content  to  save  your  travel,  and 
to  give  himself  to  you,  in  pure  ordinances  on  this  side  of  the  sea. 
I  know  the  mercy  of  Christ  is  engaged  by  promise  to  Scotland, 
notwithstanding  he  bring  wrath,  as  I  fear  he  will,  upon  this  land. 

I  am  waiting  on  for  enlargement,  and  half  content  that  my 
faith  bow,  if  Clirist,  while  he  bow  it,  keep  it  unbroken  ;  for  who 
goeth  through  a  fire  without  a  mark  or  a  scald  ?     I  see  the  Lord 

1  Discarded.  ^  The  bishop  of  Galloway. 


312  Rutherford's  letters. 

making  use  of  this  fire,  to  scour  his  vessels  from  their  rust.  Oh, 
that  my  will  were  silent,  and  "  as  a  child  weaned  from  the  breasts !" 
(Psalm  cxxxi.)  But,  alas !  who  hath  an  heart  that  will  give 
Christ  the  last  word  in  flytinj^,'  and  will  hear,  and  not  speak 
again  ?  Oh  !  contestations  ^  and  quarrelous  replies  (as  a  soon- 
saddled  spirit,  "  1  do  well  to  be  angry  even  to  the  death,")  (Jonah 
iv.  9,)  smell  of  the  stink  of  strong  corruption.  Oh,  blessed  soul 
that  could  sacrifice  his  will,  and  go  to  Heaven,  having  lost  his  will 
and  made  resignation  of  it  to  Christ!  I  would  seek  no  more,  than 
that  Christ  were  absolute  King  over  my  will,  and  that  my  will 
were  a  sufferer  in  all  crosses,  without  meeting  Christ  with  such  a 
word,  "  Why  is  it  thus?"  I  wish  still,  that  my  love  had  but  leave 
to  stand  beside  beautiful  Jesus,  and  to  get  the  mercy  of  looking  to 
him,  and  burning  for  him,  suppose  that  possession  of  him  were 
suspended  and  fristed  ^  till  my  Lord  fold  together  the  leaves  and 
two  sides  of  the  little  shepherds'  tents  of  clay.  Oh,  what  pain  is 
in  longing  for  Christ,  under  an  over-clouded"  and  eclipsed  assur- 
ance !  What  is  harder  than  to  burn  and  dwine^  with  lonq-ing 
and  deaths  of  love,  and  then  to  have  blanks  and  uninked  paper  for 
assurance  of  Christ  in'  real  fruition  or  possession  ?  Oh,  how  sweet 
were  one  line  or  half  a  letter  of  a  written  assurance  under  Christ's 
own  hand  !  But  this  is  our  exercise  daily,  that  guiltiness  shall 
overmist^  and  darken  assurance.  It  is  a  miracle  to  believe,  but 
for  a  sinner  to  believe  is  two  miracles.  But  oh,  what  obligations 
of  love  are  we  under  to  Christ,  who  beareth  with  our  w^ild  appre- 
hensions, in  suffering  thenn  to  nickname  sweet  Jesus,  and  to  put 
a  lie  upon  his  good  name  !  If  he  had  not  been  God,  and  if  long- 
suffering  in  Christ  Avere  not  like  Christ  himself,  we  should  long 
ago  have  broken  Christ's  mercies,  into  two  pieces,  and  put  an  iron 
bar  on  our  salvation,  that  mercy  should  not  have  been  able  to 
break  or  overleap ;  but  long-suffering  in  God,  is  God  himself,  and 
that  is  our  salvation,  and  the  stability  of  our  heaven  is  in  God. 
He  knew,  (who  said,  "Christ  in  you  the  hope  of  glory,"  (Col.  i. 
27 ;)  for  our  hope  and  the  bottom  and  pillars  of  it  is  Christ-God,) 
that  sinners  are  anchor-fast  and  made  stable  in  God ;  so  that  if 
God  do  not  change,  (which  is  impossible,)  then  my  hope  shall  not 
fluctuate.  Oh,  sweet  stability  of  sure-bottomed  salvation  !  Who 
could  win^  Heaven,  if  this  were  not  so?  and  who  could  be  saved, 
if  God  were  not  God,  and  if  he  were  not  such  a  God  as  he  is? 
Oh,  God  be  thanked  that  our  salvation  is  coasted,  and  landed,  and 
shored  upon  Christ,  who  is  Master  of  winds  and  storms  !  And 
what  sea-winds  can  blow  the  coast  or  the  land  out  of  its  place  ? 
Bulwarks  are  often  casten  down,  but  coasts  are  not  removed: 
but  suppose  that  were  or  might  be,  yet  God  cannot  reel  nor  re- 
move. Oh,  that  we  go  from  this  strong  and  immovable  Lord, 
and  that  we  loosen  ourselves,  (if  it  were  in  our  power,)  from  him ! 
Alas,  our  green  and  young  love  hath  not  taken  with  Christ,  being 
unacquainted  with  him  :  he  is  such  a  wide,  and  broad,  and  deep, 

1  Chidintr.  2  Altercations.  3  Postponed. 

*  Pine  away.  s  Becloud.  ^  Attain  to. 


Rutherford's  letters.  313 

and  hicrh,  and  surpassing-  sweetness,  that  our  love  is  too  little  for 
him.  But  oh,  if '  our  love,  little  as  it  is,  could  take  band  ^  with 
his  great  and  huge  sweetness,  and  transcendent  excellency  !  Oh, 
thrice  blessed,  and  eternally  blessed  are  they,  who  are  out  of  them- 
selves, and  above  themselves,  that  they  may  be  in  love  united  to 
him  ! 

1  am  often  rollingup  and  down  the  thoughts  of  my  faint  and 
sick  desires  of  expressing  Christ's  glory  before  his  people  ;  but  I  see 
not  through  the  throng  of  impediments,  and  cannot  find  eyes  to 
look  higher,  and  so  I  put  many  things  in  Christ's  way  to  hinder 
him,  that  I  know  he  would  but  laugh  at,  and  witli  one  stride  set 
his  foot  over  them  all.  I  know  not  if  my  Lord  will  bring  me  to 
his  sanctuary  or  not:  but  I  know  that  he  hath  the  placing  of  me, 
either  within  or  without  the  house,  and  that  nothing  will  be  done 
without  him.  But  I  am  often  thinking  and  saying  within  my- 
self, that  my  days  flee  away,  and  I  see  no  good,  neither  yet 
Christ's  work  thriving  ;  and  it  is  like  that  the  grave  shall  prevent 
the  answer  of  my  desires  of  saving  of  souls  as  1  would.  But  alas  ! 
I  cannot  make  right  work  of  his  ways;  I  neither  spell  nor  read 
my  Lord's  providence  aright ;  my  thoughts  go  a  way  that  I  fear 
they  meet  not  God  ;  for  it  is  likely,  that  God  will  not  come  the 
way  of  my  thoughts  :  and  I  cannot  be  taught  to  crucify  to  him  my 
wisdom  and  desires,  and  to  make  him  king  over  my  thoughts  ; 
for  1  would  have  a  princedom  over  m)'^  thoughts,  and  would  boldly 
and  blindly  prescribe  to  God,  and  guide  myself  in  a  way  of  my 
own  making : — but  I  hold  my  peace  here  ;  let  him  do  his  will. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweetest  Lord,  and  Master,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1G37. 


LETTER  CXCIX. 


TO     CARSLUTH. 


Much  honored  Sir, — I  long  to  hear  how  your  soul  prospereth. 
I  earnestly  desire  you,  to  try  liow  matters  stand  between  your 
soul  and  the  Lord.  Think  it  no  easy  matter  to  take  Heaven  by 
violence.  Salvation  cometh  now  to  the  most  part  of  men  in  a 
night-dream.  There  is  no  scarcity  of  faith  now,  such  as  it  is  ;  for 
ye  shall  not  now  light  upon  the  man,  who  will  not  say  he  Jiath 
faith  in  Christ ; — but,  alas  !  dreams  make  no  man's  rights. 

Worthy  sir,  I  beseech  you  in  the  Lord,  to  give  your  soul  no  rest, 
till  ye  have  real  assurance,  and  Christ's  rights  confirmed  and 
sealed  to  your  soul.  The  common  faith,  and  country-holiness, 
and  week-day  zeal,  that  is  among  people,  will  never  bring  men  to 
Heaven.  Take  pains  for  your  salvation;  for  in  that  day,  when 
ye  shall  see  many  men's  labors  and  conquests^  and  idol-riches 

1  Oh.  tlint.        2  Unite.     An  allusion  to  the  uniting  of  mortar  with  stones  in  a  wall. 
3  Acquisitions. 


314  Rutherford's  letters. 

lying  in  ashes,  when  the  earth  and  all  the  works  thereof  shall  be 
burnt  with  fire,  oh,  how  dear  a  price  would  your  soul  give  for  God's 
favor  in  Christ!  It  is  a  blessed  thing  to  see  Christ  with  up-sun, 
and  to  read  over  your  papers  and  soul-accounts  with  fair  day- 
light. It  will  not  be  time  to  cry  for  a  lamp,  when  the  Bridegroom 
is  entered  into  his  chamber,  and  the  door  shut.  Fy,  fy  upon 
blinded  and  debased  souls  who  are  committing  whoredom  with 
tliis  idol-clay,  and  hunting  a  poor,  wretched,  hungry  heaven,  a-^ 
hungry  breakfast,  a  day's  meat  from  this  hungry  world,  with  the 
forfeiting  of  God's  favor,  and  the  drinking  over  of  their  heaven 
over  the  board  ^  (as  men  used  to  speak,)  for  the  laughter  and 
sports  of  this  short  forenoon  !  All  that  is  under  this  vault  of 
Heaven,  and  betwixt  us  and  death,  and  on  this  side  of  sun  and 
moon,  are  but  toys,  night-visions,  head-fancies,  poor  shadows, 
watery  froth,  godless  vanities,  at  their  best,  and  black  hearts,  and 
salt  and  sour  miseries,  sugared  over,  and  confected  with  an  hour's 
laughter  or  two,  and  the  conceit  of  riches,  honor,  vain,  vain  court, 
and  lawless  pleasures.  Sir,  if  ye  look  both  to  the  laughing  side, 
and  to  the  weeping  side  of  this  world,  and  if  ye  look  not  only 
upon  the  skin  and  color  of  things,  but  into  their  inwards,  and  the 
heart  of  their  excellency,  ye  shall  see  that  one  look  of  Christ's 
sweet  and  lovely  eye,  one  kiss  of  his  fairest  face,  is  worth  ten 
thousand  worlds  of  such  rotten  stuff,  as  the  foolish  sons  of  men 
set  their  hearts  upon.  Oh,  sir,  turn,  turn  your  heart  to  the  other 
side  of  things,  and  get  it  once  free  of  these  entanglements,  to  con- 
sider eternity,  death,  the  clay  bed,  the  grave,  awsome  ^  Judgment, 
everlasting  burning  quick  in  Hell,  where  death  would  give  as 
great  a  price,  (if  there  were  a  market,  wherein  death  might  be 
bought  and  sold,)  as  all  the  world.  Consider  Heaven  and  glory  : 
— but,  alas,  why  speak  I  of  considering  those  things,  which  have 
not  entered  into  the  heart  of  man  to  consider?  Look  into  those 
depths  (without  a  bottom)  of  loveliness,  sweetness,  beauty,  excel- 
lency, glory,  goodness,  grace,  and  mercy,  that  are  in  Christ ;  and 
ye  shall  then  cry  down  the  whole  world,  and  all  the  glory  of  it, 
even  when  it  is  come  to  the  summer-bloom  ;  and  ye  shall  cry, 
"Up  with  Christ,  up  with  Christ's  Father,  up  with  eternity  of 
glory."  Sir,  there  is  a  great  deal  less  sand  in  your  glass  than 
when  I  saw  you,  and  your  afternoon  is  nearer  even-tide  now  than 
it  was.  As  a  flood  carried  back  to  the  sea,  so  doth  the  Lord's 
swift  post,  time,  carry  you  and  your  life,  with  wings,  to  the  grave. 
Ye  eat  and  drink,  but  time  standeth  not  still ;  ye  laugh,  but  your 
day  fleeth  away  ;  ye  sleep,  but  your  hours  are  reckoned  and  put 
by  hand.^  Oh,  how  soon  will  time  shut  you  out  of  the  poor,  and 
cold,  and  hungry  inn  of  this  life  !  and  then  what  w^ill  yesterday's 
short-b:)rn  pleasures  do  to  you,  but  be  as  a  snow-ball  melted  away, 
many  years  since,  or  worse  ?  for  the  memory  of  these  pleasures 
useth  to  fill  the  soul  with  bitterness.     Time  and  experience  will 

1  To  drink  anything  over  the  board,  formally  to  renounce  it  as  a  seller  formerly  did 
when  he  drank  to  the  purchaser  on  delivery  to  him  of  the  goods  sold,  and  wished  him 
luck  in  the  purchase.  2  Awful.  3  Laid  aside,  as  finished. 


Rutherford's  letters.  315 

prove  this  to  be  true ;  and  dying  men,  if  they  could  speak,  would 
make  this  good.  Lay  no  more  on  the  creatures  than  they  are 
able  to  carry.  Lay  your  soul  and  your  weights  upon  God.  Make 
him  your  only,  only  best-beloved.  Your  errand  to  this  life  is  to 
make  sure  an  eternity  of  glory  to  j'^our  soul,  and  to  match  your 
soul  with  Christ.  Your  love,  if  it  were  more  than  all  the  love  of 
angels  in  one,  is  Christ's  due  :  other  things  wortliy  in  themselves, 
in  respect  of  Christ,  are  not  worth  a  windlestraw,'  or  a  drink  of 
cold  water.  I  doubt  not  but  in  death  ye  shall  see  all  things  more 
distinctly,  and  that  then  the  world  shall  bear  no  more  bulk  than 
it  is  worth,  and  that  then  it  shall  couch  and  be  contracted  into 
nothing ;  and  ye  shall  see  Christ  longer,  higher,  broader,  and 
deeper  than  ever  he  was.  Oh  blessed  conquest, ^  to  lose  all  things, 
and  to  gain  Christ !  I  know  not  what  ye  have,  if  ye  want  Christ ! 
Alas  !  how  poor  is  your  gain,  if  the  earth  were  all  yoms  in  free 
heritage,  holding  it  of  no  man  of  clay,  if  Christ  be  not  yours  !  Oh, 
seek  all  midses,^  lay  all  oars  in  the  water,  put  forth  all  your  power, 
and  bend  all  your  endeavors,  to  put  away  and  part  with  all  things, 
that  ye  may  gain  and  enjoy  Christ.  Try  and  search  his  word, 
and  strive  to  go  a  step  above  and  beyond  ordinary  professors,  and 
resolve  to  sweat  more  and  run  faster  than  they  do  for  salvation. 
Men's  mid-day,  cold  and  Avise  courses  in  godliness,  and  their 
neighbor-like,  cold  and  wise  pace  to  Heaven,  will  cause  many  a 
man  to  want  his  lodging  at  night,  and  to  lie  in  the  fields.  I  rec- 
ommend Christ  and  his  love  to  your  seeking;  and  yourself  to  the 
tender  mercy  and  rich  grace  of  our  Lord. 

Remember  my  love  in  Christ  to  your  wife.  I  desire  her  to 
learn  to  make  her  soul's  anchor  fast  upon  Christ  himself  Few 
are  saved.  Let  her  consider  what  joy  the  smiles  of  God  in  Christ 
will  be,  and  what  the  love-kisses  of  sweet,  sweet  Jesus,  and  a  wel- 
come home  to  the  new  Jerusalem,  from  Christ's  own  mouth,  will 
be  to  her  soul,  when  Christ  will  fold  together  the  clay  tent  of  her 
body,  and  lay  it  by  his  hand'*  for  a  time,  till  the  fair  morning  of 
the  General  Resurrection.  I  avouch  before  God,  man,  and  angel, 
that  I  have  not  seen,  nor  can  imagine  a  lover  to  be  comparable  to 
lovely  Jesus  ;  1  would  not  exchange  or  niffer*  him  with  ten 
heavens.  If  Heaven  could  be  without  him,  what  could  we  do 
there?     Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Your  soul's  eternal  well-wisher,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER   CC. 
TO    cassincarrie 


Much  honored  Sir, — Grace,  mercy  and  peace  be  to  you. — I 
have  been  too  long  in  writing  to  you.     I  am  confident  that  ye 

1  A  rush.  A  wznd/cs<raw  is  a  withered  stalk  of  crested  (Ia;f's-tail  wrass.      2  Acquisition 
3  Means,  *  Lay  it  aside,  as  having  served  its  purpose.  s  Barter. 


316  Rutherford's  letters. 

have  learned  to  prize  Christ,  and  his  love  and  favor,  more  than 
ordinary  professors,  who  scarce  see  Christ  with  half  an  eye,  be- 
cause their  sight  is  taken  up  with  eying  and  liking  the  beauty  of 
this  over-gilded  world,  that  promiseth  fair  to  all  its  lovers,  but  in 
the  push  of  a  trial,  when  need  is,  can  give  nothing  but  a  fair 
beguile. 

I  know  that  ye  are  not  ignorant,  that  men  come  not  to  this 
world,  as  some  do  to  a  market,  to  see  and  to  be  seen  ;  or  as  some 
come,  to  behold  a  May-game,  and  only  to  behold,  and  to  go  home 
again.  Ye  came  hither  to  treat  with  God,  and  to  tryste '  with 
him  in  his  Christ,  for  salvation  to  your  soul,  and  to  seek  reconcil- 
iation with  an  angry,  wrathful  God,  in  a  covenant  of  peace  made 
to  3''ou  in  Christ ;  and  this  is  more  than  ordinary  sport,  or  the 
play,  that  the  greatest  part  of  the  world  give  their  heart  unto. 
And,  therefore,  worthy  sir,  I  pray  you  by  the  salvation  of  your 
soul,  and  by  the  mercy  of  God,  and  your  compearance^  before 
Christ,  do  this  in  sad  earnest,^  and  let  not  salvation  be  your  by- 
work,^  or  your  holy-day's  task  only,  or  a  work  by  the  way,  for 
men  think  that  this  may  be  done  in  three  days'  space  on  a  feather 
bed,  when  death  and  they  are  fallen  in  hands  together,  and  that 
with  a  word  or  two  they  shall  make  their  soul-matters  right. 
Alas  !  this  is  to  sit  loose  and  unsure  in  the  matters  of  our  salva- 
tion. Nay,  the  seeking  of  this  world,  and  of  the  glory  of  it,  is  but 
an  odd  and  by-errand  that  we  jnay  sHp,  so  being  we  make  salva- 
tion sure.  Oh,  when  will  men  learn  to  be  that^  heavenly-wise  as 
to  divorce  from,  and  free  their  soul  of  all  idol-lovers,  and  make 
Christ  the  only,  only  One,  and  trim  and  make  ready  their  lamps, 
while  they  have  time  and  day  !  How  soon  will  this  house  skail,* 
and  the  inn  where  the  poor  soul  lodgeth  fall  to  the  earth  !  How 
soon  will  some  few  years  pass  away,  and  then,  when  the  day  is 
ended,  and  this  life's  lease  expired,  what  have  men  of  world's 
glory,  but  dreams  and  tlioughts?  Oh,  how  blessed  a  thing  is  it  to 
labor  for  Christ,  and  to  make  him  sure  !  Know  and  try  in  time  your 
holding  of  him,  and  the  rights^  and  charters  of  Heaven,  and  upon 
what  terms  ye  have  Christ  and  the  Gospel,  and  what  Christ  is 
worth  in  your  estimation,  and  how  lightly  ye  esteem  other  things, 
aud  how  highly  Christ !  I  am  sine,  that  if  ye  see  him  in  his 
beauty  and  glory,  ye  shall  see  him  to  be  all  things,  and  that  in- 
comparable jewel  of  gold  that  ye  should  seek,  howbeit  that  ye  should 
sell,  wadset,^  and  forfeit  your  few  years'  portion  of  this  life's 
joys.  Oh,  happy  soul  for  evermore,  who  can  rightly  compau^ 
this  life  with  that  long-lasting  life  to  come,  and  can  balance  the 
weighty  glory  of  the  one,  with  the  light  golden  vanity  of  the 
other  !  The  day  of  the  liOrd  is  now  near-hand, '■"  and  all  men 
shall  come  out  in  their  blacks  and  whites,  as  they  are  :  there  shall 
be  no  borrowed  lying  colors  in  that  day,  when  Christ  shall  be 
called  Christ,  and  no  longer  nicknamed.     Now  men  borrow  Christ 

1  Engage.  -  Appearance.  3  Sober  earnest. 

*  Occasional  work,  after  the  stated  work  is  finished.  5  So. 

"  Disperse.  7  Title-deeds.  8  Alienate.        »  Near. 


Rutherford's  letters.  317 

and  his  white  color,  and  tlie  lustre,  and  farding  ^  of  Christianity ; 
but  how  many  counterfeit  masks  will  be  burnt  in  the  day  of  God, 
in  the  fire,  that  sliall  burn  the  earth  and  the  works  that  are  on  it? 
And  howbeit  Christ  have  the  hardest  part  of  it  now,  yet  in  the 
presence  of  my  Lord,  whom  I  serve  in  the  spirit,  I  would  not  niffer* 
or  exchange  Christ's  prison,  bonds,  and  chains,  Avith  the  gold 
chains  and  lordly  rents,  and  smiling  and  happy-like  ^  heavens  of 
the  men  of  this  world.  I  am  far  from  thoughts  of  repenting,  be- 
cause of  my  losses  and  bonds  for  Christ.  I  wish  that  all  my  ad- 
versaries were  as  I  am,  except  my  bonds.  Worthy,  worthy, 
worthy  for  evermore,  is  Christ,  for  whom  Ave  should  suffer  pains 
like  Hell's  pains ;  far  more  the  short  hell  that  the  saints  of  God 
have  in  this  life.  Sir,  I  wish  that  your  soul  may  be  more  ac- 
quainted with  the  sweetness  of  Christ. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  only  Lord  and  Master,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CCI. 

TO      THE      LADY      CARDONESS. 

Mistress, — ^I  beseech  you  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  make  every 
day  more  and  more  of  Christ ;  and  try  your  growth  in  the  grace 
of  God,  and  what  new  ground  ye  win  daily  on  *  corruption  :  for 
travellers  are  day  by  day  either  advancing  farther  on,  and  nearer 
home,  or  else  they  go  not  right  about  to  compass  their  journey. 

I  think  still  the  better  and  better  of  Christ :  alas!  I  know  not 
where  to  set  him,  I  would  so  fain  have  him  high  !  I  cannot  set 
heavens  above  heavens,  till  I  were  tired  with  numbering,  and  set 
him  upon  the  highest  step  and  story  of  the  highest  of  them  all ; 
but  I  wish  I  could  make  him  great  through  the  world,  suppose 
my  loss,  and  pain,  and  shame  were  set  under  the  soles  of  his  feet, 
that  he  might  stand  upon  me. 

I  request  that  you  faint  not,  because  this  world  and  ye  are  at 
yea  and  nay,  and  because  this  is  not  a  home  that  laugheth  upon 
you.  The  wise  Lord,  who  knoweth  you,  will  have  it  so,  because 
he  casteth  a  net  for  your  love,  to  catch  it  and  gather  it  in  to  him- 
self:  therefore,  bear  patiently  the  loss  of  children,  and  burdens, 
and  other  discontentments,  either  within  or  without  the  house  : — 
your  Lord  in  them  is  seeking  you,  and  seek  ye  him.  Let  none 
be  your  love  and  choice,  and  the  flower  of  your  delights,  but  your 
Lord  Jesus.  Set  not  your  heart  upon  the  world,  since  God  hath 
not  made  it  your  portion  ;  for  it  will  not  fall  to  you  to  get  two  por- 
tions, and  to  rejoice  twice,  and  to  be  happy  twice,  and  to  have  an 
upper  heaven,  and  an  under  heaven  too.  Christ  our  Lord,  and 
his  saints  were  not  so;  and,  therefore,  let  go  your  grip^  of  this 

1  Decoration.  2  Barter.  3  Apparently  happy. 

*  How  fast  you  are  gaining  on.  5  Hold. 


318  Rutherford's  letters. 

life,  and  of  the  good  things  of  it:  I  hope  that  your  heaven  grow- 
eth  not  hereaway.^  Learn  daily  both  to  possess  and  miss  Clirisl, 
in  his  secret  bridegroom-srniles.  He  must  go  and  come,  because 
his  infinite  wisdom  thinketh  it  best  for  you.  We  shall  be  togetiier 
one  day.  We  shall  not  need  to  borrow  light  from  sun,  moon,  or 
candle.  There  shall  be  no  complaints  on  either  side  in  Heaven. 
There  shall  be  none  there,  but  he  and  we,  the  Bridegroom  and 
the  Bride  ;  devils,  temptations,  trials,  desertions,  losses,  sad  hearts, 
pain,  and  death,  shall  be  all  put  out  of  play  ;  and  the  Devil  must 
give  up  his  office  of  tempting.  Oh,  blessed  is  the  soul,  whose  hope 
hath  a  face  looking  straight  out  to  that  day  !  It  is  not  our  part 
to  make  a  treasure  here;  anything,  under  the  covering  of  Heav- 
en, which  we  can  build  upon,  is  but  ill  ground  and  a  sandy  foun- 
dation. Every  good  thing,  except  God,  wanteth  a  bottom,  and 
cannot  stand  its  lone;'^  how  then  can  it  bear  the  weight  of  us? 
Let  us  not  lay  a  load  on  a  windlestraw  ;^  there  shall  nothing  find* 
my  weight,  or  found  my  happiness,  but  God.  I  know  that  all 
created  power  would  sink  vuider  me,  if  I  should  lean  down  upon 
it ;  and,  therefore,  it  is  better  to  rest  on  God,  than  to  sink  or  fall ; 
and  we  weak  souls  must  have  a  bottom  and  a  being-place,^  for  we 
cannot  stand  our  lone  ;  ^  let  us  then  be  wise  in  our  choice,  and 
choose  and  wale''  our  own  blessedness,  which  is  to  trust  in  the 
Lord.  Each  one  of  us  hath  a  whore  and  idol,  besides  our  Hus- 
band, Christ:  but  it  is  our  folly  to  divide  our  narrow  and  little 
love  ;  it  will  not  serve  two.  It  is  best  then  to  hold  its  whole  and 
together,  and  to  give  it  to  Christ ;  for  then  we  get  double  interest 
for  our  love,  when  we  lend  it  to,  and  lay  it  out  upon  Christ ;  and 
we  are  sure  besides,  that  the  stock  cannot  perish. 

Now  I  can  say  no  more.  Remember  me.  I  have  God's  right 
to  that  people ;  howbeit  by  the  violence  of  men,  stronger  than  I,  I 
am  banished  from  you,  and  chased  away.  The  Lord  give  you 
mercy  in  the  day  of  Christ.  It  may  be  that  God  will  clear  my 
sky  again  ;  howbeit  there  is  small  appearance  of  my  deliverance  : 
but  let  him  do  with  me  what  seemeth  good  in  his  own  eyes.  I 
am  his  clay,  let  my  Potter  frame  and  fashion  me  as  he  pleaseth. 
Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  lawful,  and  loving  pastor,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1G37. 


LETTER  ecu. 


TO     SIBYLLA    MACADAM, 


Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  can  bear 
witness  in  my  bonds,  that  Christ  is  still  the  longer  the  better,  and 
no  worse,  yea,  inconceivably  better  than   he  is  or  can  be  called. 

'  In  this  present  state.  2  By  itselF  alone.  3  A  withered  stalk  of  grass. 

*  Feci.  5  Place  of  existence.         «  By  ourselves  alone. 

■^  Carefully  select. 


Rutherford's  letters.  319 

I  think  it  half  a  heaven,  to  have  my  fill  of  the  smell  of  his  sweet 
breath,  and  to  sleep  in  the  arms  of  Christ  my  Lord,  with  his  left 
hand  under  my  head,  and  his  right  hand  embracing  me.  There 
is  no  great  reckoning  to  be  made  of  the  withering  of  my  flower, 
in  comparison  of  the  foul  and  manifest  wrongs  done  to  Christ ; 
nay,  let  never  the  dew  of  God  lye  upon  my  branches  again,  let  the 
bloom'  fall  from  my  joy,  and  let  it  wither,  let  the  Almighty  blow 
out  my  candle,  so  being  the  Lord  might  be  great  among  Jews  and 
Gentiles,  and  his  oppressed  Church  delivered.  Let  (Christ  fare 
well,  suppose  I  should  eat  ashes.  I  know  that  he  must  be  sweet 
himself,  when  his  cross  is  so  sweet.  And  it  is  the  part  of  us  all, 
if  we  marry  himself,  to  jnarry  the  crosses,  losses,  and  reproaches, 
also,  that  follow  him ;  for  mercy  followeth  Christ's  cross.  His 
prison  for  beauty  is  made  of  marble  and  ivory  ;  his  chains,  that 
are  laid  on  his  prisoners,  are  golden  chains ;  and  the  sighs  of  the 
prisoners  of  hope  are  perfumed  with  comforts,  the  like  whereof 
cannot  be  bred  or  found  on  this  side  of  sun  and  moon.  Follow 
on  after  his  love ;  tire  not  of  Christ,  but  come  in,  and  see  his 
beauty  and  excellency,  and  feed  your  soul  upon  Christ's  sweet- 
ness. This  world  is  not  yours,  neither  would  I  have  your  heaven 
made  of  such  metal  as  mire  and  clay.  Ye  have  the  choice  and 
wale  "^  of  all  lovers  in  Heaven  or  out  of  Heaven,  when  ye  have 
Christ,  the  only  delight  of  God  his  Father.  Climb  up  the  moun- 
tain with  joy,  and  faint  not ;  for  time  will  cut  oJf  the  men  who 
pursue  Christ's  followers.  Our  best  things  here  have  a  worm  in 
them  ;  our  joys  besides  God,  in  the  inner  half,  are  but  woes  and 
sorrows  : — Christ,  Christ  is  that  which  our  love  and  desires  can 
sleep  sweetly  and  rest  safely  upon. 

Now  the  very  God  of  peace  establish  you  in  Christ.  Help  a 
prisoner  with  your  prayers,  and  entreat  that  our  Lord  would  be 
pleased  to  visit  me  with  a  sight  of  his  beauty  in  his  house,  as  he 
has  sometimes  done.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CCni 

TO      THE      LAIRD      OF      CALLY. 

Worthy  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  (o  you. — I  have 
been  too  long,  I  confess,  in  writing  to  you.  My  suit  now  to  you 
in  paper,  since  I  have  no  access  to  speak  to  you,  as  formerly,  is, 
that  ye  would  lay  the  foundation  sure  in  your  youth.  When  ye 
begin  to  seek  Christ,  try,  I  pray  you,  upon  what  terms  ye  cove- 
nant to  follow  him,  and  lay  your  accounts  what  it  may  cost  you  ; 
that  neither  suuuner  nor  winter,  nor  well  nor  wo,  may  cause  you 
change  your  Master,  Christ.     Keep  fair  to  him,  and  be  honest  and 

'  Blossom.  2  The  very  best  choice  that  can  be  made. 


320  Rutherford's  letters. 

faithful,  that  he  find  not  a  crack  in  yon.  Surely  ye  are  now  in 
the  throng  of  temptations.  When  youth  is  come  to  its  fairest 
bloom,  then  the  Devil,  and  the  lusts  of  a  deceiving  world,  and  sin 
are  upon  horseback,  and  follow  with  up-sails.  If  this  were  not  so, 
Paul  needed  not  to  have  written  to  a  sanctified  and  lioly  youth, 
Timothy,  (a  faithful  preaclier  of  the  Gospel,)  to  flee  the  lusts  of 
youth.  Give  Christ  your  virgin  love  ;  you  cannot  put  your  love 
and  heart  into  a  better  hand.  Oh  !  if  ye  knew  him,  and  saw 
his  beauty, — your  love,  your  heart,  your  desires  would  close  with 
him,  and  cleave  to  him.  Love,  by  nature,  when  it  seeth,  cannot 
but  cast  out  its  spirit  and  strength  upon  amiable  objects,  and  good 
things,  and  things  love-worthy ; — and  what  fairer  thing  than 
Christ?  O  fair  sun,  and  fair  moon,  and  fair  stars,  and  fair  flow- 
ers, and  fair  roses,  and  fair  lilies,  and  fair  creatures;  but  O  ten 
thousand  thousand  times  fairer  Lord  Jesus  !  Alas,  I  wronged 
him  in  making  the  comparison  this  way  !  O  black  sun  and 
moon,  but  O  fair  Lord  Jesus  !  O  black  flowers,  and  black  lilies  and 
roses,  but  O  fair,  fair,  ever  fair  Lord  Jesus!  O  all  fair  things, 
black  and  deformed  without  beauty,  when  ye  are  beside  that  fair- 
est Lord,  Jesus !  O  black  Heaven,  but  O  fair  Christ !  O  black 
angels,  but  surpassingly  fair  Lord  Jesus  !  I  would  seek  no  more 
to  make  me  happy  for  evermore,  but  a  thorough  and  clear  sight 
of  the  beauty  of  Jesus,  my  Lord.  Let  my  eyes  enjoy  his  fairness, 
and  stare  him  forever  in  the  face,  and  I  have  all  that  can  be 
wished.  Get  Christ  rather  than  gold  or  silver;  seek  Christ,  how- 
beit  ye  should  lose  all  things  for  him. 

They  take  their  marks  by  the  moon,^  and  look  asquint,  in  look- 
ing to  fair  Christ,  who  resolve  for  the  world  and  their  ease,  and 
for  their  honor,  and  court,  and  credit,  or  for  fear  of  losses  and  a 
sore  skin,  to  turn  their  backs  upon  Christ  and  his  truth,  Alas, 
how  many  blind  eyes  and  squint  lookers  look  this  day  in  Scotland 
upon  Christ's  beauty,  and  they  see  a  spot  in  Christ's  fair  face! 
Alas,  they  are  not  worthy  of  Christ,  who  look  this  way  upon  him, 
and  see  no  beauty  in  him  why  they  should  desire  him  !  God 
send  me  my  fill  of  his  beauty,  if  it  be  possible  that  my  soul  can  be 
full  of  his  beauty  here :  but  much  of  Christ's  beauty  needeth  not 
abate  the  eager  appetite  of  a  soul,  (sick  of  love  for  himself,)  to  see 
him  in  the  other  world,  where  he  is  seen  as  he  is. 

I  am  glad,  with  all  my  heart,  that  ye  have  given  your  greenest 
morning-age  to  this  Lord  Jesus.  Hold  on,  and  weary  not ;  faint 
not,  resolve  upon  suffering  for  Christ ;  but  fear  not  ten  days'  tribu- 
lation, for  Christ's  sour  cross  is  sugared  with  comforts,  and  hath  a 
taste  of  Christ  himself  I  esteem  it  to  be  my  glory,  my  joy,  and 
my  crown,  and  I  bless  him  for  this  honor,  to  be  yoked  with  Christ, 
and  married  to  Him,  in  suffering,  who,  therefore,  was  born,  and, 
therefore,  came  into  the  world,  that  he  might  bear  witness  to  the 
Truth.  Take  pains,  above  all  things,  for  salvation ;  ,for  without 
running,  fighting,  sweating,  wrestling.  Heaven  is  not  taken.  Oh, 
happy  soul,  that  crosseth  nature's  stomach,  and  delighteth  to  gain 

1   To  take  one's  marks  by  the  moon,  to  be  changeable. 


Rutherford's  letters.  321 

that  fair  garland  and  crown  of  glory  !  What  a  feckless '  loss  is  it 
for  you,  to  go  through  this  wilderness,  and  never  taste  sin's  sugar- 
ed pleasures  !  What  poorer  is  a  soul  to  want  pride,  lust,  love  of 
the  world,  and  the  vanities  of  this  vain  and  worthless  world? 
Nature  hath  no  cause  to  weep  at  the  want  of  such  toys  as  these. 
Esteem  it  your  gain  to  be  an  heir  of  glory.  Oh,  but  that  is  an 
eye-look  to  a  fair  rent !  The  very  hope  of  Heaven,  under  troubles, 
is  like  wind  and  sails  to  the  soul,  and  like  wings,  when  the  feet 
come  out  of  the  snare.  Oh,  for  what  stay  we  here  ?  Up,  up, 
after  our  Lord  Jesus  !  This  is  not  our  rest,  nor  our  dwelling. 
What  have  we  to  do  in  this  prison  except  only  to  take  meat  and 
house-room  in  it  for  a  time  ? 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Your  soul's  well-wisher,  and  Christ's  prisoner,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER   CCIY. 

TO      WILLIAM      GORDON,      AT      KENMURE. 

Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  have 
been  long  in  answering  your  letter,  which  came  in  good  time  to 
me.  It  is  my  aim  and  hearty  desire,  that  my  furnace,  which  is 
of  the  Lord's  kindling,  may  sparkle '^  lire  upon  standers-by,  to  the 
warming  of  their  hearts  with  God's  love.  The  very  dust  that 
falleth  from  Christ's  feet,  his  old  ragged  clothes,  his  knotty  and 
black  cross,  are  sweeter  to  me  than  kings'  golden  crowns,  and 
their  time-eaten  pleasures.  I  should  be  a  liar  and  false  witness, 
if  I  would  not  give  my  Lord  Jesus  a  fair  testimonial  ^  with  my 
whole  soul.  My  word,  I  know,  will  not  heighten  him  :  he  need- 
eth  not  such  props  under  his  feet,  to  raise  his  glory  high :  but,  oh, 
that  I  could  raise  him  the  height  of  Heaven,  and  the  breadth  and 
length  of  ten  heavens,  in  the  estimation  of  all  his  young  lovers ! 
for  we  have  all  shapen  Christ  but  too  narrow  and  too  short,  and 
formed  conceptions  of  his  love  in  our  conceit,  very  unworthy  of  it. 
Oh,  that  men  were  taken  and  catched  with  his  beauty  and  fair- 
ness !  they  would  give  over  playing  with  idols,  in  which  there  is 
not  half  room  for  the  love  of  one  soul  to  expatiate  itself  ;  and 
man's  love  is  but  heart-hungered  in  gnawing  upon  bare  bones,  and 
sucking  at  dry  breasts.  It  is  well  wared*  they  want  who  will 
not  come  to  Him  who  hath  a  world  of  love,  and  goodness,  and 
bounty  for  all.  We  seek  to  thaw  our  frozen  hearts  at  the  cold 
smoke  of  the  short-timed  creature,  and  our  souls  gather  neither 
heat  nor  life,  nor  light ;  for  these  cannot  give  to  us  what  they 
have  not  in  themselves.  Oh,  that  we  coukl  thrust  in  through 
these  thorns,  and  this  throng  of  bastard-loveis,  and  be  ravished 
and  sick  of  love  for  Christ !  We  should  find  some  footing,  and 
some  room,  and  sweet  ease  for  our  tottering  and  thoughtless  souls 
'  Trifling.  2  Emit  sparks  of.  3  Certificate,  *  Well-merited. 

21 


322  Rutherford's  letters. 

in  our  Lord.  I  wish  it  were  in  my  power,  after  this  clay,  to  cry 
down  all  love  but  the  love  of  Christ,  and  to  cry  down  all  gods  but 
Christ,  all  saviours  but  Christ,  all  well-beloveds  but  Christ,  and 
all  soul-suitors,  all  lote-beggars  but  Christ. 

Ye  complain,  that  ye  want  a  mark  of  the  sound  work  of  grace 
and  love  in  your  soul.  For  answer,  consider  for  your  satisfaction 
(till  God  send  more)  1  John  iii.  14.  And  as  your  complaint  of 
deadness  and  doublings,  Christ  will,  I  hope,  take  your  deadness 
and  you  together.  They  are  bodies  full  of  holes,  running  boils, 
and  broken  bones  which  need  mending,  that  Christ  the  physician 
taketli  up:  whole  vessels  are  not  for  the  Mediator  Christ's  art ; 
publicans,  sinners,  whores,  harlots,  are  ready  market-wares  for 
Christ.  The  only  thing  that  will  bring  sinners  within  a  cast  of 
Christ's  drawing  arm,  is,  that  which  ye  write  of,  some  feeling  of 
death  and  sin,  that  bringeth  forth  complaints  ;  and,  therefore,  out 
of  sense  complain  more  and  be  more  acquaint'  with  all  the 
cramps,  stitches,  and  soul-swoonings  that  trouble  you.  The  more 
pain  and  the  more  night-watching,  and  the  moe  fevers,  the  better. 
A  soul  bleeding  to  death,  till  Christ  were  sent  for,  and  cried  for  in 
all  haste,  to  come  and  stem  the  blood,  and  close  up  the  hole  in 
the  wound,  with  his  own  hand  and  balm,  were  a  very  good  dis- 
ease, when  many  are  dying  of  a  whole  heart.  We  have  all  too 
little  of  hell-pain  and  terrors  that  way :  nay,  God  send  me  such  a 
hell,  as  Christ  hath  promised  to  make  a  heaven  of  Alas,  I  am 
not  come  that^  far  on  in  the  way,  as  to  say  in  sad  earnest.,^  "Lord 
Jesus,  great  and  sovereign  physician,  here  is  a  pained  patient  for 
thee."  But  the  thing  that  we  mistake  is  the  want  of  victory. 
We  hold  that  to  be  the  mark  of  one  that  hath  no  grace :  nay,  say 
I,  the  want  of  fighting  were  a  mark  of  no  grace ;  but  I  shall  not 
say  the  want  of  victory  is  such  a  mark.  If  my  fire  and  the  Dev- 
il's water  make  crackling  like  thunder  in  the  air,  I  am  the  less 
feared  ;  for  where  there  is  fire,  it  is  Christ's  part,  which  I  lay  and 
bind  upon  him,  to  keep  in  the  coal,  and  to  pray  the  Father  that 
my  faith  fail  not,  if  I  in  the  mean  time  be  wrestling,  and  doing, 
and  fighting,  and  mourning:  for  prayer  putteth  not  Paul's  devil — - 
the  thorn  in  the  flesh,  and  the  messenger  of  Satan — to  the  door  at 
first ;  but  our  Lord  will  have  them  to  try  every  one,  and  let  Paul 
fend  for^  himself,  by  God's  help,  God  keeping  the  stakes,  and  mod- 
erating the  play.  And  ye  do  well  not  to  doubt,  if  the  ground- 
stone^  be  sure,  but  to  try  if  it  be  so:  for  there  is  great  odds  be- 
tween doubting  that  we  have  grace,  and  trying  if  we  have  grace ; 
— the  former  may  be  sin,  but  the  latter  is  good.  We  are  but  loose 
in  trying  our  free-holding  of  Christ,  and  making  sure  work  of 
Christ.  Holy  fear  is  a  searching  of  the  camp,  that  there  be  no 
enemy  within  our  bosom  to  betray  us,  and  a  seeing  that  all  be 
fast  and  sure :  for  I  see  many  leak}'^  vessels  fair  before  the  wind, 
and  professors  who  take  their  conversion  upon  trust,  and  they  go 
on  securely,  and  see  not  the  under-water,"  till  a  storm  sink  them. 

1  Acquainted.  2  So.  3  Sober  earnest. 

*  Sliill  for.  5  Foundation.  «  Bilge-water. 


Rutherford's  letters.  323 

Each  man  had  need  twice  a  day,  and  oftener,  to  be  riped»  and 
searched  with  candle?. 

Pray  for  me,  that  the  Lord  would  give  me  house-room  again, 
to  hold  a  candle  to  this  dark  world. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  and  Master,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CCV. 

TO     MARGARET      FULLERTON. 

Mistress, — -Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  am  glad 
that  ever  ye  did  cast  your  love  on  Christ :  fasten  more  and  more 
love  every  day  on  him.  Oh,  if  ^  I  had  a  river  of  love,  a  sea  of 
love,  that  would  never  go  dry,  to  bestow  upon  him  !  But  alas, 
the  pity  !  Christ  hath  beauty  for  me,  but  I  have  not  love  for  him. 
Oh,  what  pain  is  it,  to  see  Christ  in  his  beauty,  and  then  to  want 
a  heart  and  love  for  him  !  but  I  see,  that  want  we  must,  till  Christ 
lend  us,  never  to  be  paid  again.  Oh,  that  he  would  empty  these 
vaults,  and  lower  houses,  of  these  poor  souls,  of  these  bastard  and 
base  lovers,  which  we  follow  !  and  verily,  I  see  no  object  in 
heaven  or  in  earth,  that  I  could  ware  ^  this  much  of  love  upon, 
that  I  have  upon  Christ.  Alas  !  that  clay,  and  time,  and  shadows 
run  away  with  our  love,  which  is  ill  spent  upon  any  but  upon 
Christ.  Each  fool  at  the  day  of  judgment  will  seek  back  his  love 
from  the  creatures,  when  he  shall  see  them  all  in  a  fair  fire ;  but 
they  shall  prove  irresponsal*  debtors  :  and,  therefore,  it  is  best 
here,  that  we  look  ere  we  leap,  and  look  ere  we  love. 

I  find  now  under  his  cross,  that  I  would  fain  give  him  more 
than  I  have  to  give  him,  if  giving  were  in  my  power :  but  I  rather 
wish  him  my  heart  than  give  him  it : — except  he  take  it,  and  put 
himself  in  possession  of  it,  (for  I  hope  he  hath  a  market-right  to 
me,  since  he  hath  ransomed  me,)  1  see  not  how  Christ  can  have 
me.  Oh,  that  he  would  be  pleased  to  be  more  homely''  with  my 
soul's  love,  and  to  come  in  to  my  soul,  and  take  his  own  !  but 
when  he  goeth  away  and  hideth  himself,  all  is  to  me  that  I  had 
of  Christ,  as  if  it  had  fallen  into  the  sea-bottom.  Oh,  that  I 
should  be  so  fickle  in  my  love,  as  to  love  him  only  by  the  eyes  and 
the  nose  !  (hat  is,  to  love  him  only  in  as  far  as  fond  and  foolish 
sense  carrictli  me,  and  no  more  : — and  when  I  see  not,  and  smell 
not,  and  touch  not,  then  I  have  all  to  seek.  I  cannot  love  per- 
queer®  nor  rejoice  perqueer  :*  but  this  is  our  weakness,  till  we  be 
at  home,  and  shall  have  aged  men's  stomachs  to  bear  Christ's 
love. 

1  Tlioronghly  examined,  as  it  were  by  turning  him  inside  out,  as  is  done  to  a  pef- 
son's  pockets  when  they  are  searched  for  stolen  goods.  2  Oh,  that. 

3  Expend.  *  Irresponsible.  5  Familiar.  «  Perfectly,  exactly. 


324  Rutherford's  letters. 

Pray  for  me,  that  our  Lord  would  bring  me  back  to  you,  with 
a  new  blessing  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ.     I  forget  not  you. 
Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CCVI. 


FOR    THE    RIGHT    HONORABLE,    MY   LADY   VISCOUNTESS 
OP    KENMURE. 

My  very  NOBLE  AND  DEAR  Lady, — Gracc,  mercy,  and  peace 
be  to  you. — The  Lord  hath  brought  me  safely  to  Aberdeen.  I 
have  gotten  lodging  in  the  hearts  of  all  I  meet  with.  No  face 
that  hath  not  smiled  upon  me  ;  only  the  indwellers  of  this  town 
are  dry,  cold,  and  general.  They  consist  of  Papists,  and  men  of 
Gallio's  metal,  firm  in  no  religion ;  and  it  is  counted  no  wisdom 
here  to  countenance  a  confined  and  silenced  minister ;  but  the 
shame  of  Christ's  cross  shall  not  be  my  shame,  dueensberry's  at- 
tempt seemeth  to  sleep,  because  the  Bishop  of  Galloway  was 
pleased  to  say  to  the  Treasurer  that  I  had  committed  treason ; 
which  word  blunted  the  Treasurer's  borrowed  zeal.  So  I  thank 
God,  who  will  not  have  me  to  anchor  my  soul  upon  false  ground, 
or  upon  flesh  and  blood ;  it  is  better  it  be  fastened  within  the  veil. 
I  find  my  old  challenges  ^  reviving  again,  and  my  love  often  jeal- 
ous ^  of  Christ's  love,  when  I  look  upon  my  own  guiltiness.  And 
I  verily  think  that  the  world  hath  too  soft  an  opinion  of  the  gate^ 
to  Heaven,  and  that  many  shall  get  a  blind  and  sad  beguile*  for 
Heaven ;  for  there  is  more  ado  than  a  cold  and  frozen  "  Lord, 
Lord."  It  must  be  a  way  narrower  and  straiter  than  we  conceive, 
for  the  righteous  shall  scarcely  be  saved.  It  were  good  to  take  a 
more  judicious  view  of  Christianity ;  for  I  have  been  doubting,  if 
ever  I  knew  any  more  of  Christianity  than  the  letters  of  the  name. 
I  will  not  lie  on  my  Lord.  I  find  often  much  joy,  and  unspeak- 
able comfort,  in  His  sweet  presence,  who  sent  me  hither ;  and  I 
trust,  this  house  of  my  pilgrimage  shall  be  my  palace,  my  garden 
of  delights ;  and  that  Christ  will  be  kind  to  poor  sold  Joseph,  who 
is  separated  from  his  brethren.  I  would  be  sometimes  too  hot, 
and  too  joyful,  if  the  heart  breaks  at  the  remembrance  of  sin,  and 
fair,  fair  feast-days  with  King  Jesus,  did  not  cool  me,  and  sour  my 
sweet  joys.  Oh!  how  sweet  is  the  love  of  Christ!  and  how  wise 
is  that  love  I  But  let  faith  frist^  and  trust  a  while  ;  it  is  no  reason 
sons  should  take  offence,  that  the  father  giveth  them  not  twice  a 
year  hire,  as  he  doth  to  hired  servants  :  better  that  God's  heirs 
live  upon  hope,  than  upon  hire. 

Madam,  your  Ladyship  knoweth  what  Christ  hath  done,  to 
have  all  your  love  ;  and  that  he  alloweth  not  his  love  upon  your 

1  Self-accusations.  2  Suspicious.  '  Way. 

*  Beguilement.  5  Postpone, 


Rutherford's  letters.  325 

dear  child.'  Keep  good  quarters  with  Christ  in  your  love,  I 
verily  think  that  Christ  hath  said,  I  must  needs-force'^  have  Jean 
Campbell  for  myself :  and  he  hath  laid  many  oars  in  the  water, 
to  fish  and  hunt  home-over  ^  your  heart  to  Heaven  :  let  him  have 
his  prey ;  he  will  think  you  well  won,  when  he  hath  gotten  you. 
It  is  good  to  have  recourse  often,  and  to  have  the  door  open  to 
our  strong-hold ;  for  the  sword  of  the  Lord,  the  sword  of  the  Lord, 
is  for  Scotland  ;  and  yet  two  or  three  berries  shall  be  left  in  the  top 
of  the  olive-tree. 

If  a  word  can  do  my  brother  good  in  his  distress,  I  know  your 
Ladyship  will  be  willing  and  ready  to  speak  it,  and  more  also. 
Now  the  only  wise  God,  and  your  only,  only  One,  He  who  dwelt 
in  the  bush,  be  with  you. 

I  write  many  kisses  and  many  blessings  in  Christ  to  your  dear 
child  :  the  blessings  of  his  father's  God,  the  blessings  due  to  the 
fatherless  and  the  widow,  be  yours  and  his. 

Your  Ladyship's,  in  his  only,  only  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen. 

POSTSCRIPT. 

Madam,  be  pleased,  at  a  fit  time,  to  try  my  Lord  of  Lorn's  mind, 
if  his  Lordship  would  be  pleased,  that  I  dedicate  another  work 
against  the  Arminians  to  his  honorable  name.  For  howbeit  I 
would  compare  no  patron  to  his  Lordship,  and  though  I  have  suf- 
ficient experience  of  his  love,  yet  it  is  possible  that  his  Lordship 
may  think  it  not  expedient  at  this  time  ;  but  I  expect  your  Lady- 
ship's answer,  and  I  hope  that  your  Ladyship  will  be  plain. 


LETTER  CCVII. 

FOR    THE    RIGHT    HONORABLE,    MY    LADY    VISCOUNTESS 
OF    KENMURE. 

Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  your  Ladyship. — I 
long  to  hear  from  you,  and  that  dear  child  ;  and  for  that  cause  I 
trouble  you  with  letters. 

I  am  for  the  present  thinking  the  sparrows  and  the  swallows, 
that  build  their  nests  in  Anwoth,  blessed  birds.  The  Lord  hath 
made  all  my  congregation  desolate.  Alas,  I  am  oft  at  this,  "Show 
me  wherefore  thou  contendest  with  me."  O  earth,  earth,  cover 
not  the  violence  done  to  me.  I  know  it  is  my  faithless  jealousy 
in  this  my  dark  night,  to  take  a  friend  for  a  foe ;  yet  hath  not  my 
Lord  made  any  plea^  with  me.  I  chide  with  him,  but  he  giveth 
me  fair  words.  Seeing  my  sins  and  the  sins  of  my  youth  deserv- 
ed strokes,  how  am  I  obhged  to  my  Lord,  who  amongst  many 

1  He  alloweth  not  the  love  which  is  his  clue  to  be  given  to  the  child. 

2  Of  necessity.  3  Homewards,  *  Controversy. 


326  Rutherford's  letters. 

crosses,  hath  given  me  a  waled '  and  chosen  cross,  to  suffer  for  the 
name  of  my  Lord  Jesus  !  Since  I  must  have  chains,  he  would 
put  golden  chains  on  me,  watered"  over  with  many  consolations  ; 
seeing  I  must  have  sorrow,  (for  I  have  sinned,  O  Preserver  of 
mankind!)  he  hath  waled  ^  out  for  me  joyful  sorrow, — honest, 
spiritual,  and  glorious  sorrow.  My  crosses  come  through  mercy 
and  love's  fingers,  from  the  kind  heart  of  a  brother,  Christ  my 
Lord  ;  and,  therefore,  they  must  be  sweet  and  sugared.  Oh  what 
am  I!  such  a  lump,  such  a  rotten  mass  of  sin,  to  be  counted  a 
bairn  worthy  to  be  nurtured,^  and  stricken  with  the  best  and  most 
honorable  rod  in  my  Father's  house,  the  golden  rod,  wherewith 
my  eldest  brother,  the  Lord,  heir  of  the  inheritance,  and  his  faith- 
ful witnesses,  were  stricken  withal  ! 

It  would  be  thought  that  I  should  be  thankful  and  rejoice :  but 
my  beholders  and  lovers  in  Christ  have  eyes  of  flesh,  and  have 
made  my  one  to  be  ten,  and  I  am  somebody  in  their  books.  My 
witness  is  above,  that  there  are  armies  of  thoughts  within  me 
saying  the  contrary,  and  laughing  at  their  wide  mistake.  If  my 
inner  side  were  seen,  my  corruption  Avould  appear ;  I  would  lose 
and  forfeit  love  and  respect  at  the  hands  of  any  that  love  God  ; 
pity  would  come  in  the  place  of  these.  Oh,  if''  they  would  yet 
see  me  lower,  and  my  well-beloved  Christ  higher !  I  would  I  had 
grace  and  strength  of  my  Lord,  to  be  joyful  and  contentedly  glad 
and  cheerful,  that  God's  glory  might  ride,  and  openly  triumph  be- 
fore the  view  of  men,  angels,  devils,  earth,  Heaven,  Hell,  sun, 
moon,  and  all  God's  creatures,  upon  my  pain  and  sufferings, — 
providing  always,  that  I  felt  not  the  Lord's  hatred  and  displeasure. 

But  I  fear  that  his  fair  glory  be  but  soiled  in  coming  through 
such  a  foul  creature  as  I  am.  If  I  could  be  the  sinless  matter  of 
glorifying  Clirist,  howbeit  to  my  loss,  pain,  sufferings,  and  extrem- 
ity of  wretchedness,  how  would  my  soul  rejoice  ?  But  I  am  far 
from  this.  He  knoweth,  that  his  love  hath  made  me  a  prisoner, 
and  bound  me  hand  and  foot ;  but  it  is  my  pain,  that  I  cannot 
win  ^  loose,  nor  get  loose  hands,  and  a  loosed  heart,  to  do  service 
to  my  Lord  Jesus,  and  to  speak  his  love.  1  confess  that  I  have 
neither  tongue  nor  pen  to  do  it.  Christ's  love  is  more  than  my 
praises,  and  above  the  thoughts  of  the  angel  Gabriel,  and  all  the 
mighty  hosts  that  stand  before  the  throne  of  God.  I  think  shame,^ 
I  am  sad  and  cast  down,  to  think,  that  my  foul  tongue,  and  my 
polluted  heart,  sliould  come  in  to  help  others  to  sing  aloud  the 
praises  of  the  love  of  Christ :  all  I  dow''  do,  is  to  wish  the  choir  to 
grow  throng,^  and  to  grow  in  the  extolling  of  Christ.  Wo,  wo  is 
me,  for  my  guiltiness  seen  to  few  !  My  hidden  wounds,  still  bleed- 
ing within  me,  are  before  the  eyes  of  no  man  ;  but  if  my  sweetest 
Lord  Jesus  were  not  still  bathing,  washing,  balming,  healing,  and 
binding  them  up,  they  should  rot,  and  break  out  to  my  shame. 

I  know  not  what  will  be  the  end  of  my  suffering.  I  have  seen 
but  the  one  side  of  my  cross ;  what  will  be  the  other  side,  He 

1  Selected.  2  Plated.  3  Subjected  to  discipline.  ^  Oh,  tliat. 

s  Get.  6  Am  ashamed.  ">  Am  able.  ^  Crowded. 


Rutherford's  letters.  327 

knoweth,  who  liatli  his  fire  in  Zion.  Let  him  lead  me,  if  it  were 
through  Hell.  I  tliank  my  Lord,  that  my  on-waiting  and  holding 
my  peace  as  I  do,  to  see  what  more  Christ  will  do  to  me,  is  my 
joy.  Oh,  if*  my  ease,  joy,  pleasure  for  evermore,  were  laid  in 
wadset^  and  in  pledge,  to  huy  praises  to  Christ!  But  I  am  far 
from  this.  It  is  easy  for  a  poor  soul,  in  the  deep  debt  of  Clnist's 
love,  to  spit  farther  than  he  dow^  leap  or  jump,  and  to  feed  upon 
broad  wishes  that  Christ  may  be  honored — but  in  performance  I 
am  stark  nought.  I  have  nothing,  nothing  to  give  Christ  but 
poverty:  except  he  would  comprise^  and  arrest  my  soul,  and  my 
love,  (oh,  oh,  if*  he  would  do  that !)  I  have  nothing  for  him.  He 
may  indeed  seize  upon  a  dyvour's''  person,  soul  and  body  :  but  he 
hath  no  goods  for  Christ  to  meddle  with  :  but  how  glad  would  my 
soul  be,  if  he  would  forfeit  my  love,^  and  never  give  it  me  again. 

Madam,  I  would  be  glad  to  hear  that  Christ's  claim  to  you 
were  still  the  more,  and  that  you  were  still  going  forward,  and 
that  you  were  nearer  him.  I  dow  not'^  honor  Christ  my5»elf,  but 
I  wish  all  others  to  make  sail  to  Christ's  house.  I  would  I 
could  invite  you  to  go  into  yoiu'  well-beloved's  house-of-wine, 
and  that  upon  my  word, — you  would  tlien  see  a  new  mystery  of 
love  in  Christ  that  you  never  saw  before. 

I  am  somewhat  encouraged  in  that  your  Ladyship  is  not  dry 
and  cold  to  Christ's  prisoner,  as  some  are.  I  hope  it  is  put  up  in  my 
Master's  count-book.  I  am  not  nnich  grieved,  that  my  jealous 
husband  break  in  pieces  my  idols,  that  either  they  dare  not,  or 
will  not  do  for  me.  My  master  needeth  not  their  help,  but  they 
had  need  to  be  that  serviceable  as  to  help  him.  Madam,  I  have 
been  that  bold  as  to  put  j'ou  and  that  sweet  child  into  the  prayers 
of  Mr.  Andrew  Cant,  Mr.  James  Martin,  the  Lady  Leyes,  and 
some  others  in  this  country  that  truly  love  Christ.  13e  pleased  to 
let  me  hear  how  the  child  is.  The  blessiiigs  that  came  upon  the 
head  of  Joseph,  and  on  the  top  of  the  head  of  him  who  was  sepa- 
rated from  his  brethren,  and  the  good  will  of  Him  who  dwelt  in 
the  bush,  be  seen  upon  him  and  you.  Madam,  I  can  say,  by 
some  little  experience,  more  now  than  before  of  Christ  to  you.  I 
am  still  upon  this,  that  if  you  seek,  there  is  a  pose,^  a  hidden 
treasure,  and  a  gold  mine  in  Christ,  you  never  yet  saw.  Then 
come  and  sec. 

Thus  reconmnending  you  to  God's  dearest  mercy,  I  rest, 
Your  own,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  at  all  obedience, 

S.  R. 

My  Lady  Marischall  is  very  kind  to  me,  and  her  son  also. 
Aberdeen,  June  17,  1G37. 

I  Oh,  that.  2  AUenated. 

3  That  is,  to  profess  more  than  he  is  able  to  do.  •»  Attach. 

5  Debtor's.  ^  Seize  upon  my  love  as  a  forfeiture  to  himself. 

7  Am  not  able.  8  Hoard. 


338  Rutherford's  letters. 


LETTER   CCVm. 

TO      JOHN      HENDERSON,      IN      RUSCO. 

Loving  Friend, — I  earnestly  desire  your  salvation. — Know 
the  Lord,  and  seek  Christ.  You  have  a  soul  that  cannot  die  ;  see 
for  a  lodging  for  your  poor  soul ;  for  that  house  of  clay  will  fall — 
Heaven  or  nothing,  either  Christ  or  nothing.  Use  prayer  in  your 
house,  and  set  your  thoughts  often  upon  death  and  judgment.  It 
is  dangerous  to  be  loose  in  the  matter  of  your  salvation.  Few 
are  saved ;  men  go  to  Heaven  in  ones  and  twos,  and  the  whole 
world  lieth  in  sin.  Love  your  enemies,  and  stand  by  the  truth 
which  I  have  taught  you,  in  all  things.  Fear  not  men,  but  let 
God  be  your  fear.  Your  time  Avill  not  be  long  ;  make  the  seeking 
of  Christ  your  daily  task ;  ye  may,  when  ye  are  in  tlie  fields, 
speak  to  God.  Seek  a  broken  heart  for  sin ;  for  without  that 
there  is  no  meeting  with  Christ.  I  speak  this  to  your  wife,  as 
well  as  to  yourself  I  desire  your  sister,  in  her  fears  and  doubt- 
ings,  to  fasten  her  grips  ^  on  Christ's  love :  I  forbid  her  to  doubt, 
for  Christ  loveth  her,  and  hath  her  name  written  in  his  book  ;  her 
salvation  is  fast  coming  ; — Christ,  her  Lord,  is  not  slow  in  coming, 
nor  slack  in  his  promise. 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  loving  pastor,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen. 


LETTER  CCIX. 

TO      MR.      ALEXANDER      COLVILLE,      OF      BLAIR. 

Much  honored  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I 
would  desire  to  know  how  my  Lord  took  my  letter,  which  I  sent 
him,  and  how  he  is.  I  desire  nothing,  but  that  he  may  be  fast 
and  honest  to  my  royal  Master  and  King. 

I  am  well  every  way,  all  praise  to  Him  in  whose  books  I  must 
stand  forever  as  his  debtor  ! — only  my  silence  paineth  me.  I  had 
one  joy  out  of  Heaven,  next  to  Christ  my  Lord,  and  that  was  to 
preach  him  to  this  faithless  generation  ;  and  they  have  taken  that 
from  me  ;  it  was  to  me  as  the  poor  man's  one  eye,  and  they  have 
put  out  that  eye.  I  know  that  the  violence  done  to  me,  and  his 
poor  bereft  bride,  is  come  up  before  the  Lord ;  and,  suppose  that  I 
see  not  the  other  side  of  my  cross,  or  what  my  Lord  will  bring  out 
of  it,  yet  I  believe  that  the  vision  shall  not  tarry,  and  tha|  Christ 
is  on  his  journey  for  my  deliverance :  he  goeth  not  slowl)?^,  but 
passeth  over  ten  mountains  at  one  stride ;  in  the  mean  time,  I  am 
pained  with  his  love,  because  I  want  real  possession.      When 

1  Grasp. 


Rutherford's  letters.  329 

Christ  Cometh,  he  stayeth  not  long ;  but  certainly,  the  blowing  of 
his  breath  upon  a  poor  soul  is  heaven  upon  earth ;  and  when  the 
wind  turneth  into  tlie  North,  and  he  goeth  away,  I  die,  till  the 
wind  change  into  the  West,  and  he  visit  his  prisoner.  But  he 
holdeth  me  not  often  at  his  door.  I  am  richly  repaid  for  suffering 
for  him.  Oh,  if  ^  all  Scotland  were  as  I  am,  except  my  bonds ! 
Oh,  what  pain  I  have,  because  I  cannot  get  him  praised  by  my 
sufferings  !  Oh,  that  Heaven,  within  and  without,  and  the  earth 
were  paper,  and  all  the  rivers,  fountains,  and  seas  were  ink,  and  I 
able  to  write  all  the  paper  within  and  without,  fidl  of  his  praises, 
and  love  and  excellency,  to  be  read  by  man  and  angel !  Nay, 
this  is  little ;  I  owe  my  heaven  to  Christ ;  and  to  desire,  howbeit 
I  should  never  enter  in  at  the  gates  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  to  send 
my  love  and  my  praises  over  the  wall  to  Christ.  Alas,  that  time 
and  days  lye  betwixt  him  and  me,  and  adjourn  our  meeting  !  It 
is  my  part  to  cry,  "  Oh,  when  will  the  night  be  past  and  the  day 
dawn,  that  Ave  shall  see  one  another  !" 

Be  pleased  to  remember  my  service  to  my  Lord,  to  whom  I 
wrote  ;  and  show  him  that,  for  his  affection  to  me,  I  cannot  but 
pray  for  him,  and  earnestly  desire  that  Christ  miss  him  not  out  of 
the  roll  of  those  who  are  his  witnesses,  now  when  his  kingly  hon- 
or is  called  in  question.  It  is  his  honor  to  hold  up  Christ's  royal 
train,  and  to  be  an  instrument  to  hold  the  crown  upon  Christ's 
head.  Show  him,  because  I  love  his  true  honor  and  standing, 
that  this  is  my  earnest  desire  for  him. 

Now  I  bless  you ;  and  the  prayers  of  Christ's  prisoner  come 
upon  you  ;  and  His  sweetest  presence  whom  ye  serve  in  the 
Spirit,  accompany  you. 

Yours,  at  all  obliged  obedience  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  June  23,  1637. 


LETTER  CCX. 


TO  HIS  REVEREND,  AND  DEAR  BROTHER,  MR.  JOHN  NEVAY. 

My  REVEREND,  AND  DEAR  BROTHER, — Grace,  mcrcy.  and 
peace  be  to  you. — I  have  exceedingly  many  whom  I  write  to,  else 
I  would  be  kinder  in  paper. 

I  rejoice  that  my  sweet  Master  hath  any  to  back  him.  Thick, 
thick "  may  my  royal  King's  court  be.  Oh,  that  his  Kingdom 
might  grow  !     It  were  my  joy  to  have  his  house  full  of  guests. 

Except  that  I  have  some  cloudy  days,  for  the  most  part  I  have 
a  king's  life  with  Christ.  He  is  all  perfumed  with  the  powders 
of  the  merchant :  he  hath  a  king's  face,  and  a  king's  smell :  his 
chariot,  wherein  he  carrieth  his  poor  prisoner,  is  of  the  wood  of 
Lebanon,  it  is  paved  with  love.  Is  not  that  soft  ground  to  walk 
or  lye  on  ?  I  think  better  of  Christ  than  ever  I  did  :  my  thoughts 
1  Oh,  that.  2  Thronged,  thronged. 


330  Rutherford's  letters. 

of  his  love  grow  and  swell  on  me.  I  never  write  to  any  of  him, 
so  much  as  1  have  felt.  Oh,  if '  I  could  write  a  book  of  Christ, 
and  of  iiiri  love  !  Suppose  I  were  made  white  ashes,  and  burnt 
for  tiiis  same  truth,  that  men  count  but  as  knots  of  straw,  it  were 
my  gain,  if  my  ashes  could  proclaim  the  worth,  excellency,  and 
love  of  my  Lord  Jesus.  There  is  much  telling  of  Christ:  I  give 
over  the  weighing  of  him  ;  Heaven  would  not  be  the  beam  of  a 
balance  to  weigh  him  in.  What  eyes  be  on  me,  or  what  wind  of -^ 
tongues  be  on  me,  I  care  not :  let  me  stand  in  this  stage  in  the 
fool's  coat,  and  act  a  fool's  part  to  the  rest  of  this  nation ;  if  I  can 
set  my  Well-beloved  on  high,  and  witness  fair  for  him,  a  fig  for 
their  hosanna.  If  I  can  roll  jnyself  in  a  lap  of  Christ's  garment, 
I  shall  lye  there,  and  laugh  at  the  thoughts  of  dying  bits  of  clay. 

Brother,  we  have  cause  to  weep  for  our  Harlot-mother  ;  her 
husband  is  sending  her  to  Rome's  brothel-house,  which  is  the  gate  ^ 
she  liketh  well.  Yet  I  persuade  you  that  there  shall  be  a  fair 
after-growth  for  Christ  in  Scotland,  atid  that  this  Church  shall 
sing  the  Bridegroom's  welcome-home  again  to  his  own  house. — 
The  worms  shall  eat  them  first,  ere  they  cause  Christ  to  take 
good-night  at  Scotland.  1  am  here  assaulted  with  the  doctor's 
guns,  but  I  bless  the  Father  of  lights,  that  they  draw  not  blood  of 
truth.  I  find  no  lodging  in  the  hearts  of  natural  men,  who  are 
cold  friends  to  my  Master. 

I  pray  you,  remember  my  love  to  that  gentleman,  A.  C.  My 
heart  is  knit  to  him,  because  he  and  I  have  one  Master.  Remem- 
ber my  bonds,  and  present  my  service  to  my  Lord  and  my  Lady. 
I  wish  that  Christ  may  be  dearer  to  them  than  he  is  to  many  in 
their  place. 


Grace  be  with  you. 
Aberdeen,  July  5,  1637. 


Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 


LETTER  CCXL 


TO     MY     LADY     BOYD 


Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — Few,  I  believe, 
know  the  pain  and  torment  of  Christ's  fristed  ^  love  :  fristing^  with 
Christ's  presence  is  a  matter  of  torment.  1  know  a  poor  soul  that 
would  lay  all  oars  in  the  water  for  a  banquet  or  feast  of  Christ's 
love.  I  cannot  think,  but  it  must  be  up-taking^  and  sweet,  to 
see  the  white  and  red  of  Christ's  fair  face ;  for  he  is  white  and 
ruddy,  and  the  Chiefest  among  ten  thousand,  (Cant.  v.  10.)  I  am 
sure,  that  must  be  a  well-made  face  of  liis ;  Heaven  must  be  in  his 
visage  ;  glory,  glory  for  evermore  must  sit  on  his  countenance. 
I  dare  not  curse  the  mask  and  covering  that  are  on  his  face ;  but 

1  Oh,  that.  2  Road. 

3  Having  the  possession  and  enjo)'mpnt  postponed. 

*  Postponing  possession  and  enjoyment.  5  Exhilarating. 


Rutherford's  letters.  331 

oh,  if  ^  there  were  a  hole  in  it. !  Oh,  if  God  would  tear  the  mask  ! 
Fy,  fy  upon  us,  we  were  never  ashamed  till  now  that  we  do  not 
proclaim  our  pining  and  languishing  for  him.  I  am  sure  that 
never  tongue  spake  of  Christ  as  he  is.  I  am  still  of  that  mind, 
and  still  will  be,  that  we  wrong  and  undervalue  that  holy,  holy 
One,  in  having  such  short  and  shallow  thoughts  of  his  weight  and 
worth.  Oh,  if  I  could  have  but  leave,  to  stand  beside,  and  see 
the  Father  weigh  Christ  the  Son,  if  it  were  possible  !  But  how 
every  one  of  them  comprehendeth  another,  we,  who  have  eyes  of 
clay,  cannot  comprehend ;  but  it  is  pity  for  evermore,  and  more 
than  shame,  that  such  an  one  as  Christ  should  sit  in  Heaven  his 
lone  2  for  us.  To  go  up  thither  once-errand  ^  and  on  purpose  to 
see,  were  no  small  glory.  Oh,  that  he  would  strike  out  windows, 
and  fair  and  great  lights  in  this  old  house,  this  fallen-down  soul, 
and  then  set  tlie  soul  near-hand^  Christ,  that  the  rays  and  beams 
of  light,  and  the  soul-delighting  glances  of  the  fair,  fair  Godhead, 
might  shine  in  at  the  windows,  and  fill  the  house  !  A  fairer,  and 
more  near,  and  direct  sight  of  Christ  would  make  room  for  his 
love ;  for  we  are  but  pinched  and  straitened  in  his  love.  Alas,  it 
were  easy  to  measure  and  weigh  the  love  that  we  have  for  Christ, 
by  inches  and  ounces  !  Alas,  that  we  should  love  by  measure  and 
weight,  and  not  rather  have  floods  and  feasts  of  Christ's  love  ! 
Oh,  that  Christ  would  break  down  the  old  narrow  vessels  of  these 
narrow  and  ebb  ^  souls,  and  make  fair,  deep,  wide,  and  broad  souls, 
to  hold  a  sea  and  a  full  tide,  flowing  over  all  its  banks  of  Christ's 
love  ! 

Oh,  that  the  Almighty  would  give  me  my  request  !  that  I  might 
see  Christ  come  to  his  temple  again,  (as  he  is  minting,^  and,  it  is 
like,  minding  to  do,)  and  if '^  the  land  were  humbled.  The  judg- 
ments threatened,  are  with  this  reservation,  I  know,  "If  ye  will 
turn  and  repent."  Oh,  what  a  heaven  would  we  have  on  earth, 
to  see  Scotland's  moon  like  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  Scotland's 
sun-light  seven-fold,  like  the  light  of  seven  days,  in  the  day  that 
the  Lord  bindeth  up  the  breach  of  his  people,  and  healeth  the 
stroke  of  their  wounds  !  (Isa.  xxx.  26.)  Alas,  that  we  will  not 
pull  and  draw  Christ  to  his  old  tents  again,  to  come  and  feed 
among  the  lilies,  till  the  day  break,  and  the  shadows  flee  away  ! 
Oh,  that  the  nobles  would  go  on,  in  the  strength  and  courage  of 
the  Lord,  to  bring  our  lawful  King,  Jesus,  home  again  !  I  am 
persuaded  that  he  siiall  return  again  in  glory  to  this  land  ;  but 
happy  were  they  who  would  help  to  convoy**  him  to  his  sanctu- 
ary, and  set  him  again  up  upon  the  Mercy-seat,  betwixt  the  Cher- 
ubim. "O  Sun,  return  to  darkened  Britain!  O  Fairest  among 
all  the  sons  of  men,  O  most  excellent  One,  come  home  again  ; 
come  home  and  win  the  praises  and  blessings  of  the  mourners  in 
Zion,  the  prisoners  of  hope,  that  wait  for  thee  !  I  know  that  he 
can  also  triumph  in  suffering,  and  weep  and  reign,  and  die  and 

1  Oh  that.  2  Ry  himself  alone.  3  On  the  sole  errand. 

<  Near.  5  sFiallow.  6  Intimating,  by  signs,  an  intention. 

7  That.  8  Accompany  on  the  way. 


332  Rutherford's  letters. 

triumph,  and  remain  in  prison  and  yet  subdue  his  enemies  :  but 
how  happy  were  I  to  see  the  coronation-day  of  Christ ;  to  see  his 
Mother,  who  bare  him,  put  the  crown  upon  his  head  again,  and 
cry  with  shouting  till  the  earth  should  ring,  "  Let  Jesus,  our  King, 
Hve  and  reign  for  evermore." 

Grace,  grace  be  with  your  Ladyship. 

Your  Ladyship's  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CCXIL 

TO     WILLIAM     GLENDINNING. 

Dear  Brother, — Ye  are  heartily  welcome  to  that  honor,  that 
Christ  hath  made  common  to  us  both,  which  is  to  suffer  for  his 
name.  Verily  I  think  it  mj^  garland  and  crown  ;  and  if  the  Lord 
should  ask  of  me  my  blood  and  life  for  this  cause,  I  would  gladly, 
in  his  strength,  pay  due  debt  to  Christ's  honor  and  glory,  in  that 
kind.  Acquaint  yourself  with  Christ's  love,  and  ye  shall  not  miss 
to  find  new  golden  mines  and  treasures  in  Christ ;  nay,  truly,  we 
but  stand  beside  Christ,  we  go  not  in  to  him  to  take  our  fill  of  him. 
But,  if  he  would  do  two  things, — 1.  Draw  the  curtains,  and  make 
bare  his  holy  face ;  and  then,  2.  Clear  our  dim  and  bleared  eyes, 
to  see  his  beauty  and  glory,  he  should  find  many  lovers.  I  would 
seek  no  more  happiness,  than  a  sight  of  him  so  near-hand,'  as  to 
see,  hear,  smell,  and  touch,  and  embrace  him  :  but  oh,  closed  doors, 
and  veils,  and  curtains,  and  thick  clouds  hold  me  in  pain,  while  I 
find  the  sweet  burning  of  his  love,  that  many  waters  cannot 
quench  !  Oh,  what  sad  hours  have  1,  when  I  think,  that  the  love 
of  Christ  scaureth  "^  at  me,  and  bloweth  by  me  !  If  my  Lord  Jesus 
would  come  to  bargaining  for  his  love,  I  think  he  might  make 
the  price  himself.  I  should  not  refuse  ten  thousand  years  in  Hell, 
to  have  a  wide  soul  enlarged  and  made  wider,  that  I  might  be 
exceedingly,  even  to  the  running-over,  filled  with  his  love.  Oh, 
what  am  I  to  love  such  a  One,  or  to  be  loved  by  that  high  and 
lofty  One  !  I  think  the  angels  may  blush  to  look  upon  him  ;  and 
what  am  I  to  defile  such  infinite  brightness  with  my  sinful  eyes  ! 
Oh,  that  Christ  would  come  near,  and  stand  still,  and  give  me 
leave  to  look  upon  him  ! — -for  to  look  seemeth  the  poor  man's  priv- 
ilege, since  he  may,  for  nothing,  and  without  hire,  behold  the 
sun.  I  should  have  a  king's  life,  if  I  had  no  other  thing  to  do, 
than,  for  evermore,  to  behold  and  eye  my  fair  Lord  Jesus  :  nay, 
suppose  I  were  holden  out,  at  Heaven's  fair  entry,  I  should  be 
happy  for  evermore,  to  look  through  a  hole  in  the  door,  and  see 
my  dearest  and  fairest  Lord's  face.  O  great  King,  why  standest 
thou  aloof?  Why  remainest  thou  beyond  the  mountains?  O 
Well-beloved,  why  dost  thou  pain  a  poor  soul  with  delays  ?     A 

1  Near.  2  Boggleth. 


Rutherford's  letters.  333 

long  time  out  of  thy  glorious  presence  is  two  deaths  and  two  hells 
to  me. — We  must  meet,  I  must  see  him,  I  dow  not  ^  want  him. 
Hunger  and  longing  for  Christ,  hath  brouglit  on  such  a  necessity 
of  enjoying  Christ,  that,  cost  me  what  it  will,  I  cannot  but  assure 
Christ  that  I  will  not,  I  dow  not  ^  want  him :  for  I  cannot  master 
nor  connnand  Christ's  love.  Nay,  Hell  (as  I  now  think,)  and  all 
the  pains  in  it,  laid  on  me  alone,  would  not  put  me  from  loving  : 
yea,  suppose  that  my  Lord  Jesus  would  not  love  me,  it  is  above 
my  strength  or  power  to  keep  back  or  imprison  the  weak  love 
which  I  have,  but  it  must  be  out  to  Christ :  I  would  set  Heaven's 
joy  aside,  and  live  upon  Christ's  love  its  lone.^  Let  me  have  no 
joy  but  the  warmness  and  fire  of  Christ's  love ;  I  seek  no  other, 
God  knoweth.  If  this  love  be  taken  from  me,  the  bottom  is  fallen 
out  of  all  my  happiness  and  joy ;  and,  therefore,  I  beheve  that 
Christ  will  never  do  me  that  ^  much  harm,  as  to  bereave  a  poor 
prisoner  of  his  love  :  it  were  cruelty  to  take  it  from  me ;  and  He 
who  is  kindness  itself,  cannot  be  cruel. 

Dear  brother,  weary  not  of  my  sweet  Master's  chains ;  we  are 
so  much  the  sibber  *  to  Christ  that  we  suffer.  Lodge  not  a  hard 
thought  of  my  royal  King  :  rejoice  in  his  cross.  Your  deliverance 
sleepeth  not.  He  that  will  come  is  not  slack  of  his  promise.  Wait 
on  for  God's  timous^  salvation;  ask  not  when,  or  how  long?  I 
hope  he  shall  lose  nothing  of  you  in  the  furnace,  but  dross.  Com- 
mit your  cause  in  meekness,  (forgiving  your  oppressors,)  to  God, 
and  your  sentence  shall  come  back  from  him  laughing.  Our 
Bridegroom's  day  is  coming  fast  on ;  and  this  world,  that  seemeth 
to  go  with  a  long  and  a  short  foot,  shall  be  put  into  two  ranks. 
Wait  till  your  ten  days  ^  be  ended,  and  hope  for  the  crown  ;  Christ 
will  not  give  you  a  blind  in  the  end. 

Commend  me  to  your  wife  and  father,  and  to  Baillie  M.  A.;  and 
send  this  letter  to  him. 

The  prayers  of  Christ's  prisoner  be  upon  you,  and  the  Lord's 
presence  accompany  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  July  6,  1637. 


LETTER  CCXHL 

TO     ROBERT     LENNOX,     OP     DISDOVE. 

Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  be- 
seech you  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  make  fast  and  sure  work  of  life 
eternal.  Sow  not  rotten  seed  :  every  man's  work  will  speak  for 
itself,  what  his  seed  hath  been.  Oh,  how  many  see  I,  who  sow 
to  the  flesh  !  Alas,  what  a  crop  will  that  be,  when  the  Lord  shall  put 
in  his  hook ''  to  reap  this  world,  that  is  ripe  and  white  for  judgment! 


1  Am  not  able. 

2  By  itself  alone. 

3  So. 

4  More  nearly  related. 

5  Seasonable. 

6  Rev.  ii.  10. 

7  Sickle. 

334  Rutherford's  letters. 

I  recommend  to  you  holiness  and  sanctification,  and  that  you 
keep  yourself  clean  from  this  present  evil  world.  We  dehght  to 
tell  our  own  dreams,  and  to  flatter  our  own  flesh  with  the  hope 
which  we  have:  it  were  wisdom  for  us  to  be  free,  plain,  honest, 
and  sharp  with  our  own  souls,  and  to  charge  them  to  brew  better, 
that  tliey  may  drink  well,  and  fare  well,  when  time  is  melted 
away  like  snow  in  a  hot  summer.  Oh,  how  hard  a  thing-  is  it,  to 
get  the  soul  to  give  up  with  all  things  on  this  side  of  death  and 
doomsday  !  We  say  that  we  are  removing  and  going  from  this 
world  ;  but  our  heart  stirreth  not  one  foot  off  its  seat.  Alas  !  I 
see  few  heavenly-minded  souls,  that  have  nothing  upon  the  earth, 
but  their  body  of  clay  going  up  and  down  this  earth,  because 
their  soul  and  the  powers  of  it  are  up  in  Heaven,  and  there,  their 
hearts  live,  desire,  enjoy,  rejoice.  Oh  !  men's  souls  have  no  wings, 
and,  therefore,  night  and  day  they  keep  their  nest,  and  are  not  ac- 
quainted with  Cluist.  Sir,  take  you  to  your  one  thing,  to  Christ, 
that  ye  may  be  acquainted  with  the  taste  of  his  sweetness  and 
excellency,  and  charge  your  love  not  to  dote  upon  this  world  ;  for 
it  will  not  do  your  business  in  that  day,  when  nothing  will  come 
in  good  stead  to  you,  but  God's  favor.  Build  upon  Christ  some 
good,  choice,  and  fast  work  ;  for  when  your  soul  for  many,  years 
hath  taken  the  play,  and  hath  posted,  and  wandered  through  the 
creatures,  ye  will  come  home  again  with  the  wind  ; — they  are  not 
good,  at  least  not  the  soul's  good.  It  is  the  infinite  Godhead  that 
must  allay  the  sjiarpness  of  your  hunger  after  happiness  ;  otherwise 
there  shall  still  be  a  want  of  satisfaction  to  your  desires:  and  if 
he  should  cast  in  ten  worlds  into  your  desires,  all  shall  fall  through, 
and  your  soul  will  slill  cry,  "Red*  hunger,  black'  hunger:" — but 
I  am  sure  there  is  sufficient  for  you  in  Christ,  if  ye  had  seven 
souls  and  seven  desires  in  you. 

Oh,  if-  I  could  make  my  Lord  Jesus  inarket-sweet,^  lovel}^,  de- 
sirable, and  fair  to  all  the  world,  both  to  Jew  and  Gentile  !  Oh, 
let  my  part  of  Heaven  go  for  it,  so  being  he  would  take  my  tongue 
to  be  his  instrument,  to  set  out  Christ  in  his  whole  braveries  of 
love,  virtue,  grace,  sweetness,  and  matchless  glory,  to  the  eyes  and 
hearts  of  Jews  and  Gentiles  ! — but  who  is  sufficient  for  these 
things  !  Oh,  for  the  help  of  angels'  tongues,  to  make  Christ  eye- 
sweet'  and  amiable  to  many  thousands!  Oh,  how  little  doth 
this  world  see  of  him,  and  how  far  are  they  from  the  love  of  him, 
seeing  there  is  so  much  loveliness,  beauty,  and  sweetness  in 
Christ,  that  no  created  eye  did  ever  yet  see  !  1  would  that  all 
men  knew  his  glory,  and  that  I  could  put  many  in  at  the  Bride- 
groom's chamber-door,  to  see  his  beauty,  and  to  be  partakers  of 
his  high,  and  deep,  and  broad,  and  boundless  love.  Oh,  lei.  all  the 
world  come  nigh  and  see  Christ,  and  they  shall  then  see  more 
than  I  can  say  of  him  !  Oh,  if '^  I  had  a  pledge  or  pawn  to  lay 
down  for  a  seaful  of  his  love  !  that  I  could  come  by  so  much  of 

1  Red  an  1  black  are  used  as  intensitive  words  in  the  Scottish  diahxt. 

2  Oh  that.  3  Desirable,  so  as  to  be  sought  alter  in  the  public  market. 
••  Pleasant  to  the  eye. 


Rutherford's  letters.  335 

Christ,  as  would  satisfy  greening'  and  longing  for  him,  or  rather 
increase  it,  till  I  were  in  full  possession  !  I  know  that  we  shall 
meet ;  and  therein  I  rejoice. 

Sir,  stand  fast  in  the  truth  of  Christ,  that  ye  have  received. 
Yield  to  no  winds,  but  ride  out,  and  let  Christ  be  your  anchor, 
and  tire  only  He,  whom  ye  shall  look  to  see  in  peace.  Pray  for 
me,  his  prisoner,  that  the  Lord  would  send  me  among  you  to  feed 
his  people. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CCXIV. 

TO      MR.      JAMES      HAMILTON. 

■  Reverend,  and  dearly  beloved  in  our  Lord, — Grace, 
mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — Our  acquaintance  is  neilher  in  bod- 
ily presence,  nor  on  paper ;  but  as  sons  of  the  same  Father,  and 
sufferers  for  the  same  truth. 

Let  no  man  doubt  that  the  state  of  our  question,  we  are  now 
forced  to  stand  to  by  suffering  exile  and  imprisonment  is — If  Jesus 
should  reign  over  his  kiik,  or  not  ?  Oh,  if  ^  my  sinful  arm  could 
hold  the  crown  on  his  head,  howbeit  it  should  be  stricken  off  from 
the  shoulder  blade  !  For  your  ensuing  and  feared  trial,  my  very 
dearest  in  our  Lord  Jesus,  alas  !  wliat  am  I  to  speak  to  comfort  a 
soldier  of  Christ,  w^ho  hath  done  a  hundred  times  more  for  that 
worthy  and  honorable  cause  than  I  can  do?  But  I  know,  those 
of  whom  the  world  was  not  worthy,  wandered  up  and  down  in 
deserts,  and  in  mountains,  and  in  dens,  and  caves  of  the  earth ; 
and  that  while  there  is  one  member  of  mystical  Christ  out  of 
Heaven,  that  member  must  suffer  strokes,  till  our  Lord  Jesus 
draw  in  that  member  within  the  gates  of  the  New  Jerusalem, 
which  he  will  not  fail  to  do  at  last ;  for  not  one  toe  or  tinger  of 
that  body,  but  it  shall  be  taken  in  within  the  city.  What  can  be 
our  part,  in  this  pitched  battle  betwixt  the  Lamb  and  the  Dragon, 
but  to  receive  the  darts  in  patience,  that  rebound  off  us  upon  our 
sweet  Master;  or  rather  liiz;ht  hrst  upon  him,  and  then  rebound 
otT  him  upon  his  servants?  1  tbink  it  a  sweet  north-wind,  that 
bloweth  first  upon  the  fair  fare  of  the  Chief  among  ten  thouscind, 
and  then  lighteth  upon  our  sinful  and  black  faces.  When  once 
the  witid  bloweth  off  him  upon  me,  I  think  it  hath  a  sweet  smell 
of  Christ;  and  so  nuist  be  some^  more  than  a  single  cross.  I 
know  that  ye  have  a  guard  about  you,  and  your  attendance  and 
train  for  your  safety  is  far  beyond  your  pursuers'  force  or  fraud: 
it  is  good,  under  feud,  to  be  near  otu"  w-ar-house,  and  stronghold. 
We  can  do  but  little  to  resist  them,  who  persecute  us  and  oppose 

1  Greedily  desiring.  2  Oh,  that.  3  Somewhat, 


336  Rutherford's  letters. 

him,  but  keep  our  blood  and  our  wounds  to  the  next  court-day, 
when  our  complaints  shall  be  read.  If  this  day  be  not  Christ's,  I 
am  sure  the  morrow  shall  be  his. 

As  for  anything  I  do  in  my  bonds,  when  now  and  then  a  word 
falleth  from  me,  alas  !  it  is  very  little.  I  am  exceedingly  grieved 
that  any  should  conceive  anything  to  be  in  such  a  broken  and 
empty  reed  :  let  no  man  impute  it  to  me,  that  the  free  and  un- 
bought  wind,  (for  I  gave  nothing  for  it,)  bloweth  upon  an  empty 
reed.  I  am  his  over-burdened  debtor.  I  cry,  "  Down  with  men, 
down,  down  with  all  the  excellency  of  the  world  ;  and  up,  up 
with  Christ !"  Long,  long  may  that  fair  One,  that  holy  One,  be 
on  high  !  My  curse  be  upon  them  that  love  him  not.  Oh,  how 
glad  would  I  be,  if  his  glory  would  grow  out,  and  spring  up  out 
of  my  bonds  and  sufferings  !  Certainly  since  I  became  his  pris- 
oner, he  hath  won  the  yolk  and  heart  of  my  soul.  Christ  is  even 
become  a  new  Christ  to  me,  and  his  love  greener  than  it  was. 
And  now  I  strive  no  more  with  him.  His  love  shall  carry  it  away. 
I  lay  down  myself  under  his  love.  I  desire  to  sing,  and  to  cry, 
and  to  proclahn  myself,  even  under  the  water,  in  his  common, ' 
and  eternally  indebted  to  his  kindness.  I  will  not  offer  to  quit 
commons  with  ^  him,  (as  we  used  to  say,)  for  that  will  not  be. 
All,  all  for  evermore  be  Christ's.  What  further  trials  are  before 
rae,  I  know  not ;  but  1  know  that  Christ  will  have  a  saved  soul 
of  me,  over  on  the  other  side  of  the  water,  on  the  yonder-side  of 
crosses,  and  be3^ond  men's  wrongs. 

I  had  but  one  eye,  and  that  they  have  put  out.  My  one  joy, 
next  to  the  flower  of  my  joys,  Christ,  was  to  preach  my  sweetest, 
sweetest  Master,  and  the  glory  of  his  Kingdom ;  and  it  seemed 
no  cruelty  to  them  to  put  out  the  poor  man's  one  eye.  And  now 
I  am  seeking  about  to  see  if  suffering  will  speak  my  fair  One's 
praises ;  and  I  am  trying  if  a  dumb  man's  tongue  can  raise  one 
note,  or  one  of  Zion's  springs  to  advance  my  Well-beloved's  glory. 
Oh,  if  he  would  make  some  glory  to  himself  out  of  a  dumb  pris- 
oner !  I  go  with  child  of  his  word  :  I  cannot  be  delivered :  none 
here  will  have  my  Master :  alas !  what  aileth  them  at  him  7 

I  bless  you  for  your  prayers  ;  add  to  them  praises  :  as  I  am  able, 
I  pay  you  home.  I  commend  your  diving  in  Christ's  Testament ; 
I  would  J.  could  set  out  the  dead  Man's  good-will  to  his  friends,  in 
his  sweet  testament.  Speak  a  prisoner's  hearty  commendations 
to  Christ ;  fear  not,  your  ten  days  ^  will  over.  Those  that  are 
gathered  against  Mount  Zion,  their  eyes  shall  melt  away  in  their 
eye-holes,  and  their  tongues  consume  away  in  their  mouths,  and 
Christ's  withered  garden  shall  grow  green  again  in  Scotland.  My 
Lord  Jesus  hath  a  word  hid  in  Heaven  for  Scotland,  not  yet 
brought  out. 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,        S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  July  7,  1637. 

1  Under  obligation.  2  To  cease  to  be  obliged  to. 

3  Rev.  ii.  10. 


Rutherford's  letters.  337 

LETTER  CCXV. 

TO     MISTRESS     STUART. 

Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  am  sorry 
that  ye  take  it  so  hardly,  that  I  have  not  written  to  you. 

I  am  judged  to  be  that  which  I  am  not.  I  fear  that  if  I  were 
put  into  the  fire,  I  should  melt  away,  and  fall  down  in  sherds  of 
painted  nature  ;  for  truly  I  have  little  stuff  at  home  that  is  worth 
the  eye  of  God's  servants.  If  there  be  anything  of  Christ's  in  me, 
(as  I  dare  not  deny  some  of  his  work,)  it  is  but  a  spunk  ^  of  bor- 
rowed fire,  that  can  scarce  warm  myself,  and  hath  little  heat  for 
standers-by.  I  would  fain  have  that  which  ye  and  others  believe 
I  have  ;  but  ye  are  only  witnesses  to  my  outer  side,  and  to  some 
words  on  paper.  Oh,  that  he  would  give  me  more  than  paper- 
grace  or  tongue-grace  !  Were  it  not  that  want  paineth  me,  I 
should  have  skailed  ^  house,  and  gone  a-begging  long  since :  but 
Christ  hath  left  me  with  some  hunger,  that  is  more  hot  than  wise, 
and  is  ready  often  to  say,  "  If  Christ  longed  for  me,  as  I  do  for 
him,  we  should  not  be  long  in  meeting  ;  and  if  he  loved  my  com- 
pany as  well  as  I  do  his,  even  while  I  am  writing  this  letter  to 
you,  we  should  flee  ^  into  each  other's  arms."  But  I  know  there 
is  more  will  than  wit  in  this  languor  and  pining  love  for  Christ ; 
and  no  marvel,  for  love  to  Christ  would  have  liot  harvest,  long 
ere  midsummer.  But  if  I  have  any  love  to  him,  Christ  hath  both 
love  to  me.  and  wit  to  guide  his  love  ;  and  I  see  that  the  best  thing 
I  have  hath  as  much  dross  beside  it  as  might  curse  me  and  it  both  ; 
and,  if  it  were  for  no  more,  we  have  need  of  a  Saviour  to  pardon 
the  very  faults,  and  diseases,  and  weakness  of  the  new  man,  and 
to  take  away  (to  say  so)  our  godly  sins,  or  the  sins  of  our  sancti- 
fication,  and  the  dross  and  scum  of  spiritual  love.  Wo,  wo  is  me  ! 
Oh,  what  need  is  there,  then,  of  Christ's  calling  to  scour,  and 
cleanse,  and  wash  away  an  ugly  old  body  of  sin — the  very  image 
of  Satan  !  I  know  nothing  surer,  than  that  there  is  an  office  for 
Christ  amongst  us.  I  wish  for  no  other  heaven  on  this  side  of 
the  last  sea  that  I  must  cross,  than  this  service  of  Christ,  to  make 
my  blackness  beauty,  my  deadness  life,  my  guiltiness  sanctifica- 
tion.  I  long  much  for  that  day,  when  t  shall  be  holy.  Oh,  what 
spots  are  yet  unwashen!^  Oh,  that  I  could  change  the  skin  of 
the  leopard  and  the  moor,  and  niffer'  it  with  some  of  Christ's  fair- 
ness !  Were  my  blackness  and  Christ's  beautj^  carded  through- 
other,^  (as  we  use  to  speak,)  his  beauty  and  holiness  would  eat  up 
my  filthiness.  But,  oh,  I  have  not  casten  old  Adam's  hue  and 
color  yet !  I  trow  that  the  best  of  us  hath  a  smell  yet  of  the  old 
loathsome  body  of  sin  and  guiltiness.  Happy  are  they  for  ever- 
more who  can  employ  Christ,  and  set  his  blood  and  death  on 

1  Spark.  2  Dispersed.  3  Fly. 

*  Unwashed.  5  Exchange.  6  Promiscuously. 

22 


338  Rutherford's  letters. 

work,  to  make  clean  work  to  God,  of  foul  souls.  I  know  that  it 
is  our  sin  that  would  have  sanctification  on  the  sunny-side  of  the 
hill,  and  holiness  with  nothing  but  summer,  and  crosses  no  at  all. 
Sin  hath  made  us  as  tender  as  if  we  were  made  of  paper  or  glass. 
I  am  often  thinking,  what  I  would  think  of  Christ  and  burning 
quick  together,  of  Christ  and  torturing,  and  hot  melted  lead  poured 
in  at  mouth  and  navel ;  yet  I  have  some  weak  experience,  (but 
very  weak  indeed,)  that  suppose  Christ  and  Hell's  torments  were 
married  together,  and  if  there  were  no  finding  of  Christ  at  all,  ex- 
cept I  went  to  Hell's  furnace,  that  there,  and  in  no  other  place,  I 
could  meet  with  him  ;  I  trow  that  if  I  were  as  I  have  been  since 
I  was  his  prisoner,  I  would  beg  lodging  for  God's  sake  in  Hell's 
hottest  furnace,  that  I  might  rub  souls  with  Christ.  But  God  be 
thanked,  I  shall  find  him  in  a  better  lodging.  We  get  Christ 
better-cheap^  than  so  :  when  he  is  rouped'^  to  us,  we  get  him  but 
with  a  shower  of  summer  troubles  in  this  life,  as  sweet  and  as  soft 
as  to  believers  as  a  May-dew. 

I  would  have  you  and  m3rself  helping  Christ  mystical  to  weep 
for  his  wife ;  and,  oh,  that  we  could  mourn  for  Christ  buried  in 
Scotland,  and  for  his  two  slain  witnesses,  killed  because  they 
prophesied  !  If  we  could  so  importune  and  soHcit  God,  our  buried 
Lord  and  his  two  buried  witnesses  should  rise  again.  Earth,  and 
clay,  and  stone,  will  not  bear  down  Christ  and  the  Gospel  in  Scot- 
land. I  know  not  if  I  shall  see  the  second  Temple,  and  the  glory 
of  it ;  but  the  Lord  hath  deceived  me  if  it  be  not  to  be  reared  up 
again.  I  would  wish  to  give  Christ  his  welcome  home  again: — 
my  blessing,  my  joy,  my  glory,  and  love  be  on  the  Home-comer. 

I  find  no  better  use  of  suffering  than  that  Christ's  winnowing 
putteth  chaff  and  corn  in  the  saints  to  sundry  places,  and  discov- 
ereth  our  dross  from  his  gold,  so  as  corruption  and  grace  are  so 
seen,  that  Christ  saith  in  the  furnace,  "That  is  mine,  and  this  is 
thine  :  the  scum  and  the  grounds,  thy  stomach  against  the  perse- 
cutors, thy  impatience,  thy  unbelief,  thy  quarrelling,  these  are 
thine  ;  and  faith,  on-waiting,  love,  joy,  courage,  are  mine."  Oh, 
let  me  die  one  of  Christ's  on- waiters,  and  one  of  his  attendants  ! 

I  know  that  your  heart  and  Christ  are  married  together  ;  it 
were  not  good  to  make  a  divorce.  Rue  not  of  that  meeting  and 
marriage  with  such  a  husband.  Pray  for  me  his  prisoner.  Grace, 
grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CCXVL 

TO     MR.     HUGH     MACKAIL. 

Reverend,  and  dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace 
be  to  you. — I  received  your  letter.     I  bless  you  for  it. 

»  More  than  gratuitously.  2  Auctioned. 


Rutherford's  letters.  339 

My  dry  root  would  take  more  dew  and  summer-rain  than  it 
getteth,  were  it  not  that  Christ  will  have  dryness  and  deadness 
in  us  to  work  upon ;  if  there  were  no  timber  to  work  upon,  art 
would  die,  and  never  be  seen.     I  see  that  grace  hath  a  field  to 
play  upon,  and  to  course  up  and  down  in  our  wants ;  so  that  I 
am  often  thanking  God,  not  for  guiltiness,  but  for  guiltiness  for 
Christ  to  whet  and  sharpen  his  grace  upon  :  I  am  half  content  to 
have  boils  for  the  plasters  of  my  Lord  Jesus.     Sickness  hath  this 
advantage,  that  it  draweth  our  sweet  Physician's  hand,  and  his 
holy  and  soft  fingers,  to  touch  our  withered  and  leper  skins.     It  is 
a  blessed  fever  that  fetcheth  Christ  to  the  bed-side.     I  think  my 
Lord's  "  How  doest  thou  with  it,  sick  Body  ?"  is  worth  ail  my 
pained  nights.     Surely,  I  have  no  more  for  Christ,  than  empti- 
ness and  want :  take  or  leave,  he  will  get  me  no  otherwise.     I 
must  sell  myself,  and  my  wants  to  him  ;  but  I  have  no  price  to 
give  for  him.     If  he  would  put  a  fair  and  real  seal  upon  his  love 
to  me,  and  bestow  upon  me  a  larger  share  of  Christ's  love,  (which 
I  would   fainest   be   in    hands  with  of  anything — I  except   not 
Heaven  itself,)  I  should  go  on  sighing  and  singing  under  his  cross  ; 
but  the  worst  is,  many  take  me  for  somebody,  because  the  wind 
bloweth  upon  a  withered  prisoner  ;  but  the  truth  is,  that  I  am 
both  lean  and  thin  in  that,  wherein  many  believe  I  abound.     I 
would,  (if  bartering  Avere  in  my  power,)  niffer  ^  joy  with  Christ's 
love  and  faith,  and,  instead  of  the  hot  sunshine,  be  content  to 
walk  under  a  cloudy  shadow  with  more  grief  and  sadness,  to  have 
more  faith  and  a  fair  occasion  of  setting  forth  and  commending 
Christ,  and  to  make  that  lovely  One,  that  fair  One,  that  sweetest 
and  dearest  Lord  Jesus,  market-sweet^  for  many  ears  and  hearts 
in  Scotland  ;  and,  if  it  were  in  my  power,  to  roup  ^  Christ  to  the 
Three  Kingdoms,  and  withal  persuade  buyers  to  come,  and  to 
lake  such  sweet  wares  as  Christ,  I  would  think  to  have  many 
sweet  bargains  betwixt  Christ  and  the  sons  of  men.     I  would  that 
I  could  be  humble,  and  go  with  a  low  sail :  I  would  that  I  had 
desires  with  wings,  and  running  upon  wheels ;  swift,  and  active, 
and  speedy  in  longing  for  Christ's  honor.     But  I  know  that  my 
Lord  is  as  wise  here  as  I  dow^  be  thirsty  ;   and  infinitely  more 
zealous  of  his  honor,  than  I  can  be  hungry  for  the  manifestation 
of  it  to  men  and  angels.     But,  oh,  that  my  Lord  would  take  my 
desires  off  my  hand,  and  a  thousand-fold  more  unto  them,  and  sow 
spiritual  inclinations  upon  them,  for  the  coming  of  Christ's  King- 
dom to  the  sons  of  men  !  that  they  might  be  higher,  and  deeper, 
and  longer,  and  broader — for  my  longest  measures  are  too  short 
for  Christ,  iny  depth  is  ebb^  and  the  breadth  of  my  affections  to 
Christ  narrowed  and  pinched.     Oh,  for  an  ingine  ^  and  a  wit,  to 
prescribe  ways  to  men,  how  Christ  might  be  all,  in  all  the  world  ! 
— Wit  is  here  behind  affection,  and  affection  behind  obligation. 
Oh,  how  little  dow  ^  I  give  to  Christ,  and  how  much  hath  he 

•  Exchange.  2  Sought  after,  as  it  were,  in  the  common  market. 
3  Auction.  *  Am  able  to.  s  Shallow. 

*  Genius,  ">  Am  able. 


340  Rutherford's  letters. 

given  me !  Oh,  that  I  could  sing  grace's  praises,  and  love's 
praises  !  seeing  that  I  was  liice  a  fool  soliciting  the  Law,  and  mak- 
ing moyen  '  to  the  Law's  court  for  mercy,  and  found  challenges  ^ 
that  way ;  but  now  I  deny  that  judge's  power ;  for  I  am  grace's 
man :  I  hold  not  worth  a  drink  of  water,  the  Law,  or  any  lord,  but 
Jesus — and  till  I  bethought  me  of  this,  1  was  slain  with  doubtings, 
and  fears,  and  terrors.  I  praise  the  new  court,  and  the  new  Land- 
lord, and  the  new  salvation,  purchased  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  and 
at  his  instance.  Let  the  Old  Man,  if  he  please,  go  make  his 
moan  ^  to  the  Law,  and  seek  acquaintance  thereaway  ^  because 
he  is  condemned  in  that  court ;  I  hope  that  the  New  Man,  and  I, 
and  Christ  together  will  not  be  heard  :  and  this  is  the  more  soft 
and  the  more  easy  way  for  me  and  for  my  cross  together.  Seeing 
that  Christ  singeth  my  welcome-home,  and  taketh  me  in,  and 
maketh  short  accounts  and  short  work  of  reckoning  betwixt  me 
and  my  Judge,  I  must  be  Christ's  man,  and  his  tenant,  and  sub- 
ject to  his  court.  I  am  sure  that  suffering  for  Christ  could  not  be 
borne  otherwise :  but  I  give  my  hand  and  my  faith  to  all  who 
would  suffer  for  Christ,  that  they  shall  be  well  handled,  and  fare 
well  in  the  same  way,  that  I  have  found  the  cross  easy  and  light. 
Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
Aberdeen,  July  8,  1637. 


LETTER  CCXVIL 

TO     ALEXANDER     GORDON,     OF     GARLOCK. 

Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — If 
Christ  were  as  I  am,  that  time  could  work  upon  him  to  alter  him, 
or  that  the  morrow  could  bring  a  new  day  to  him,  or  bring  a  new 
mind  to  him,  as  it  is  to  me  a  new  day,  I  could  not  keep  a  house 
or  a  covenant  with  him  :  but  I  find  Christ  to  be  Christ,  and  that 
he  is  far,  far,  even  infinite  heaven's  height  above  men  :  and  that  is 
all  our  happiness.  Sinners  can  do  nothing,  but  make  wounds, 
that  Christ  may  heal  them ;  and  make  debts,  that  he  may  pay 
them  ;  and  make  falls,  that  he  may  raise  them  ;  and  make  deaths, 
that  he  may  quicken  them  ;  and  spin  out  and  dig  hells  for  them- 
selves, that  he  may  ransom  them.  Now  I  will  bless  the  Lord,  that 
ever  there  was  such  a  thing  as  the  free  grace  of  God,  and  a  free 
ransom  given  for  sold  souls :  only,  alas  !  guiltiness  maketh  me 
ashamed  to  apply  Christ,  and  to  think  it  pride  in  me,  to  put  out 
my  unclean  and  withered  hand  to  such  a  Saviour.  But  it  is 
neither  shame  nor  pride,  for  a  drowning  man  to  swim  to  a  rock, 
nor  for  a  ship-broken  soul  to  run  himself  ashore  upon  Christ. 
Suppose  once  I  be  guilty,  need-force  ^  I  cannot,  I  dow  not "  go  by  ^ 

1  Interest.  2  Accusations.  3  Bemoan  himself. 

*  In  those  parts.  5  Of  necessity.  6  Am  not  able.  '  Past. 


Rutherford's  letters.  341 

Christ.  We  take  in  good  part  that  pride,  that  beggars  beg  from 
the  richer ;  and  who  so  poor  as  we  ?  and  who  so  rich  as  He  who 
selleth  fine  Gold  ?  (Rev.  iii.  18.)  T  see,  then,  it  is  our  best,  (let 
guiltiness  plead  w4iat  it  listcth,)  that  we  have  no  mean  under  the 
covering  of  Heaven,  but  to  creep  in  lowly  and  submissively  with 
our  wants  to  Christ.  I  have  also  cause  to  give  his  cross  a  good 
name  and  report.  Oh,  how  worthy  is  Christ  of  my  feckless  ^  and 
hght  suffering !  and  how  hath  he  deserved  it  at  my  hands,  that, 
for  his  honor  and  glory,  I  should  lay  my  back  under  seven  hells' 
pains  in  one,  if  he  call  me  to  that !  But  alas  !  my  soul  is  like  a 
ship  run  on  ground  through  ebbness'^of  water.  I  am  sanded,^ 
and  my  love  is  sanded,^  and  I  find  not  how  to  bring  it  on  float 
again.  It  is  so  cold  and  dead,  that  I  see  not  how  to  bring  it  to  a 
flame.  F}'',  fy  upon  the  meeting  that  my  love  hath  given  Christ. 
Wo,  wo  is  me,  I  have  a  lover  Christ,  and  yet  I  want  love  for  him  : 
I  have  a  lovely  and  desirable  Lord,  who  is  loveworthy,  and  who 
beggeth  my  love  and  heart,  and  I  have  nothing  to  give  him.  Dear 
brother,  come  further  in  on  Christ,  and  see  a  new  treasure  in  him. 
Come  in,  and  look  down,  and  see  angels'  wonder,  and  Heaven  and 
earth's  wonder  of  love,  sweetness,  majesty,  and  excellency  in  him. 

I  forget  you  not.     Pray  for  me,  that  our  Lord  would  be  pleased 
to  send  me  among  you  again,  fraughted  and  full  of  Christ. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CCXVHL 


TO    JOHN     BELL,     ELDER 


My  very  loving  Friend, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to 
you. — I  have  very  often  and  long  expected  your  letter  :  but  if  ye 
be  well  in  soul  and  body,  I  am  the  less  solicitous. 

I  beseech  you,  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  mind  your  country  above : 
and  now,  when  old  age — the  twilight  going  before  the  darkness 
of  the  grave,  and  the  falling  low  of  your  sun  before  your  night — 
is  come  upon  you,  advise  with  Christ,  ere  ye  put  your  foot  into 
the  ship,  and  turn  your  back  on  this  life.  Many  are  beguiled  with 
this,  that  they  are  free  of  scandalous  and  crying  abominations  ;  but 
the  tree  that  bringeth  not  forth  good  fruit,  is  for  the  fire ;  the  man 
that  is  not  born  again,  cannot  enter  into  the  Kingdom  of  God : — 
common  honesty  will  not  take  men  to  Heaven.  Alas,  that  men 
should  think  that  ever  they  met  with  Christ,  who  had  never  a  sick 
night,  through  the  terrors  of  God  in  their  souls,  or  a  sore  heart  for 
sin  !  I  know  that  the  Lord  hath  given  you  light,  and  the  knowl- 
edge of  his  will,  but  that  is  not  all,  neither  will  that  do  your  turn. 
I  wish  you  an  awakened  soul,  and  that  ye  beguile  not  yourself, 

1  Worthless.  2  Shallowness.  3  Stranded. 


342  Rutherford's  letters. 

in  the  matter  of  your  salvation.  My  dear  brother,  search  yourself 
with  the  candle  of  God,  and  try  if  the  life  of  God  and  Christ  be  in 
you.  Salvation  is  not  casten  to  every  man's  door.  Many  are 
carried  over  sea  and  land,  to  a  far  country  in  a  ship,  whileas  they 
sleep  much  of  all  the  way ;  but  men  are  not  landed  at  Heaven 
sleeping.  The  righteous  are  scarcely  saved ;  and  many  run  as 
fast  as  either  you  or  I,  who  miss  the  prize  and  the  crown.  God 
send  me  salvation,  and  save  me  from  a  disappointment,  and  I  seek 
no  more.  Men  think  it  but  a  stride,  or  step  over  to  Heaven  ;  but 
when  so  few  are  saved,  even  of  a  number  like  the  sand  of  the  sea 
— but  a  handful  and  a  remnant,  (as  God's  word  saith) — what 
cause  have  we  to  shake  ourselves  out  of  ourselves,  and  to  ask  our 
poor  soul,  "Whither  goest  thou?  Where  shalt  thou  lodge  at 
night?  Where  are  thy  charters  and  writs  of  tliy  heavenly  in- 
heritance ?"  1  have  known  a  man  turn  a  key  in  a  door,  and  lock 
it  by.'  Many  men  leap  over,  (as  they  think,)  and  leap  in.  Oh, 
see !  see  that  ye  give  not  your  salvation  a  wrong  cast,  and  think 
all  is  well,  and  leave  your  soul  loose  and  uncertain.  Look  to  your 
building,  and  to  your  ground-stone,^  and  what  signs  of  Christ  are 
in  you,  and  set  this  world  behind  your  back.  It  is  time,  now  in 
the  evening,  to  cease  from  your  ordinary  work,  and  high  time  to 
know  of  your  lodging  at  night :  it  is  your  salvation  that  is  in  de- 
pendence, and  that  is  a  great  and  weighty  business,  though  many 
make  light  of  the  matter. 

Now,  the  Lord  enable  you  by  his  grace  to  work  it  out. 

Your  lawful,  and  loving  pastor,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CCXIX. 


TO    MR.     JOHN     ROW. 


Reverend,  and  dear  Brother, — I  received  yours. — I  bless 
his  high  and  great  name,  that  I  like  my  sweet  Master  still  the 
longer  the  better  :  a  sight  of  his  cross  is  more  awsome  ^  than  the 
weight  of  it.  I  think  the  worst  things  of  Christ,  even  his  re- 
proaches and  his  cross,  (when  I  look  on  these  not  with  bleared 
eyes,)  far  rather  to  be  chosen  than  the  laughter  and  worm-eaten 
joys  of  my  adversaries.  Oh,  that  they  were  as  I  am,  except  my 
bonds  !  My  Witness  is  above,  that  my  ministry,  next  to  Christ, 
is  dearest  to  me  of  anything  ;  but  I  lay  it  down  at  Christ's  feet, 
for  his  glory  and  his  honor  as  supreme  Lawgiver,  which  is  dearer 
to  me. 

My  dear  brother,  if  ye  will  receive  the  testimony  of  a  poor  pris- 
oner of  Christ,  who  dare  not  now  dissemble  for  the  world,  I  believe 
certainly,  and  expect  thanks  from  the  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the 

1  That  is,  turn  the  bolt  not  into,  but  past  the  staple  or  socket  that  should  hold  it. 

2  Foundation.  3  Awful. 


Rutherford's  letters.  343 

earth,  for  my  poor  hazards,  (such  as  ihey  are,)  for  his  honorable 
cause,  wlioin  I  can  never  enough  extol,  for  his  running-over  love 
to  my  sad  soul,  since  I  came  hitlier.  Oh,  that  I  could  get  him  set 
on  high  and  praised  !  I  seek  no  more,  as  the  top  and  root  of  my 
desires,  than  that  Christ  may  make  glory  to  himself,  and  edifica- 
tion to  the  weaker,  out  of  my  sufferings. 

I  desire  ye  would  help  me  both  to  pray  and  praise.     Grace  be 
with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  July  8th,  1637. 


LETTER  CCXX. 

TO     MY     LORD     CRAIGHALL. 

My  Lord, — I  persuade  myself  that  notwithstanding  the  great- 
ness of  this  temptation,  ye  will  not  let  Christ  want  a  witness  of 
you,  to  avow  him  before  this  evil  generation.  And  if  ye  advise 
with  God's  truth,  (the  perfect  testament  of  Christ,  that  forbiddeth 
all  men's  additions  to  his  worship.)  and  with  the  truly  learned, 
and  w^ith  all  the  sanctified  in  this  land,  and  Avith  that  warner 
within  you,  (which  will  not  fail  to  speak  against  you,  in  God's 
name,  if  ye  be  not  now  fast  and  fixed  for  Christ,)  I  hope,  then, 
that  your  Lordship  will  acquit  yourself  as  a  man  of  courage  for 
Christ,  and  refuse  to  bow  your  knee  superstitiously  and  idola- 
trously  to  wood  or  stone,  or  any  creature  wdiatsoever.  I  persuade 
myself  that  when  ye  shall  take  good  night  at  this  world,  ye  shall 
think  it  God's  truth  I  now  write. 

Some  fear  that  your  Lordship  hath  obliged  yourself  to  His  Maj- 
esty by  promise  to  satisfy  his  desire.  If  it  be  so,  my  dear,  and 
worthy  Lord,  hear  me  for  your  soul's  good.  Think  upon  swim- 
ming ashore  after  this  shipwreck,  and  be  pleased  to  write  your 
humble  apology  to  his  Majesty ;  it  may  be  that  God  will  give  you 
favor  in  his  eyes.  However  it  be,  far  be  it  from  you  to  think  a 
promise  made  out  of  weakness,  and  extorted  by  the  terror  of  a 
king,  should  bind  you  to  wrong  your  Lord,  Jesus.  But  for  my- 
self, I  give  no  faith  to  that  report,  but  I  believe  that  ye  will  prove 
fast  to  Christ.     To  this  grace  I  recommend  you. 

Your  Lordship's,  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  July  8,  1G37. 


LETTER  CCXXL 

FOR     MARION      MACKNAUGHT. 

Worthy,  and  dearest  in  the  Lord, — I  rejoice  that  you 
are  a  partaker  of  the  sufferings  of  Christ.     Faint  not,  keep  breath, 


344  Rutherford's  letters. 

believe ;  howbeit  men,  and  busband,  and  friends,  prove  weak,  yet 
youi-  strenj^tb  failetb  not.  It  is  not  pride  for  a  drowning  man  to 
grip  to  '  tbe  rock.  It  is  your  glory  to  lay  bold  on  your  Rock.  O 
woman  greatly  beloved  !  I  testify  and  avoucb  it  in  my  Lord,  tbat 
tbe  prayers  ye  sent  to  Heaven,  tbese  many  years  by-gone,^  are 
come  up  before  the  Lord  and  sball  not  be  forgotten.  What  it  is 
tbat  will  come,  I  cannot  tell ;  but  I  know  tbat,  as  the  Lord  livetb, 
tbese  cries  sball  bring  down  mercy.  I  charge  you,  and  those  peo- 
ple witb  you,  to  go  on  without  fainting  or  fear,  and  still  believe, 
and  take  no  nay-say.^  If  ye  leave  off,  tbe  field  is  lost ;  if  ye  con- 
tinue, our  enemies  sball  be  a  tottering  wall,  and  a  bowing  fence. 
I  write  it,  (and  keep  tbis  letter,)  utter,  utter  desolation  shall  be  to 
your  adversaries,  and  to  tbe  baters  of  tbe  Virgin-daugbter  of  Scot- 
land. Tbe  bride  will  yet  sing,  as  in  tbe  days  of  ber  youtb.  Sal- 
vation sball  be  ber  walls  and  bulwarks.  Tbe  dry  olive-tree  sball 
bud  again,  and  dry  dead  bones  shall  live;  for  the  Lord  will  pro- 
phesy "to  the  dry  bones,  and  the  Spirit  shall  come  upon  them,  and 
we  shall  live. 

I  rejoice  to  hear  of  John  Carsen  !  I  sball  not  forget  him.  Re- 
member me  to  Grizzel,  and  Jean  Brown.  Your  busband  hath 
made  me  heavy ;  but  be  courageous  in  tbe  Lord.  I  send  blessings 
to  Samuel  and  William.  Show  them  tbat  I  will  them  to  seek 
God  in  their  youth. 

Grace  is  yours. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  July  8,  1637. 


LETTER  CCXXII. 

TO     MY    LADY     CULROSS. 


Madam,— Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  am  much  re- 
freshed witb  your  letter,  now  at  length  come  to  me.  I  find  my 
Lord  Jesus  cometh  not  in  tbat  precise  way  tbat  I  lay  wait  for  him  ; 
he  hath  a  gate  *  of  bis  own  :  oh,  how  high  are  his  ways  above  my 
ways  !  I  see  but  little  of  him.  It  is  best  not  to  offer  to  learn  him 
a  lesson,  but  to  give  him  absolutely  bis  own  will,  in  coming,  go- 
ing, ebbing,  and  in  the  manner  of  his  gracious  working.  I  want 
nothing  but  a  back-burden  of  Christ's  love.  I  would  go  through 
Hell,  and  tbe  thick ^  of  the  damned  devils,  to  have  a  hearty  feast 
of  Christ's  love ;  for  he  hath  fettered  me  with  his  love,  and  run 
away,  and  left  me  a  chained  man. 

Wo  is  me,  tbat  I  was  so  loose,  rash,  vain,  and  graceless,  in  my 
unbelieving  thoughts  of  Christ's  love.  But  what  can  a  soul,  under 
a  non-entry,  (when  my  rights  ^  were  wadset  ^  and  lost,)  do  else, 

1  To  clincr  to.  2  By-passed.  3  Nay-word,  denial.  <  Manner. 

5  Throng.  6  Charters.  ^  AHenated. 


Rutherford's  letters.  345 

but  make  a  false  libel  against  Christ's  love  !  I  know  that  yourself, 
madam,  and  many  moe,  will  be  witnesses  against  me,  if  I  repent 
not  of  my  unbelief;  for  I  have  been  seeking  the  Pope's  wares, 
some  hire  for  grace  within  myself  I  have  not  learned,  as  I  should 
do,  to  put  my  stock  and  all  my  treasure  into  Christ's  hand  ;  but  I 
would  have  a  stock  of  mine  own,  and  ere  I  was  aware,  I  was  tak- 
mg  hire  to  be  the  Law's  advocate,  to  seek  justification  by  works. 
I  forgot,  that  grace  is  the  only  garland  that  is  worn  in  Heaven, 
upon  the  heads  of  the  glorified.  And  now  I  half  rejoice,  that  I 
have  sickness  for  Christ  to  work  upon.  Since  I  must  have  wounds, 
well  is  my  soul !  I  have  a  day's  work  for  my  Physician,  Christ. 
I  hope  to  give  Christ  his  own  calling :  it  setteth  him  full  well  to 
cure  diseases. 

My  ebbings  are  very  low,  and  the  tide  is  far  out  when  my  Be- 
loved goeth  away;  and  then  I  cry,  "Oh,  cruelty!  to  put  out  the 
poor  man's  one  eye ;"  and  that  was  my  joy  next  to  Christ,  to 
preach  my  Well-beloved  :  then  I  make  a  noise  about  Christ's  house, 
looking  unco-like  '  in  at  his  window,  and  casting  my  love  and  my 
desires  over  the  wall,  till  God  send  better.  I  am  often  content 
that  my  bill  lie  in  Heaven,  till  the  day  of  my  departure,  providing 
I  had  assurance,  that  mercy  shall  be  written  on  the  back  of  it. 
I  would  not  care  for  on-waiting  ;  but  when  I  draw  in  a  tired  arm, 
and  an  empty  hand  withal,  it  is  nuich  to  me  to  keep  my  thoughts 
in  order — but  I  will  not  get  a  gate  '^  for  Christ's  love,  when  I  have 
done  all  I  can.  I  would  fain  yield  to  his  stream,  and  row  with 
Christ,  and  not  against  him.  But  while  I  live,  I  see  that  Christ's 
Kingdom  in  me  will  not  be  peaceable — so  many  thoughts  in  me 
rise  up  against  his  honor  and  kingly  power.  Surely,  I  have  not 
expressed  all  his  sweet  kindness  to  me  :  I  spare  to  do  it,  lest  I  be 
deemed  to  seek  myself;  but  his  breath  hath  smelled  of  the  pow- 
ders of  the  merchant,  and  of  the  king's  spikenard.  I  think  that  I 
conceive  new  thoughts  of  Heaven,  because  the  chart  and  the  map 
of  Heaven,  which  he  Ictteth  me  now  see,  is  so  fair,  and  so  sweet. 
I  am  sure  that  we  are  niggards,  and  sparing  bodies  in  seeking. 
I  verily  judge  that  we  know  not  how  much  may  be  had  in  this 
life  ;  there  is  yet  something  beyond  all  that  we  see,  that  seeking 
would  light  upon.  Oh,  that  my  love  sickness  would  put  me  to  a 
business,  when  all  the  world  are  sound-sleeping,  to  cry  and  knock  ! 
But  the  truth  is,  that  since  I  came  hither,  I  have  been  wondering, 
that,  after  my  importunity  to  have  my  fill  of  Christ's  love,  I  have 
not  gotten  a  real  sign,  but  have  come  from  him  crying,  "  Hunger, 
hunger."  I  think  that  Christ  Ictteth  me  see  meat  in  my  extremity 
of  hunger,  and  giveth  me  none  of  it:  when  I  am  near  the  apple. 
he  draweth  back  his  hand,  and  goeth  away  to  cause  me  follow ; 
and  again,  when  I  am  within  an  arm-length  of  the  apple,  he 
maketh  a  new  break  to  the  gate  ^  and  I  have  him  to  seek  of  new. 
He  seemeth  not  to  pity  my  dwining  ^  and  my  swooning  for  his 

•  Having  an  appearance  of  strangeness.  2  Way. 

3  That  is,  maketh  a  rush  out  to  the  door,  apparently  for  the  purpose  of  escaping. 

*  Pining. 


346  Rutherford's  letters. 

love.  I  dare  soraelimcs  put  my  hunger  over  to  him,  to  be  judged, 
if  I  would  not  buy  him  with  a  thousand  years  in  the  hottest  fur- 
nace in  Hell,  so  being  I  might  enjoy  him.  But  my  hunger  is  fed 
with  want  and  absence.  I  hunger,  and  I  have  not ;  but  my  com- 
fort is  to  lye  and  wait  on,  and  to  put  my  poor  soul  and  my  suffer- 
ings into  Christ's  hand.  Let  him  make  anything  out  of  me,  so 
being  he  be  glorified  in  my  salvation  ;  for  I  know  that  I  am  made  , 
for  him.  Oh,  that  my  Lord  may  win  his  own  gracious  end  in  me.  -^ 
I  will  not  be  at  ease,  while  I  but  stand  so  far  aback.  Oh,  if  I 
were  near  him,  and  with  him,  that  this  poor  soul  might  be  satis- 
fied with  hiuiself ! 

Your  son-in-law,  W.  G.,  is  now  truly  honored  for  his  Lord  and 
Master's  cause  :  when  the  Lord  is  fanning  Zion,  it  is  a  good 
token  that  he  is  a  true  branch  of  the  vine,  that  the  Lord  begin- 
neth  first  to  dress  him.  He  is  strong  in  his  Lord,  as  he  hath 
written  to  me,  and  his  wife  is  his  encourager,  which  should  make 
you  rejoice. 

As  for  your  son,  who  is  your  grief,  your  Lord  waited  on  you  and 
me,  till  we  were  ripe,  and  brought  us  in.  It  is  your  part  to  pray 
and  wait  upon  him  :  when  he  is  ripe  he  will  be  spoken  for.  Who 
can  command  our  Lord's  wind  to  IjIow  1  I  know  that  it  shall  be 
your  good  in  the  latter  end.  That  is  one  of  your  waters  to  Heaven, 
ye  could  not  go  about  it — there  are  the  fewer  behind.  I  remem- 
ber you  and  him,  and  yours,  as  I  am  able :  but  alas  !  I  am  be- 
lieved to  be  something,  and  I  am  nothing  but  an  empty  reed : 
wants  are  my  best  riches,  because  I  have  these  supplied  by  Christ. 

Remember  my  dearest  love  to  your  brother.  I  know  that  he 
pleadeth  with  his  Harlot-mother  for  her  apostasy.  I  know  also 
that  ye  are  kind  to  my  worthy  Lady  Kenmure,  a  woman  beloved 
of  the  Lord,  who  hath  been  very  mindful  of  my  bonds.  The  Lord 
give  her  and  her  child  to  find  mercy  iu  the  day  of  Christ !  Great 
men  are  dry  and  cold  in  doing  for  me ;  the  tinkling  of  chains  for 
Christ  afiVighteth  them :  but,  let  my  Lord  break  all  my  idols,  I 
will  yet  bless  him.  I  am  obliged  to  my  Lord  Lorn.  I  wish  him 
mercy. 

Remember  my  bonds  with  praises ;  and  pray  for  me,  that  my 
Lord  may  leaven  the  North,  by  my  bonds  and  sufferings. 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  July  9,  1G37. 


LETTER  CCXXm. 

TO     ALEXANDER     GORDON,     OF     KNOCKGRAY 


Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — There 
is  no  question  but  our  Mother-church  hath  a  Father,  and  that  she 
shall  not  die  without  an  heir,  that  her  enemies  shall  not  make 


Rutherford's  letters.  347 

Mount  Zion  their  heritage.  We  see  that  whither-soever  Zion's 
enemies  go,  suppose  they  dig  many  miles  under  the  ground,  yet 
our  Lord  findeth  them  out:  and  he  hath  vengeance  laid  up  in 
store  for  them,  and  the  poor  and  needy  shall  not  always  be  for- 
gotten. Our  hope  was  drooping  and  withering,  and  man  was 
saying,  "What  can  God  make  out  of  the  old  dry  bones  of  this 
buried  Kirk  ?"  The  prelates  and  their  followers  were  a  grave 
above  us.  It  is  like  that  our  Lord  is  to  open  our  graves,  and  pur- 
poseth  to  cause  his  two  slain  witnesses  to  rise  on  the  third  day. 
Oh,  how  long  wait  I,  to  hear  our  weeping  Lord,  Jesus,  sing  again, 
and  triumph  and  rejoice,  and  divide  the  spoil ! 

I  find  it  hard  work  to  believe,  when  the  course  of  providence 
goeth  cross-wise  to  our  faith,  and  when  misted  '  souls  in  a  dark 
night  cannot  know  east  by  west,  and  our  sea-compass  seemeth  to 
fail  us.  Every  man  is  a  behever  in  day-light :  a  fair  day  seemeth 
to  be  made  all  of  faith  and  hope.  What  a  trial  of  gold  is  it,  to 
smoke  it  a  little  above  the  fire  ?  but  to  keep  gold  perfectly  yellow- 
colored  amidst  the  flames,  and  to  be  turned  from  vessel  to  vessel, 
and  yet  to  cause  our  furnace  to  sound,  and  speak,  and  cry  the 
praises  of  the  Lord,  is  another  matter.  I  know  that  my  Lord  made 
me  not  for  fire,  howbeit  he  hath  fitted  me  in  some  measure  for  the 
fire.  I  bless  his  high  name,  that  I  wax  not  paler,  neither  have  I 
lost  the  color  of  gold,  and  that  his  fire  hath  made  me  somewhat 
thin,^  and  that  my  Lord  may  pour  me  into  any  vessel  he  pleaseth. 
For  a  small  wager  1  may  justly  quit  my  part  of  this  world's  laugh- 
ter, and  give  up  with  time,  and  cast  out  ^  with  the  pleasures  of 
this  world. 

I  know  a  man,  who  wondered  to  see  any  in  this  life  laugh  or 
sport  :  surely  our  Lord  seeketh  this  of  us,  as  to  any  rejoicing  in 
present  perishing  things.  I  see  above  all  things,  that  we  may  sit 
down,  and  fold  legs  and  arms,  and  stretch  ourselves  upon  Christ, 
and  laugh  at  the  feathers  that  children  are  chasing  here.  For  I 
think  the  men  of  this  world,  like  children  in  a  dangerous  storm  in 
the  sea,  that  play  and  make  sport  with  the  white  foam  of  the  waves 
thereof,  coming  in  to  sink  and  drown  them  ;  so  are  men  making 
fools'  sports  with  the  white  pleasures  of  a  stormy  world,  that  will 
sink  them.  But,  alas  !  what  have  we  to  do  with  their  sports 
which  they  make?  If  Solomon  said  of  laughter  that  it  was  mad- 
ness, what  may  we  say  of  this  world's  laughing  and  sjjorting  them- 
selves with  gold  and  silver,  and  honors  and  court,  and  broad  large 
conquests,*  but  that  they  are  poor  souls,  in  the  height  and  rage 
of  a  fever  gone  mad  ?  then  a  straw,  a  fig  for  all  created  sports 
and  rejoicing  out  of  Christ.  Nay,  I  think  that  this  world,  at  its 
prime  and  perfection,  when  it  is  come  to  the  top  of  its  excellency, 
and  to  the  bloom,  might  be  bought  with  an  half-penny  ;  and  that 
it  would  scarce  weigh  the  worth  of  a  drink  of  water.  There  is 
nothing  better  than  to  esteem  it  our  crucified  idol,  that  is  dead  and 
slain,  as  Paul  did,  (Gal.  vi.  14.)  Then  let  pleasures  be  crucified, 
and  riches  be  crucified,  and  court  and  honor  be  crucified  ;   and 

*  Bewildered.  2  Fluid.  3  Fall  out.  *  Acqiusitions. 


348  Rutherford's  letters 

since  the  apostle  saith  that  the  world  is  crucified  to  him,  we  may 
put  this  world  to  the  hanged  man's  doom,  and  to  the  gallows  :  and 
who  will  give  much  for  a  hanged  man  ?  and  as  little  should  we 
give  for  a  hanged  and  crucified  world.  Yet,  what  a  sweet  smell 
hath  this  dead  carrion  to  many  fools  in  the  world  !  and  how  many 
wooers  and  suitors  findeth  this  hanged  carrion  !  Fools  are  pulling 
it  off  the  gallows,  and  contending  for  it.  Oh,  when  will  we  learn 
to  be  mortified  men,  and  to  have  our  fill  of  those  things  that  have 
but  their  short  summer  quarter  of  this  life  !  If  we  saw  our  Father's 
house,  and  that  great  and  fair  city,  the  New  Jerusalem,  which  is 
up  above  sun  and  moon,  we  would  cry  to  be  over  the  water,  and 
to  be  carried  in  Christ's  arms  out  of  this  borrowed  prison. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER   CCXXIV. 


TO     FULWOOD,     YOUNGER. 


Much  honored  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — 
Upon  the  report  of  this  worthy  bearer  concerning  you,  I  thought 
good  to  speak  a  word  to  you — it  is  enough  for  acquaintance,  that 
we  are  one  in  Christ. 

My  earnest  desire  to  you  is,  that  ye  would,  in  the  fear  of  God, 
compare  your  inch  and  hand-breadth  of  time  with  vast  eternity, 
and  your  thoughts  of  this  now  fair,  blooming  and  green  world,  with 
the  thoughts  which  ye  will  have  of  it  when  corruption  and  worms 
will  make  their  houses  in  your  eye-holes,  and  eat  your  flesh,  and 
make  that  body  dry  bones.  If  ye  so  do,  I  know  then  that  your 
light  of  this  world's  vanity  shall  be  more  clear  than  now  it  is  ;  and 
I  am  persuaded  ye  will  then  think,  that  men's  labors  for  this  clay- 
idol  are  to  be  laughed  at.  Therefore,  come  near,  and  take  a  view 
of  that  transparent  beauty  that  is  in  Christ,  which  would  busy 
the  love  of  ten  thousand  millions  of  worlds  and  angels,  and  hold 
them  all  at  work.  Surely  I  am  grieved,  that  men  will  not  spend 
their  whole  love  upon  that  royal  and  princely  Well-beloved,  that 
high  and  lofty  One — for  it  is  cursed  love  that  runneth  anoth- 
er way  than  upon  him.  And  for  myself,  if  I  had  ten  loves  and 
ten  souls,  oh,  how  glad  would  I  be,  if  he  would  break  in  upon  me 
and  take  possession  of  them  all !  Wo,  wo  is  me,  that  he  and  I 
are  so  far  asunder !  I  hope  we  shall  be  in  one  country  and  one 
house  together.  Truly  pain  of  love-sickness  for  Jesus  maketh  me 
to  think  it  long,  long,  long  to  the  dawning  of  that  day.  Oh,  that 
he  would  cut  short  years  and  months  and  hours,  and  over-leap 
time,  that  we  might  meet ! 

And  for  this  truth,  sir,  that  ye  profess,  I  avow — before  the 
world  of  men  and  angels,  that  it  is  the  way,  and  the  only  way,  to 
our  country,  the  rest  are  by-ways  ;  and,  that  what  I  suffer  for  is 


Rutherford's  letters.  349 

the  apple  of  Christ's  eye,  even  his  honor  as  Lawgiver  and  King 
of  his  Church.  I  think  death  too  httle  ere  I  forsook  it.  Do  not, 
sir,  I  beseech  you  in  the  Lord,  make  Christ's  court  thinner  by 
drawing  back  from  him  ;  it  is  too  thin  ah'eady  ;  for  I  dare  pledge 
my  heaven  upon  it,  that  he  will  win  this  plea,  and  that  the  fools 
who  plea  against  him  shall  lose  the  wager,  which  is  their  part  of 
salvation,  except  they  take  better  heed  to  their  ways.  Sir,  free 
grace  that  we  give  no  hire  for,  is  a  jewel  which  our  Lord  giveth 
to  few.  Stand  fast  in  the  hope  that  you  are  called  unto.  Our 
master  will  rend  the  clouds,  and  will  be  upon  us  quickly,  and 
clear  our  cause,  and  bring  us  all  out  in  our  blacks  and  whites. 
Clean,  clean  garments,  in  the  Bridegroom's  eye,  are  of  great  worth. 
Step  over  this  hand-breadth  of  world's  glory,  into  our  Lord's  new 
world  of  grace,  and  ye  will  laugh  at  the  feathers  that  children  are 
chasing  in  the  air.  I  verily  judge,  that  these  inns,  which  men 
are  building  their  nest  in,  are  not  worth  a  drink  of  cold  water.  It 
is  a  rainy  and  smoky  house  :  best  we  come  out  of  it,  lest  we  be 
choked  with  the  smoke  thereof  Oh,  that  my  adversaries  knew 
how  sweet  my  sighs  for  Christ  are,  and  what  it  is  for  a  sinner  to 
lay  his  head  between  Christ's  breasts  and  to  be  over  head  and 
ears  in  Christ's  love !  Alas,  I  cannot  cause  paper  to  speak  the 
height,  and  breadth,  and  depth  of  it !  I  have  not  a  balance  to 
weigh  the  worth  of  my  Lord  Jesus.  Heaven,  ten  heavens  would 
not  be  the  beam  of  a  balance  to  weigh  him  in.  I  must  give  over 
praising  of  him.  Angels  see  but  Httle  of  him.  Oh,  if*  that  fair 
one  would  take  the  mask  off  his  fair  face,  that  I  might  see  him — 
a  kiss  of  him  through  his  mask  is  half  a  heaven.  "  O  day,  dawn  ! 
O  time,  run  fast !  O  Bridegroom,  post,  post  fast,  that  we  may 
meet !  O  Heavens,  cleave  in  two,  that  that  bright  face  and  head 
may  set  itself  through  the  clouds !"  Oh,  that  the  corn  were  ripe, 
and  this  world  prepared  for  his  hook  !  ^ 

Sir,  be  pleased  to  remember  a  prisoner's  bonds.     Grace  be  with 

you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,        S.  R. 
Aberdeen,  July  10,  1637. 


LETTER  CCXXV. 

TO    HIS     PARISHIONERS 


Dearly  beloved  and  longed  for  in  the  Lord,  my  crown  and  my 
joy  in  the  day  of  Christ,  grace  be  to  you,  and  peace  from  God  our 
Father,  and  from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

I  long  exceedingly  to  know,  if  the  oft-spoken-of  match  betwixt 
you  and  Christ  holdeth ;  and  if  ye  follow  on  to  know  the  Lord. 
My  day-thoughts  and  my  night-thoughts  are  of  you  :  while  ye 
sleep  I  am  afraid  of  your  souls,  that  they  be  off  the  rock ;  next  to 

»  Oh,  that.  2  Sickle. 


350  Rutherford's  letters. 

my  Lord  Jesus  and  this  fallen  Kiik,  ye  have  the  greatest  share  of 
my  sorrow,  and  also  of  my  joy  ;  ye  are  the  matter  of  the  tears, 
care,  fear,-  and  daily  prayers  of  an  oppressed  prisoner  of  Christ. 
As  I  am  in  bonds  for  my  high  and  lofty  One,  my  royal  and  princely 
Master,  my  Lord  Jesus  ;  so  I  am  in  bonds  for  you.  For  I  should 
have  slept  in  my  warm  nest,  and  kept  the  fat  world  in  my  arms, 
and  the  cords  of  my  tabernacle  should  have  been  fastened  more 
strongly,  1  might  have  sung  an  evangel '  of  ease  to  my  soul  and 
you  for  a  time,  with  my  brethren,  the  sons  of  my  Mother,  that 
were  angry  at  me,  and  have  thrust  me  out  of  the  vineyard,  if  I 
would  have  been  broken,  and  drawn  on  to  mire  you  the  Lord's 
flock,  and  to  cause  you  to  eat  pastures  trodden  upon  with  men's 
feet,  and  to  drink  foul  and  muddy  waters : — but  truly  the  Al- 
mighty was  a  terror  to  me,  and  his  fear  made  me  afraid.  O  my 
Lord  !  judge  if  my  ministry  be  not  dear  to  me,  but  not  so  dear  by 
many  degrees  as  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord.  God  knoweth  the  sad 
and  heavy  Sabbaths  I  have  had  since  I  laid  down  at  my  Master's 
feet  my  two  shepherds'  staves.  I  tiave  been  often  saying,  as  it  is 
written,  (Lam.  iii.  52,  53,)  "  My  enemies  chased  me  sore  like  a 
bird,  without  cause  :  they  have  cut  off  my  life  in  the  dungeon, 
and  cast  a  stone  upon  me  ;"  for,  next  to  Christ,  I  had  but  one  joy, 
the  apple  of  the  eye  of  my  delights,  to  preach  Christ  my  Lord,  and 
they  have  violently  plucked  that  away  from  me.  And  it  was  to 
me  like  the  poor  man's  one  eye,  and  they  have  put  out  that  eye, 
and  quenched  my  light  in  the  inheritance  of  the  Lord  ; — but  my 
eye  is  toward  the  Lord.  I  know  that  I  shall  see  the  salvation  of 
God,  and  that  my  hope  shall  not  always  be  forgotten.  And  my 
sorrow  shall  want  nothing  to  complete  it,  and  to  make  me  say, 
"  What  availeth  it  me  to  live  ?"  if  ye  follow  the  voice  of  a  stranger, 
of  one  that  cometh  into  the  sheepfold  not  by  Christ  the  door,  but 
climbetli  up  another  way.  If  the  man  build  his  hay  and  stubble 
upon  the  golden  foundation,  Christ  Jesus  already  laid  among  you, 
and  ye  follow  him,  I  assure  you,  the  man's  work  shall  burn,  and 
never  bide '^  God's  fire,  and  ye  and  he  both  shall  be  in  danger  of 
everlasting  burning  except  ye  repent.  Oh,  if  ^  any  pain,  any  sor- 
row, any  loss  that  I  can  suffer  for  Christ,  and  for  you,  were  laid 
in  pledge  to  buy  Christ's  love  to  you,  and  that  I  could  lay  my  dear- 
est joys  next  to  Christ  my  Lord  in  the  gap  betwixt  you  and  eter- 
nal destruction  !  Oh,  if  ^  I  had  paper  as  broad  as  Heaven  and 
earth,  and  ink  as  the  sea  and  all  the  rivers  and  fountains  of  the 
earth,  and  were  able  to  write  the  love,  the  worth,  the  excellency, 
the  sweetness,  and  due  praises  of  our  dearest  and  fairest  Well- 
beloved  ;  and  then,  if ^  ye  could  read  and  understand  it!  What 
could  I  want,  if  my  ministry  among  you  should  make  a  marriage 
between  llie  little  bride  in  those  bounds  and  the  Bridegroom  ? 
Oh,  how  rich  a  prisoner  were  I,  if  I  could  obtain  of  my  Lord,  (be- 
fore whom  I  stand  for  you,)  the  salvation  of  you  all!  Oh,  what 
a  prey  had  I  gotten,  to  have  you  catched  in  Christ's  net !  O  then, 
I  liad  cast  out  my  Lord's  lines  and  his  net  with  a  rich  gain  !     Oh 

»  Gospel,  Luke  xii.  19.  2  Endure.  3  That. 


Rutherford's  letters.  351 

then,  well-wared  '  pained  breast  and  sore  ^  back,  and  crazed  body, 
in  speaking  early  and  late  to  you  !  My  Witness  is  above,  your 
heaven  would  be  two  heavens  to  me,  and  the  salvation  of  you  all 
as  two  salvations  to  me.  I  would  subscribe  a  suspension,  and  a 
fristing  ^  of  my  heaven  for  many  hundred  years,  (according  to 
God's  good  pleasure,)  if  you  were  sure  in  the  upper  lodging,  in  our 
Father's  house,  before  me.  I  take  to  witness  Heaven  and  earth 
against  you,  I  take  instruments^  in  the  hands  of  that  sun  and 
daylight  that  beheld  us,  and  in  the  hands  of  the  timber  and  walls 
of  that  Kirk,  if  I  drew  not  up  a  fair  contract  of  marriage  betwixt 
you  and  Christ,  if  I  went  not  with  offers  betwixt  the  Bridegroom 
and  you  ;  and  your  conscience  did  bear  you  witness,  your  mouths 
confessed,  that  there  were  many  fair  trystes  *  and  meetings  drawn 
on  betwixt  Christ  and  you  at  communion  feasts,  and  other  occa- 
sions. There  were  bracelets,  jewels,  rings,  and  love-letters,  sent 
to  you  by  the  Bridegroom.  It  was  told  you  what  a  fair  dowry  ye 
should  have,  and  what  a  house  your  Husband  and  ye  should  dwell 
in,  and  what  was  the  Bridegroom's  excellency,  sweetness,  might, 
power,  the  eternity  and  glory  of  his  Kingdom,  the  exceeding  deep- 
ness of  His  love,  who  sought  his  black  wife  through  pain,  fires, 
shame,  death,  and  the  grave,  and  swimmed  the  salt  sea  for  her, 
undergoing  the  curse  of  the  Law,  and  then  was  made  a  curse  for 
you,  and  ye  then  consented,  and  said,  "  Even  so  I  take  him."  I 
counsel  you  to  beware  of  the  new  and  strange  leaven  of  men's  in- 
ventions, beside  and  against  the  word  of  God,  contrary  to  the  oath 
of  this  Kirk,  now  coming  among  you.  I  instructed  you  of  the 
superstition  and  idolatry  of  kneeling  in  the  instant  of  receiving 
the  Lord's  supper,  and  of  crossing  in  baptism,  and  of  the  observ- 
ing of  men's  days  without  any  warrant  of  Christ,  our  perfect  Law- 
giver. Countenance  not  the  surplice,  the  attire  of  the  mass-priest, 
the  garment  of  Baal's  priests.  The  abominable  bowing  to  altars 
of  tree  ^  is  coming  upon  you.  Hate,  and  keep  yourselves  from 
idols.  Forbear  in  any  case  to  hear  the  reading  of  the  new  father- 
less Service-book,^  full  of  gross  heresies,  popish  and  superstitious 
errors,  without  any  warrant  of  Christ,  tending  to  the  overthrow 
of  preaching.  You  owe  no  obedience  to  the  bastard  canons  :  they 
are  unlawful,  blasphemous,  and  superstitious.  All  the  ceremonies 
that  lye  in  Anti-christ's  foul  womb,  the  wares  of  that  great  Mother 
of  fornications,  the  Kirk  of  Rome,  are  to  be  refused.  Ye  see 
whither  they  lead  you.  Continue  still  in  the  doctrine  which  ye 
have  received.  Ye  heard  of  me  the  whole  counsel  of  God.  Sew 
no  clouts  upon  Christ's  robe.  Take  Christ  in  his  rags  and  losses, 
and  as  persecuted  by  men,  and  be  content  to  sigli  and  pant  up 
the  mountain,  with  Christ's  cross  on  your  back.  Let  me  be  re- 
puted a  false  prophet,  (and  your  conscience  once  said  the  contrary,) 

'  Well  expended.  2  Aching. 

3  A  postponing,  with  the  hope,  however,  of  ultimately  obtaining. 

■*  In  consequence  of  a  decision,  any  one  who  has  an  interest  in  the  court,  is  said  to 
take  instruments  in  the  hands  of  the  clerk,  when  he  means  to  declare  that  he  claims 
the  benefit  of  that  decision,  and  views  the  matter  as  settled. 

5  Appointments  to  meet.  6  Wood.  7  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 


352  Rutherford's  letters. 

if  your  Lord  Jesus  will  not  stand  by  you  and  maintain  you,  and 
maintain  your  cause  against  your  enemies. 

I  have  lieard,  (and  my  soul  is  grieved  for  it,)  that  since  my  de- 
parture from  you,  many  among  you  are  turned  back  from  the  good 
old  way,  to  the  dog's  vomit  again.  Let  me  speak  to  these  men. 
It  was  not  without  God's  special  direction,  that  the  first  sentence 
that  ever  my  mouth  uttered  to  you  was  that  of  John  ix.  39,  "  And 
Jesus  said.  For  judgment  came  I  into  the  world,  that  they  which 
see  not  might  see,  and  they  which  see  might  be  made  blind."  It 
is  possible  that  my  first  meeting  and  yours  may  be  when  we  shall 
both  stand  before  the  dreadful  Judge  of  the  world ;  and  in  the 
name  and  authority  of  the  Son  of  God,  my  great  King  and  Master, 
I  write,  by  these  presents,  summonses  to  those  men.  I  arrest  their 
souls  and  bodies  to  the  day  of  our  compearance.^  Their  eternal 
damnation  standeth  subscribed,  and  sealed  in  Heaven,  by  the 
handwriting  of  the  great  Judge  of  quick  and  dead ;  and  I  am 
ready  to  stand  up,  as  a  preaching  witness  against  such  to  their 
face,  on  that  day,  and  to  say  amen  to  their  condemnation,  except 
they  repent.  The  vengeance  of  the  Gospel  is  heavier  than  the 
vengeance  of  the  Law  :  the  Mediator's  malediction  and  vengeance 
is  twice  vengeance,  and  that  vengeance  is  the  due  portion  of  such 
men  ;  and  there  I  leave  them  as  bound  men,  aye  and  whilP  they 
repent  and  amend.  Ye  were  witnesses  how  the  Lord's  day  was 
spent  while  I  was  among  you.  O  sacrilegious  robber  of  God's 
day,  what  wilt  thou  answer  the  Almighty  when  he  seeketh  so 
many  Sabbaths  back  again  from  thee?  What  will  the  curser, 
swearer,  and  blasphemer  do,  when  his  tongue  shall  be  roasted  in 
that  broad  and  burning  Lake  of  fire  and  brimstone  ;  and  what  will 
the  drunkard  do,  when  tongue,  lungs,  and  liver,  bones,  and  all, 
shall  boil  and  shall  fry  in  a  torturing  fire  7  He  shall  be  far  from 
his  barrels  of  strong  drink  then,  and  there  is  not  a  cold  well  of 
water  for  him  in  Hell.  What  shall  be  the  case  of  the  wretch,  the 
covetous  man,  the  oppressor,  the  deceiver,  the  earth-worm,  who 
can  never  get  his  wombfuP  of  clay,  when,  in  the  day  of  Christ, 
gold  and  silver  must  lye  burnt  in  ashes,  and  he  must  compear* 
and  answer  his  Judge,  and  quit  his  clayey  and  noughty  ^  heaven? 
Wo,  wo,  for  evermore,  be  to  the  time-turning^  atheist,  who  hath 
one  god  and  one  religion  for  summer,  and  another  god  and  an- 
other religion  for  winter,  and  the  day  of  fanning,  when  Christ 
fanneth  all  that  is  in  his  barn-fioor — who  hath  a  conscience  for 
every  fair  and  market,  and  the  soul  of  him  runneth  upon  these 
oiled  wheels,  time,  custom,  the  world,  and  command  of  men. 
Oh,  if''  the  careless  atheist,  and  sleeping  man,  who  edgetli  by^  all 
with  "God  forgive  our  pastors  if  they  lead  us  wrong,  we  must  do 
as  they  command,"  and  layeth  down  his  head  upon  time's  bosom, 
and  giveth  his  conscience  to  a  deputy,  and  sleepeth  so  whill  the 

1  Appearance.  2  Forever  and  until ;  that  is,  without  possibility  of  escape. 

3  Belly-full.  4  Appear.  '^  Having  nothing  in  it. 

6  Changing  with  the  times,  7  Oh,  that. 

8  Sidleth  past. 


« 

Rutherford's  letters.  353 

smoke  of  Hell-fire  flee  ^  up  in  his  throat,  and  cause  him  to  start 
OLit'of  is  doleful  bed  !  oh,  if '^  such  a  man  would  awake.  Many 
woes  are  for  the  over-gilded  and  gold-plastered  hypocrite.  A 
heavy  doom  is  for  the  liar  and  white-tongued  flatterer :  and  the 
fleeing  ^  book  of  God's  fearful  vengeance,  twenty  cubits  long,  and 
ten  cubits  broad,  that  goeth  out  from  the  face  of  God,  shall  enter 
into  the  house,  and  in  upon  the  soul  of  him  that  stealeth  and 
sweareth  folsely  by  God's  name,  (Zech.  v.  2,  3.)  I  denounce 
eternal  burning,  hotter  than  Sodom's  flames,  upon  the  men  that 
boil  in  filthy  lusts  of  fornication,  adultery,  incest,  and  the  like 
wickedness  ;  no  room,  no,  not  a  foot-broad,^  for  such  vile  dogs 
within  the  clean  Jerusalem.  Many  of  you  put  off"  all  with  this, 
"  God  forgive  us,  we  know  no  better  :"  I  renew  my  old  answer, 
(2  Thes.  i.  8,)  the  Judge  is  coming  in  flaming  fire,  with  all  his 
mighty  angels,  to  render  vengeance  to  all  those  that  know  not  God, 
and  believe  not.  I  have  often  told  you,  that  security  will  slay  you. 
All  men  say  they  have  faith — as  many  men  and  women  now,  as 
many  saints  in  Heaven — and  all  believe,  (say  ye,)  that  every  foul 
dog  is  clean  enough,  and  good  enough  for  the  clean  and  new 
Jerusalem  above.  Every  man  hath  conversion  and  the  new  birth  ; 
but  it  is  not  leel  come  ;s  they  had  never  a  sick  night  for  sin  ;  con- 
version came  to  them  in  a  night-dream.  In  a  word,  Hell  will  be 
empty  at  the  day  of  Judgment,  and  Heaven  pang"  full.  Alas !  it  is 
neither  easy  nor  ordinary  to  believe  and  to  be  saved.  Many  must 
stand,  in  the  end,  at  Heaven's  gates;  when  they  go  to  take  out 
their  faith,  they  take  out  a  fair  nothing,  or,  (as  ye  use  to  speak,) 
a  blaflum.''  Oh,  lamentable  disappointment  !  I  pray  you,  I  charge 
you  in  the  name  of  Christ  make  fast  work  of  Christ  and  sal- 
vation. 

I  know  there  are  some  believers  among  you,  and  I  write  to  you, 
O  poor  broken-hearted  believers,  all  the  comforts  of  Christ  in  the 
Old  and  New  Testaments  are  yours.  Oh,  what  a  Father  and 
Husband  ye  have  !  Oh,  if^  I  had  pen  and  ink,  and  ingine^  to 
write  of  him  !  Let  Heaven  and  earth  be  consolidated  into  massy 
and  pure  gold,  it  will  not  weigh  the  thousandth  part  of  Christ's 
love  to  a  soul,  even  to  me  a  poor  prisoner.  Oh,  that  is  a  massy 
and  marvellous  love !  Men  and  angels  !  unite  your  force  and 
strength  in  one,  ye  shall  not  heave,  nor  poise  it  off  the  ground. 
Ten  thousand  worlds — as  many  worlds  as  angels  can  number, 
and  then  as  a  new  world  of  angels  can  multiply — would  not  all 
be  the  balk  ^  of  a  balance  to  weigh  Christ's  excellency,  sweetness, 
and  love.  Put  ten  earths  into  one,  and  let  a  rose  grow  greater 
than  ten  whole  earths,  or  whole  worlds,  oh,  what  beauty  would  be 
in  it,  and  what  a  smell  would  it  cast ! — but  a  blast  of  the  breath 
of  that  fairest  Rose  in  all  God's  paradise,  even  of  Christ  Jesus  our 
Lord,  one  look  of  that  fairest  face  would  be  infinitely,  in  beauty 
and  smell,  above  all  imaginable  and  created  glory.    I  wonder  that 

»  Fly.  2  Oh,  that.  3  Flying. 

*  Foot-breadth.  s  Lawfully  obtained.  6  Craoimed. 

7  An  illusion.  ^  Genius.  9  Beam. 

23 


354  Rutherford's  letters. 

men  dow  bide  off*  Christ.  I  would  esteem  myself  blessed,  if  I 
could  make  an  open  proclamation,  and  gather  all  the  world, 'that 
are  living  upon  the  earth,  Jew  and  Gentile,  and  all  that  shall  be 
born  till  the  blowing  of  the  last  trumpet,  to  flock  round  about 
Christ,  and  to  stand  looking,  wondering,  admiring,  and  adoring 
his  beauty  and  sweetness  ;  for  his  fire  is  hotter  than  any  other  fire, 
his  love  sweeter  than  common  love,  his  beauty  surpasseth  all 
other  beauty.  When  I  am  heavy  and  sad,  one  of  his  love-looks 
would  do  me  meikle  world's  good.^  Oh,  if  ye  would  fall  in  love 
with  him,  how  blessed  were  I !  how  glad  would  my  soul  be  to  help 
you  to  love  him !  But  amongst  us  all,  we  could  not  love  him 
enough.  He  is  the  Son  of  the  Father's  love,  and  God's  delight — 
the  Father's  love  lyeth  all  upon  him.  Oh,  iP  all  mankind  would 
fetch  all  their  love,  and  lay  it  upon  him  !  Invite  him,  and  take 
him  home  to  your  houses,  in  the  exercise  of  prayer,  morning  and 
evening,  as  I  often  desired  you  ;  especially  now,  let  him  not  want 
lodging  in  your  houses,  nor  lie  in  the  fields,  when  he  is  shut  out 
of  pulpits  and  Kirks.  If  ye  will  be  content  to  take  Heaven  by 
violence,  and  the  wind  on  your  face  for  Christ  and  his  cross,  I  am 
here  one  who  hath  some  trial  of  Christ's  cross,  and  I  can  say,  that 
Christ  was  ever  kind  to  me,  but  he  overcometh  *  himself,  (if  I  may 
speak  so,)  in  kindness  while  I  suffer  for  him.  I  give  you  my 
word  for  it,  Christ's  cross  is  not  so  evil  as  they  call  it ;  it  is  sweet, 
light,  and  comfortable.  I  would  not  be  without  the  visitations  of 
love,  and  the  very  breathings  of  Christ's  mouth  when  he  kisseth, 
and  my  Lord's  delightsome  smiles  and  love-embracements,  under 
my  sufferings  for  him,  for  a  mountain  of  gold,  or  for  all  the  honors, 
court,  and  grandeur  of  velvet  kirknien.  Christ  hath  the  yolk  and 
heart  of  my  love.  "  I  am  my  Beloved's,  and  my  Well-beloved  is 
mine."  Oh,  that  ye  were  all  hand-fasted^  to  Christ!  O  my 
dearly-beloved  in  the  Lord,  I  would  I  could  change  my  voice  and 
had  a  tongue  tuned  by  the  hand  of  my  Lord,  and  had  the  art  of 
speaking  of  Christ,  that  I  might  paint  out  unto  you  the  worth, 
and  highness,  and  greatness,  and  excellency  of  that  fairest  and 
renowned  Bridegroom  !  I  beseech  you  by  the  mercies  of  the  Lord, 
by  the  sighs,  tears,  and  heart's-blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  by  the 
salvation  of  your  poor  and  precious  souls,  set  up®  the  mountain, 
that  ye  and  I  may  meet  before  the  Lamb's  throne,  amongst  the 
congregation  of  the  first-born.  Lord  grant  that  that  may  be  the 
trysting-place,^  that  ye  and  I  may  put  up  our  hands  together,  and 
pluck,  and  eat  the  apples,  off  the  Tree  of  Life,  and  that  we  may 
feast  together,  and  drink  together  of  that  pure  River  of  the  water 
of  life,  that  cometh  out  from  under  the  Throne  of  God,  and  of  the 
Lamb.  Oh,  how  little  is  your  hand-breadth  and  span-length  of 
days  here  !  Your  inch  of  time  is  less  than  when  ye  and  I  parted. 
Eternity,  eternity  is  coming,  posting  on  with  wings — then  shall 

1  Are  able  to  keep  from  running  upon. 

2  Good  worth  the  value  of  the  great  world.  '  Oh,  that. 

*  Surpasseth.  goeth  beyond.  i  Affianced. 

6  Begin  to  climb,  determined  to  reach  the  summit.         ''  Appointed  place  of  meeting. 


Rutherford's  letters.  355 

every  man's  blacks  and  whites  be  brought  to  hght.  Oh,  how  low 
will  your  thoughts  be  of  this  fair-skinned  but  heart-rotten  apple, 
the  vain,  vain,  feckless  ^  world,  when  the  worms  shall  make  their 
houses  in  your  eye-holes,  and  shall  eat  off  the  flesh  from  the  ball 
of  your  cheeks,  and  shall  make  that  body  a  number  of  dry  bones ! 
Think  not  that  the  common  gate^  of  serving  God,  as  neighbors 
and  others  do,  will  bring  you  to  Heaven.  Few,  few  are  saved. 
The  Devil's  court  is  thick  ^  and  many  :  he  hath  the  greatest  num- 
ber of  mankind  for  his  vassals.  I  know  this  world  is  a  forest  of 
thorns  in  your  way  to  Heaven  ;  but  you  must  go  through  it.  Ac- 
quaint yourselves  with  the  Lord  :  hold  fast  Christ ;  hear  his  voice 
only  ;  bless  his  name  ;  sanctify  and  keep  his  day ;  keep  the  New 
Commandment,  "Love  one  another  :"  let  the  Holy  Spirit  dwell  in 
your  bodies  ;  and  be  clean  and  holy  :  love  not  the  world  :  lie  not, 
love  and  follow  truth  :  learn  to  know  God  :  keep  in  mind  what  I 
taught  you  ;  for  God  will  seek  an  account  of  it,  when  1  am  far 
from  you  :  abstain  from  all  evil,  and  all  appearance  of  evil :  follow 
good  carefully  :  seek  peace  and  follow  after  it :  honor  your  King, 
and  pray  for  him  :  remember  me  to  God  in  your  prayers,  I  do  not 
forget  you.  I  told  you  often,  while  I  was  with  you,  and  now  I 
write  it  again,  heavy,  sad  and  sore,  is  that  stroke  of  the  Lord's 
wrath  that  is  coming  upon  Scotland.  Wo,  wo,  wo  to  this  Harlot- 
land  !  for  they  shall  take  the  cup  of  God's  wrath  from  his  hands, 
and  drink,  and  spue,  and  fall,  and  not  rise  again.  In,  in,  in  with 
speed,  to  your  stronghold,  ye  prisoners  of  hope ;  and  hide  you 
there,  whill  the  anger  of  the  Lord  pass  !  Follow  not  the  pastors 
of  this  land,  for  the  sun  is  gone  down  upon  them.  As  the  Lord 
liveth,  they  lead  you  from  Christ,  and  from  the  good  old  way; 
yet  the  Lord  will  keep  the  Holy  City,  and  make  this  withered 
Kirk  to  bud  again  like  a  rose,  and  a  field  blessed  of  the  Lord. 

The  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you  all.  The  pray- 
ers and  blessings  of  a  prisoner  of  Christ,  in  bonds  for  him,  and  for 
you,  be  with  you  all,  Amen. 

Your  lawful,  and  loving  pastor,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  July  14,  1G37. 


LETTER  CCXXVL 

TO    THE     LADY    KILCONQUHAIR. 

Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  am  glad  to 
hear  that  ye  have  your  face  homewards  towards  your  Father's 
house,  now  when  so  many  are  for  a  home  nearer-hand.^  But 
your  Lord  calleth  you  to  another  life  and  glory  than  is  to  be  found 
hereaway  :^  and,  therefore,  I  would  counsel  you  to  make  sure  the 
charters  and  rights  *  which  ye  have  to  salvation.     You  came  to 

1  Unsubstantial,  worthless.  2  Way,  manner.  3  Thronged,  crowded. 

*  Nearer.  ^  In  this  present  state.      6  Title-deeds. 


356  Rutherford's  letters. 

this  life  about  a  necessary  and  weighty  business,  to  tryste  *  with 
Christ  anent  "^  your  precious  soul,  and  the  eternal  salvation  of  it. 
This  is  the  most  necessary  business  ye  have  in  this  life  ;  and 
your  other  adoes^  beside  this,  are  but  toys,  and  feathers,  and 
dreams,  and  fancies.  This  is  in  the  greatest  haste,  and  should 
be  done  first.  Means  are  used  in  the  Gospel  to  draw  on  a  meeting 
betwixt  Christ  and  you.  If  ye  neglect  your  part  of  it,  it  is  as  if 
ye  would  tear  the  contract  before  Christ's  eyes,  and  give  up  the 
match,  that  there  would  be  no  more  communing  about  that  busi- 
ness. I  know  that  other  lovers,  beside  Christ,  are  in  suit  of  you, 
and  your  soul  hath  many  wooers  ;  but  I  pray  you  to  make  a 
chaste  virgin  of  your  soul,  and  let  it  love  but  one :  most  worthy  is 
Christ  alone  of  all  your  soul's  love,  howbeit  your  love  were  higher 
than  the  Heaven,  and  deeper  than  the  lowest  of  this  earth,  and 
broader  than  this  world.  Many,  alas  !  too  many,  make  a  common 
strumpet  of  their  soul  for  every  lover  that  cometh  to  the  house. 
Marriage  with  Christ  would  put  your  love  and  your  heart  by  the 
gate  *  out  of  the  way,  and  out  of  the  eye  of  all  other  unlawful 
suitors  ;  and  then  you  have  a  ready  answer  for  all  others,  "  I  am 
already  promised  away  to  Christ ;  the  match  is  concluded,  my 
soul  hath  a  husband  already,  and  it  cannot  have  two  husbands." 
Oh,  ifs  the  world  did  but  know  what  a  smell  the  ointments  of 
Christ  cast,  and  how  ravishing  his  beauty  is,  even  the  beauty  of 
the  fairest  of  the  sons  of  men,  and  how  sweet  and  powerful  his 
voice  is,  the  voice  of  that  one  Well-beloved  !  Certainly  where 
Christ  cometh,  he  runneth  away  with  the  soul's  love,  so  that  it 
cannot  be  commanded.  I  would  far  rather  look  but  through  the 
hole  of  Christ's  door,  to  see  but  the  one  half  of  his  fairest  and 
most  comely  face,  (for  he  looketh  like  Heaven,)  suppose  I  should 
never  win  in  ^  to  see  his  excellency  and  glory  to  the  full,  than  en- 
joy the  flower,  the  bloom,  and  the  chiefest  excellency  of  the  glory 
and  riches  of  ten  worlds.  Lord  send  me,  for  my  part,  but  the 
meanest  share  of  Christ  that  can  be  given  to  any  of  the  indwell- 
ers  of  the  New  Jerusalem.  But  I  know  my  Lord  is  no  niggard : 
he  can,  and  he  becometh  him  well  to  give  more  than  my  narrow 
soul  can  receive.  If  there  were  ten  thousand  thousand  millions 
of  worlds,  and  as  many  heavens,  full  of  men  and  angels,  Christ 
would  not  be  pinched  to  supply  all  our  wants,  and  to  fill  us  all. 
Christ  is  a  well  of  life  ;  but  who  knoweth  how  deep  it  is  to  the 
bottom  ?  This  soul  of  ours  hath  love,  and  cannot  but  love  some 
fair  one  :  and,  oh,  what  a  fair  one,  what  an  only  one,  what  an 
excellent,  lovely,  ravishing  one,  is  Jesus  !  Put  the  beauty  of  ten 
thousand  thousand  worlds  of  paradises,  like  the  Garden  of  Eden, 
in  one ;  put  all  trees,  all  flowers,  all  smells,  all  colors,  all  tastes,  all 
joys,  all  sweetness,  all  loveliness  in  one  :  oh,  what  a  fair  and  ex- 
cellent thing  would  that  be  ?  and  yet  it  would  be  less  to  that  fair 
and  dearest  Well-beloved,  Christ,  than  one  drop  of  rain  to  the 

1  To  transact  engagements.  2  Concerning.  s  Occupations. 

*  Past  the  path,  s  That.  s  Get  in. 


Rutherford's  letters.  357 

whole  seas,  rivers,  lakes,  and  fountains  of  ten  thousand  earths. 
Oh,  but  Christ  is  Heaven's  wonder,  and  earth's  wonder  !  What 
marvel  that  his  Bride  saith,  (Cant.  v.  16,)  "  He  is  altogether 
lovely  ?"  Oh,  that  black  souls  will  not  come  and  fetch  all  their 
Jove  to  this  fair  One?  Oh,  if  I  could  invite  and  persuade  thou- 
sands, and  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand  of  Adam's  sons  to 
flock  about  my  Lord  Jesus,  and  to  come  and  take  their  fill  of  love ! 
Oh,  pity  for  evermore,  that  there  should  be  such  a  one  as  Christ 
Jesus,  so  boundless,  so  bottomless,  and  so  incomparable  in  infinite 
excellency  and  sweetness,  and  so  few  to  take  him  !  Oh,  oh,  ye 
poor,  dry,  and  dead  souls,  why  will  ye  not  come  hither  with  your 
toom  2  vessels,  and  your  empty  souls,  to  this  huge,  and  fair,  and 
deep,  and  sweet  Well  of  life  ;  and  fill  all  your  toom  ^  vessels  ?  Oh, 
that  Christ  should  be  so  large  in  sweetness  and  worth,  and  we,  so 
narrow,  so  pinched,  so  ebb,^  and  so  void  of  all  happiness, — ^and  yet 
men  will  not  take  him  !  they  lose  their  love  miserably,  who  will 
not  bestow  it  upon  this  lovely  One.  Alas  !  these  five  thousand 
years,  Adam's  fools,  his  w^aster^  heirs,  have  been  wasting  and 
lavishing  out  their  love  and  their  affections  upon  black  lovers,  and 
black  harlots,  upon  bits  of  dead  creatures,  and  broken  idols,  upon 
this  and  that  feckless  ^  creature  ;  and  have  not  brought  their  love 
and  their  heart  to  Jesus.  Oh,  pity,  that  Fairness  hath  so  few  lov- 
ers !  Oh,  wo,  wo  to  the  fools  of  this  world,  who  run  by^  Christ 
to  other  lovers !  Oh,  misery,  misery,  misery,  that  comeliness  can 
scarce  get  three  or  four  hearts  in  a  town  or  country !  Oh,  that 
there  is  so  much  spoken,  and  so  much  written,  and  so  much 
thought  of  creature  vanity  ;  and  so  little  spoken,  so  little  written, 
and  so  httle  thought,  of  my  great  and  incomprehensible  and  never- 
enough  wondered  at  Lord  Jesus !  Why  should  I  not  curse  this 
forlorn,  and  wretched  world,  that  suffereth  my  Lord  Jesus  to  lye 
his  lone?  ^  O  damned  souls  !  O  miskenning^  world  !  O  blind,  O 
beggarly,  and  poor  souls  !  O  bewitched  fools !  what  aileth  you 
at  Christ  that  you  run  so  from  him  ?  I  dare  not  challenge  provi- 
dence, that  there  are  so  few  buyers,  and  so  little  sale  for  such  an 
excellent  one  as  Christ.  Oh,  the  depth,  and,  oh,  the  height  of  my 
Lord's  ways,  that  pass  finding  out!  but  oh,  if  men  would  once 
be  wise,  and  not  fall  so  in  love  with  their  own  hell,  as  to  pass  by 
Christ,  and  misken^  him!  But  let  us  come  near,  and  fill  our- 
selves with  Christ,  and  let  his  friends  drink,  and  be  drunken,  and 
satisfy  our  hollow  and  deep  desires  with  Jesus.  Oh,  come  all  and 
drink  at  this  living  well ;  come,  drink  and  live  for  evermore  ;  come, 
drink  and  welcome  :  "  Welcome,"  saith  our  fairest  Bridegroom  : 
no  man  getteth  Christ  with  ill  will ;  no  man  cometh  and  is  not 
welcome;  no  man  cometh  and  rueth  this  voyage  : '"  all  men  speak 
well  of  Christ  who  have  been  at  him  :  men  and  angels  who  know 
him  will  say  more  than  I  dow  do,"  and  think  jnore  of  him  than 

1  Oh,  that.  2  Empty.  3  Shallow.  <  Wasteful. 

5  Worthless.  6  Past.  •         ^  By  himself  alone,      8  Mistaking. 

9  Not  to  recognize,      i"  Journey.  "  Am  able  to  do. 


358  Rutherford's  letters. 

they  can  say.  Oh,  if  ^  I  were  misted  and  bewildered  in  my  Lord's 
love  !  Oh,  if '  I  were  fettered  and  chained  to  it !  Oh,  sweet  pain 
to  be  pained  for  a  sight  of  him  !  Oh,  hving  death,  oh,  good  death, 
oh,  lovely  death,  to  die  for  love  of  Jesus  !  Oh,  that  I  should  have 
a  sore  "^  heart,  and  a  pained  soul,  for  the  want  of  the  love  of  this 
and  that  idol !  Wo,  wo  to  the  mistaking  of  my  miscarrying  heart, 
that  gapeth  and  crieth  for  creatures,  and  is  not  pained,  and  cut, 
and  tortured,  and  in  sorrow  for  the  want  of  a  soul-fill  ^  of  Christ ! 
Oh,  that  thou  wouldst  come  near,  my  Beloved  !  O  my  fairest 
One,  why  standest  thou  afar  !  Come  hither,  that  I  may  be  sati- 
ated with  thy  excellent  love.  Oh,  for  a  union  !  oh,  for  a  fellow- 
ship with  Jesus  !  Oh,  that  I  could  buy  with  a  price  that  lovely 
One,  even  suppose  that  Hell's  torments  for  a  while  were  the  price. 
I  cannot  believe  but  Christ  will  rue  upon  his  pained  lovers,  and 
come  and  ease  sick  hearts,  who  sigh  and  swoon  for  want  of  Christ; 
who  dow  bide  Christ's  love  to  be  nice?''  What  heaven  can  be 
there  liker  to  Hell,  than  to  lust,  and  green,^  and  dwine,*  and  fall 
aswoon ''  for  Christ's  love,  and  to  want  it  ?  Is  not  this  Hell  and 
Heaven  woven  through  other  ?^  Is  not  this  pain  and  joy,  sweet- 
ness and  sadness,  to  be  in  one  web,  the  one  the  weft,  the  other  the 
warp?  therefore,  I  would  that  Christ  would  let  us  meet  and  join 
together,  the  soul  and  Christ  in  each  other's  arms.  Oh,  what 
meeting  is  like  this,  to  see  blackness  and  beauty,  contemptibleness 
and  glory,  highness  and  baseness,  even  a  soul  and  Christ  kiss 
each  other !  Nay,  but  when  all  is  done,  I  may  be  wearied  in 
speaking  and  writing,  but,  oh,  how  far  am  I  from  the  right  ex- 
pression of  Christ  or  his  love  ?  I  can  neither  speak  nor  write  feel- 
ing, nor  tasting,  nor  smelling :  come  feel,  and  smell,  and  taste 
Christ  and  his  love,  and  ye  shall  call  it  more  than  can  be  spoken. 
To  write  how  sweet  the  honeycomb  is,  is  not  so  lovely  as  to  eat 
and  suck  the  honeycomb  :  one  night's  rest  in  a  bed  of  love  with 
Christ  will  say  more  than  heart  can  think,  or  tongue  can  utter. 
Neither  need  Ave  fear  crosses,  nor  sigh,  nor  be  sad  for  anything 
that  is  on  this  side  of  Heaven,  if  we  have  Christ.  Our  crosses 
will  never  draw  blood  of  the  joy  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  peace  of 
conscience.  Our  joy  is  laid  up  in  such  a  high  place,  as  tempta- 
tions cannot  climb  up  to  take  it  down.  This  world  may  boast ' 
Christ,  but  they  dare  not  strike  ;  or  if  they  strike  they  break  their 
arm  in  fetching  a  stroke  upon  a  rock.  Oh,  that  we  could  put  our 
treasures  in  Christ's  hand,  and  give  him  our  gold  to  keep,  and  our 
crown.  Strive,  mistress,  to  thring  '°  through  the  thorns  of  this  life, 
to  be  at  Christ;  tine  '^  not  sight  of  him,  in  this  cloudy  and  dark 
day.     Sleep  with  him  in  your  heart  in  the  night.     Learn  not  at 

1  Oh,  that.  2  Aching.  3  As  much  as  will  fill  the  soul. 

*  Who  can  be  without  Christ's  love,  while  they  yet  long  for  it,  and  be  in  a  desirable, 
happy  frame. 

6  Most  earnestly  to  desire,  or  long  for.  6  Pine  away.  "^  Into  a  swoon. 

8  Promiscuously.  9  Threaten,  with  angry  looks  or  words. 

1"  To  press  through,  as  in  a  crowd  or  thicket.  "  Lose. 


Rutherford's  letters.  359 

the  world  to  serve  Christ,  but  speer '  at  himself  the  way  :  the 
world  is  a  false  copy,  and  a  lying  guide  to  follow. 

Remember  my  love  to  your  husband :  I  wish  all  to  him  that  I 
have  written  here.  The  sweet  presence,  the  long-lasting  good- 
will of  our  God,  the  warmly,  "^  and  lovely  comforts  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  be  with  you.  Help  me,  his  prisoner,  in  your  prayers  ;  for  I 
remember  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  August  8,  1637. 


LETTER   CCXXVIL 

TO     MY     LORD     CRAIGHALL. 

My  Lord, — I  received  one  letter  of  your  Lordship's  from  C, 
and  another  of  late  from  A.  B.,  wherein  1  find  your  Lordship  in 
perplexity  what  to  do.  But  let  me  entreat  your  Lordship  not  to 
cause  yourself  to  mistake  truth  and  Christ,  because  they  seem  to 
encounter  with  your  peace  and  ease.  My  Lord,  remember  that  a 
prisoner  hath  written  it  to  you,  As  the  Lord  liveth,  if  ye  put  to 
your  hand  with  other  apostates  in  this  land,  to  pull  down  the 
sometime  3  beautiful  Tabernacle  of  Christ  in  this  land,  and  join 
hands  with  them  in  one  hair-breadth  to  welcome  Antichrist  to 
Scotland,  there  is  wrath  gone  out  from  the  Lord  against  you  and 
your  house.  If  the  terror  of  a  king  hath  overtaken  you,  and 
your  Lordship  looketh  to  sleep  in  your  nest  in  peace,  and  to  take 
the  nearest  shore,  there  are  many  ways,  too,  too  many  ways,  how 
to  shift  Christ  with  some  ill-washen^  and  foul  distinctions;  but 
assure  yourself,  suppose  a  king  should  assure  you  that  he  would 
be  your  god,  (as  he  shall  never  be  for  that  piece  of  service,)  that 
your  clay-god  shall  die,  and  your  carnal  counsellors,  when  your 
conscience  shall  storm  against  you,  and  ye  complain  to  them,  will 
say,  "  What  is  that  to  us  ?"  Believe  not  that  Christ  is  weak,  or 
that  he  is  not  able  to  save.  Of  two  fires  that  ye  cannot  pass,  take 
the  least.  Some  few  years  will  bring  us  all  out  in  our  blacks  and 
whites  before  our  Judge.  Eternity  is  nearer  to  you  than  ye  are 
aware  of  To  go  in  a  course  of  defection,  when  an  enlightened 
conscience  is  stirring,  and  looking  you  in  the  face,  and  crying 
within  you,  "That  ye  are  going  in  an  evil  way,"  is  a  step  to  the 
sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  Either  many  of  this  land  are  near 
that  sin,  or  else  I  know  not  what  it  is.  And  if  this,  for  which  I 
now  suffer,  be  not  the  way  of  peace  and  the  King's  highway  to 
salvation,  I  believe  there  is  not  a  way  at  all.  There  is  not  such 
breadth  and  elbow-room  in  the  way  to  Heaven  as  men  believe, 
Howbeit,  this  day  be  not  Christ's,  the  morrow  shall  be  his. 

I  believe  assuredly  that  our  Lord  will  repair  the  old  waste 
places,  and  his  ruined  house  in  Scotland ;  and  that  this  wilder- 

1  Inquire.  2  Warm.  3  Once.  <  Ill-washed. 


360  Rutherford's  letters. 

ness  shall  yet  blossom  as  the  rose.  My  very  worthy,  and  dear 
Lord,  wait  upon  Him  who  hideth  his  face  from  the  House  of 
Jacob,  and  look  for  him.  Wait  patiently  a  little  upon  the  Bride- 
groom's return  again,  that  your  soul  may  live,  and  that  ye  may 
rejoice  witli  the  Lord's  inheritance.  I  dare  pawn  my  soul  and 
life  for  it,  that  if  ye  take  this  storm  with  borne-down  Christ,  your 
sky  shall  quickly  clear,  and  your  fair  morning  dawn.  Think,  (as 
the  truth  is,)  that  Christ  is  just  now  saying,  "And  will  ye  also 
leave  me?"  Ye  have  a  fair  occasion  to  gratify  Christ  now,  if  ye 
will  stay  with  him,  and  want  the  night's  sleep,  with  your  suffer- 
ing Saviour,  one  hour,  now  when  Scotland  hath  fallen  asleep, 
and  leaveth  Christ  to  fend  for '  himself.  I  profess  myself  but  a 
weak,  feeble  man.  When  I  came  first  to  Christ's  camp,  I  had 
nothing  to  maintain  this  war,  or  to  bear  me  out  in  this  encounter, 
and  I  am  little  better  yet.  But,  since  I  find  furniture,  armor, 
and  strength  from  the  consecrated  Captain,  the  Prince  of  our 
Salvation,  who  was  perfected  through  suffering,  I  esteem  suffer- 
ing for  Christ  a  king's  life.  I  find  that  our  wants  qualify  us  for 
Christ ;  and,  howbeit  your  Lordship  write  that  ye  despair  to  attain 
to  such  a  communion  and  fellowship,  (which  I  would  not  have  you 
to  think,)  yet,  would  ye  nobly  and  courageously  ventiue  to  inake 
over  to  Christ,  for  his  honor  now  lying  at  the  stake,  your  estate, 
place,  and  honor,  he  would  lovingly  and  largely  requite  you,  and 
give  you  a  king's  word  for  a  recompense.  Venture  upon  Christ's 
"  Come,"  and  I  dare  swear  ye  will  say,  (as  it  is  in  Psalm  xvi.  7,) 
"  I  bless  the  Lord  who  gave  me  counsel."  My  very  worthy  Lord, 
many  eyes  in  both  the  Kingdoms  are  upon  you  now,  and  the  eye 
of  our  Lord  is  upon  you.  Acquit  yourself  manfully  for  Christ : 
spill ^  not  this  good  play:  subscribe  a  blank  submission,  and  put 
it  into  Christ's  hands  :  win,  win  the  blessings  and  prayers  of  your 
sighing  and  sorrowful  Mother-church  seeking  your  help :  win 
Christ's  bond,  (who  is  a  king  of  his  word,^)  for  a  hundred-fold 
more  even  in  this  life. 

If  a  weak  man  hath  passed  a  promise  to  a  king,  to  make  a 
slip  to  Chi'ist  (if  we  look  to  flesh  and  blood,  I  wonder  not  of  it: 
possibly  I  might  have  done  worse  myself,)  add  not  further  guilti- 
ness to  go  on  in  such  a  scandalous  and  foul  way.  Remember 
that  there  is  a  wo,  wo  to  him  by  whom  offences  come.  This  wo 
came  out  of  Christ's  mouth,  and  it  is  heavier  than  the  wo  of  the 
Law.  It  is  the  Mediator's  vengeance,  and  that  is  two  vengeances 
to  those  who  are  enlightened.  Free  yourself  from  unlawful  an- 
guish, about  advising  and  resolving.  When  the  truth  is  come  to 
your  hand,  hold  it  fast,  go  not  again  to  make  a  new  search  and 
inquiry  for  truth.  It  is  easy  to  cause  conscience  to  believe  as  ye 
will,  not  as  ye  know;  it  is  easy  for  you  to  cast  your  light  into 
prison,  and  detain  God's  truth  in  unrighteousness — but  that 
prisoner   will  break  ward,  to  your  incomparable   torture.     Fear 

1  Shift  for.  2  Spoil. 

3  A  Scottish  phrase,  expressive  of  one  who  has  power  to  keep,  and  who  always  does 
keep,  his  word. 


Rutherford's  letters.  361 

your  light,  and  stand  in  awe  of  it ;  for  it  is  from  God.  Think 
what  honor  it  is  in  tliis  life  also  to  be  enrolled  to  the  succeeding 
ages  amongst  Christ's  witnesses,  standing  against  the  re-entry  of 
Antichrist.  I  know  certainly  that  your  light  looking  to  two 
ways,  and  to  the  two  sides,  crieth  shame  upon  the  course  that 
they  would  counsel  you  to  follow.  The  way,  that  is  halver  and 
copartner  with  the  smoke  of  this  fat  world,  and  with  ease,  smell- 
eth  strong  of  a  foul  and  false  way. 

The  Prince  of  peace.  He  who  brought  again  from  the  dead  the 
great  Shepherd  of  his  sheep,  by  the  blood  of  the  Eternal  Cove- 
nant, establish  you,  and  give  you  sound  light,  and  counsel  you  to 
follow  Christ.  Remember  my  obliged  service  to  my  Lord,  your 
father,  and  mother,  and  your  lady. 
Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  Lordship's, 
At  all  obliged  obedience  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  August  10, 1G37. 


LETTER  CCXXVIIL 


TO     MR.     JAMES     FLEMING 


Reverend,  and  wkll-beloved  in  our  Lord, — Grace,  mercy, 
and  peace  be  unto  you. — I  received  your  letter,  which  hath  re- 
freshed me  in  my  bonds.  I  cannot  but  testify  unto  you,  my  dear 
brother,  what  sweetness  I  find  in  our  Master's  cross  ;  but,  alas, 
what  can  I  either  do  or  suffer  for  him  !  If  I  my  lone '  had  as 
many  lives  as -there  have  been  drops  of  rain  since  the  creation,  I 
would  think  them  too  little  for  that  lovely  One,  our  Well-beloved  ; 
but  my  pain  and  ray  sorrow  is  above  my  sufferings,  that  I  find  not 
ways  to  set  out  the  praises  of  his  love  to  others.  I  am  not  able, 
by  tongue,  pen,  or  sufferings,  to  provoke  many  to  fall  in  love  with 
him  :  but  He  knoweth,  whom  I  love  to  serve  in  the  Spirit,  what  I 
would  do,  and  suffer  by  his  own  strength,  so  being  that  I  might 
make  my  Lord  Jesus  lovely  and  sweet  to  many  thousands  in  this 
land.  I  I'hink  it  amongst  God's  wonders,  that  he  will  take  any 
praise  or  glory,  or  any  testimony  to  his  honorable  cause,  from 
such  a  forlorn  sinner  as  I  am  ;  but  when  Christ  worketh,  he 
needeth  not  ask  the  question,  by  whom  he  will  be  glorious.  I 
know,  seeing  his  glory  at  the  beginning  did  shine  out  of  poor 
nothing,  to  set  up  such  a  fair  house  for  men  and  angels,  and  so 
many  glorious  creatures,  to  proclaim  his  goodness,  power  and  wis- 
dom, that,  if  I  were  burnt  to  ashes,  out  of  the  smoke  and  powder 
of  my  dissolved  body,  he  could  raise  glory  to  himself  His  glory 
is  his  end  :  oh,  that  I  could  join  with  him,  to  make  it  my  end ! 
I  would  think  that  fellowship  with  him  sweet  and  glorious.  But 
alas  !  few  know  the  guiltiness  that  is  on  my  part :  it  is  a  wonder, 

1  Myself  alone. 


362  Rutherford's  letters. 

that  this  good  cause  hath  not  been  marred  and  spilled '  in  my 
foul  hands.  But  I  rejoice  in  this,  that  my  sweet  Lord  Jesus  hath 
found  something  ado,  even  a  ready  market  for  his  free  grace,  and 
incomparable  and  matchless  mercy,  in  my  wants  ;  only  my  loath- 
some wretchedness  and  my  wants  have  qualified  me  for  Christ, 
and  the  riches  of  his  glorious  grace  : — he  behooved  to  take  me  for 
nothing,  or  else  to  want  me.  Few  know  the  unseen  and  private 
reckonings  betwixt  Christ  and  me ;  yet  his  love,  his  boundless  ^ 
love  would  not  bide  away,  nor  stay  at  home  with  himself;  and 
yet  T  dow  nof^  make  it  welcome  as  I  ought,  when  it  is  come  un- 
sent  for  and  without  hire. 

How  joyful  is  my  heart  that  ye  write  that  ye  are  desirous  to 
join  with  me  in  praising,  for  it  is  a  charity  to  help  a  dyvour  ^  to 
pay  his  debts  ;  but  when  all  have  helped  me,  my  name  shall  stand 
in  his  account-book  under  ten  thousand  thousands  of  sums  unpaid. 
But  it  easeth  my  heart  that  his  dear  servants  will  but  speak  of  my 
debts  to  such  a  sweet  Creditor.  I  desire  that  he  may  lay  me  in 
his  own  balance  and  weigh  me,  if  I  would  not  fain  have  a  feast  of 
his  boundless  love  made  to  my  own  soul,  and  to  many  others. 
One  thing  I  know,  that  we  shall  not  all  be  able  to  come  near  his 
excellency  with  eye,  heart,  or  tongue  ;  for  he  is  above  all  created 
thoughts.  All  nations  before  him  are  as  nothing,  and  less  than 
nothing :  he  sitteth  in  the  circuit  of  Heaven,  and  the  inhabitants 
of  the  earth  are  as  grasshoppers  before  him.  Oh,  that  men  would 
praise  him  ! 

Ye  complain  of  your  private  case :  alas  !  I  am  not  the  man  who 
can  speak  to  such  an  one  as  ye  are.  Any  sweet  presence  which  I 
have  had  in  this  town,  is,  I  know,  for  this  cause,  that  I  might  ex- 
press and  make  it  known  to  others  ;  but  I  never  find  myself  nearer 
Christ,  that  royal  and  princely  One,  than  after  a  great  weight  and 
sense  of  deadness  and  gracelessness.  I  think,  that  the  sense  of 
our  wants,  when  withal  we  have  a  restlessness,  and  a  sort  of 
spiritual  impatience  under  them,  and  can  make  a  din,  because  we 
want  Him  whom  our  soul  loveth,  is  that  which  maketh  an  open 
door  to  Christ ;  and,  when  we  think  we  are  going  backward,  be- 
cause we  feel  deadness,  we  are  going  forward :  for  the  more  sense, 
the  more  life,  and  no  sense  argueth  no  life.  There  is  no  sweeter 
fellowship  with  Christ,  than  to  bring  our  wounds  and  our  sores  to 
him.  But  for  myself,  I  am  ashamed  of  Christ's  goodness  and  love, 
since  the  time  of  my  bonds ;  for  he  hath  been  pleased  to  open  up 
new  treasures  of  love  and  felt  sweetness,  and  give  visitations  of 
love  and  access  to  himself,  in  this  strange'  land.  I  would  think 
a  fill  of  his  love  young  and  green  heaven;  and  when  he  is  pleased 
to  come,  and  the  tide  is  in,  and  the  sea  full,  and  the  King  and  a 
poor  prisoner  together  in  the  house-of-wine,  the  black  tree  of  the 
cross  is  not  so  heavy  as  a  feather.  I  cannot,  I  dow  not,  but  give 
Christ  an  honorable  and  glorious  testimony. 

I  see  that  the  Lord  can  ride  through  his  enemies'  bands,  and 
triumph  in  the  sufferings  of  his  ov/n ;  and  that  this  blind  world 
1  Spoiled.  2  Am  not  able.  '  Bankrupt. 


Rutherford's  letters.  363 

geeth  not,  that  sufferings  are  Christ's  armor,  wherein  he  is  victo- 
rious :  and  they  who  contend  with  Zion  see  not  what  he  is  doing-, 
when  they  are  set  to  work,  as  under-smiths  and  servants,  to  the 
work  of  refining  of  tlie  saints,  (Satan's  hand  also,  by  them,  is 
at  the  melting  of  the  Lord's  vessels  of  mercy ;)  and  their  office  in 
God's  house  is  to  scour  and  cleanse  vessels  for  the  King's  table.  I 
marvel  not  to  see  them  triumph,  and  sit  at  ease  in  Zion  ;  for  our 
Father  must  lay  up  his  rods,  and  keep  them  carefully  for  his  own 
use :  our  Lord  cannot  want  fire  in  his  house ;  his  furnace  is  in 
Zion,  and  his  fire  in  Jerusalem  :  but  little  know  the  adversaries  the 
counsel  and  the  thoughts  of  the  Lord. 

And  for  your  complaints  of  your  ministry  : — I  now  think  all  I  do 
too  little :  plainness,  freedom,  watchfulness,  fidelity,  shall  swell 
upon  you,  in  exceeding  large  comforts,  in  your  sufferings.  The 
feeding  of  Christ's  lambs  in  private  visitations,  and  catechizing,  in 
painful  preaching,  and  fair,  honest,  and  free  warning  of  the  flock, 
is  a  sufferer's  garland.  Oh,  ten  thousand  times  blessed  are  they, 
who  are  honored  of  Christ  to  be  faithful  and  painful,  in  wooing  a 
bride  to  Christ !  My  dear  brother,  I  know  that  ye  think  more  on 
this,  than  I  can  :  and  I  rejoice  that  your  purpose  is,  in  the  Lord's 
strength,  to  back  your  wronged  Master  ;  and  to  come  out,  and  call 
yourself  Christ's  man,  when  so  many  are  now  denying  him,  as 
fearing  that  Christ  cannot  do  '  for  himself  and  them.  I  am  a  lost 
man  forever,  or  this,  this  is  the  way  to  salvation,  even  this  way, 
which  they  call  heresy,  that  men  now  do  mock  and  scoff  at.  I  am 
confirmed  now,  that  Christ  will  accept  of  his  servant's  sufferings 
as  good  service  to  him,  at  the  day  of  his  appearance  ;  and,  that  ere 
it  be  long  he  will  be  upon  us  all,  and  men  in  their  blacks  and 
whites  shall  be  brought  out  before  God,  angels  and  men.  Our 
Master  is  not  far  otf;  oh,  if^  we  could  wait  on  and  be  faithful! 
The  good  will  of  Him  who  dwelt  in  the  bush,  the  tender  favor 
and  love,  the  grace  of  our  Lord,  Jesus  Christ,  be  with  you. 

Help  me  with  your  prayers  ;  and  desire,  from  me,  other  brethren, 
to  take  courage  for  their  Master. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  August  15, 1637. 


LETTER  CCXXIX. 

TO      MR.      HUGH      MACKAIL. 

My  very  dear  Brother, — Ye  know  that  men  may  take 
their  sweet  fill  of  the  sour  Law,  in  grace's  ground ;  and  betwixt 
the  Mediator's  breasts,  and  this  is  the  sinner's  safest  way ;  for 
there  is  a  bed  for  wearied  sinners  to  rest  them  in,  in  the  New 
Covenant,  though  no  bed  of  Christ's  making  to  sleep  in.  The  Law 
1  Act.  '^  Oh,  that. 


364  Rutherford's  letters. 

shall  never  be  my  doomster/  by  Christ's  grace  ;  if  I  get  no  more 
good  of  it— I  shall  find  a  sore  enough  doom  in  the  Gospel,  to  hum- 
ble, and  to  cast  me  down — it  is  (I  grant)  a  good  rough  friend,  to 
follow  a  traitor  to  the  bar,  and  to  back  "^  him,  till  he  come  to  Christ. 
We  may  blame  ourselves,  who  cause  the  Law  to  crave  well-paid 
debt,  to  scare  us  away  from  Jesus,  and  dispute  about  a  righteous- 
ness of  our  own,  a  world  in  the  moon,  a  chimera,  and  a  night- 
dream,  that  pride  is  father  and  mother  to.  There  cannot  be  a 
more  humble  soul  than  a  behever  ;  it  is  no  pride  for  a  drowning 
man  to  catch  hold  of  a  rock. 

I  rejoice  that  the  wheels  of  this  confused  world  are  rolled,  and 
cogged,^  and  driven  according  as  our  Lord  willeth.  Out  of  what- 
ever airth  ^  the  wind  blow,  it  will  blow  us  on  our  Lord.  No  wind 
can  blow  our  sails  overboard ;  because  Christ's  skill,  and  honor  of 
his  wisdom,  are  empawned  and  laid  down  at  the  stake  for  the  sea- 
passengers,  that  he  shall  put  them  safe  off  his  hand  on  the  shore,  in 
his  Father's  known  bounds,  our  native  home  ground. 

My  dear  brother,  scaur  ^  not  at  the  cross  of  Christ ;  it  is  not  seen 
yet  what  Christ  will  do  for  you,  when  it  cometh  to  the  worst:  he 
will  keep  his  grace,  till  ye  be  at  a  strait,  and  then  bring  forth  the 
decreed  birth  for  your  salvation.  Ye  are  an  arrow  of  his  own 
making,  let  him  shoot  you  against  a  wall  of  brass,  your  point  shall 
keep  whole.  I  cannot,  for  multitude  of  letters,  and  distraction  of 
friends,  prepare  what  I  would  for  the  times  :  I  have  not  one  hour 
of  spare  time,  suppose  the  day  were  forty  hours  long. 

Remember  me  in  prayer.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  September  5, 1G37. 


LETTER  CCXXX. 

TO    THE    RIGHT    HONORABLE    AND    CHRISTIAN    LADY,    MY 
LADY    KENMURE. 

Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace,  be  to  your  Ladyship. — God 
be  thanked  ye  are  yet  in  possession  of  Christ,  and  that  sweet  child. 
I  pray  God  that  the  former  may  be  a  sure  heritage,  and  the  latter 
a  loan  for  your  comfort,  while  ye  do  good  to  this  poor,  afflicted, 
withered  Mount  Zion.  And  who  knoweth,  but  our  Lord  hath 
comforts  laid  up  in  store  for  her  and  you  ?  I  am  persuaded,  that 
Christ  hath  bought  you  past  the  Devil,  and  Hell,  and  sin,  that 
they  have  no  claim  to  you  ; — and  that  is  a  rich  and  invaluable 
mercy.  Long  since  ye  were  half  challenging  death's  cold  kind- 
ness, in  being  so  slow  and  sweer^  to  come  to  loose  a  tired  prisoner  : 
but  ye  stand  in  need  of  all  the  crosses,  losses,  changes,  and  sad 

1  One  who  pronounces  sentence  or  doom.  2  To  dog. 

3  To  cog  a  wheel  is  to  place  a  stone  or  piece  of  wood  wedgewise  between  the  ground 
and  the  wheel,  to  prevent  it  from  moving. 
*  Quarter.  s  Boggle.  6  Reluctant,  unwilhng. 


Rutherford's  letters.  365 

hearts  that  befell  you  since  that  time.  Christ  knoweth  that  the 
body  of  sin  unsubdued  will  take  them  all,  and  more  :  we  know 
that  Paul  had  need  of  tiie  Devil's  service,  to  buffet  him  ;  and  far 
more  we.  But,  my  dear,  and  honorable  Lady,  spend  your  sand- 
glass' well.  I  am  sure  that  you  have  law  to  raise  a  suspension* 
against  all  that  devils,  men,  friends,  worlds,  losses,  hell,  or  sin  can 
decree  against  you.  It  is  good  that  your  crosses  will  but  convoy  ^ 
you  to  Heaven's  gates  :  in  can  they  not  go ;  the  gates  shall  be 
closed  upon  them,  when  ye  shall  be  admitted  to  the  throne.  Time 
standeth  not  still,  eternity  is  hard  at  our  door.  Oh,  what  is  laid 
up  for  you !  therefore,  harden  your  face  against  the  v/ind  :  and 
the  Lamb,  your  Husband,  is  making  ready  for  you.  The  Bride- 
groom would  fain  have  that  day,  as  gladly  as  your  Honor  would 
wish  to  have  it ; — he  hath  not  forgotten  you. 

I  have  heard  a  rumor  of  the  Prelates'  purpose  to  banish  me  : 
but  let  it  come,  if  God  so  will ;  the  other  side  of  the  sea  is  ray 
Father's  ground  as  well  as  this  side.  I  owe  bowing  to  God,  but 
no  servile  bowing  to  crosses  :  I  have  been  but  too  soft  in  that.  I 
am  comforted  that  I  am  persuaded  fully  that  Christ  is  halfer^ 
with  me  in  this  well-born  and  honest  cross ;  and  if  he  claim  right 
to  the  best  half  of  my  troubles,  (as  I  know  he  doth  to  the  whole,) 
I  shall  remit  over  to  Christ  what  I  shall  do  in  this  case.  I  know 
certainly,  that  my  Lord  Jesus  will  not  mar  nor  spill  ^  my  suffer- 
ings ;  he  hath  use  for  them  in  his  house. 

Oh,  what  it  worketh  on  me,^  to  remember  that  a  stranger,  who 
cometh  not  in  by  the  door,  shall  build  hay  and;  stubble  upon  the 
golden  foundation  which  I  laid  amongst  that  people  at  Anwoth ! 
But  I  know  that  Providence  looketh  not  asquint,  but  looketh 
straight  out,  and  through  all  men's  darkness :  oh,  that  I  could 
wait  upon  the  Lord !  1  had  but  one  eye,  one  joy,  one  delight, 
even  to  preach  Christ ;  and  my  Mother's  sons  were  angry  at  me, 
and  have  put  out  the  poor  man's  one  eye,  and  what  have  I  be- 
hind ?  I  am  sure  that  this  sour  world  hath  lost  my  heart  deserv- 
edly, but,  oh,  that  there  were  a  days-man  to  lay  his  hands  upon 
us  both,  and  determine  upon  my  part  of  it.  Alas,  that  innocent 
and  lovely  truth  should  be  sold  !  My  tears  are  little  worth,  but 
yet  for  this  thing  I  weep  :  I  weep,  alas,  that  my  fair  and  lovely 
Lord  Jesus  should  be  miskent^  in  his  own  house  !  It  reckoneth 
little  of  five  hundred  the  like  of  me  : — yet  the  water  goeth  not  over 
faith's  breath  ;  yet  our  King  liveth. 

I  write  the  prisoner's  blessing  :  the  good-will,  and  long-lasting 
kindness,  with  the  comforts  of  the  very  God  of  peace  be  to  your 
Ladyship,  and  to  your  sweet  child.     Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Your  Honor's, 
At  all  obedience,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  7,  1637. 

1  Glass  for  measuring  time. 

*  To  sue  for  the  decision  of  a  court  to  suspend  the  execution  of  a  sentence  or  decree. 
3  Tb  coTiyoy,  to  accompany  part  of  the  way.         *  Equal  sharer.  5  Spoil,  ruin. 

6  What  anxiety  it  causeth  me.  '  Not  known,  not  appreciated. 


366  Rutherford's  letters. 

LETTER  CCXXXL 

TO    THE    RIGHT    HONORABLE    MY    LORD    LINDSAY. 

Right  honorable,  and  my  very  good  Lord, — Grace,  mercy, 
and  peace  be  to  your  Lordship. — Pardon  my  boldness  to  express 
myself  to  your  Lordship  at  this  so  needful  a  time,  when  your 
wearied  and  friendless  Mother-kirk'  is  looking  round  about  her,  to 
see  if  any  of  her  sons  doth  really  bemoan  her  desolation :  there- 
fore, my  dear  and  worthy  Lord,  I  beseech  you  in  the  bowels  of 
Christ,  pity  that  widow-like  sister  and  spouse  of  Christ.  I  know 
that  her  Husband  is  not  dead,  but  he  seemeth  to  be  in  another 
country,  and  seeth  well,  and  beholdeth  who  are  his  true  and  ten- 
der-hearted friends,  who  dare  venture  under  the  water  to  bring 
out  to  dry-land  sinking  truth,  and  who  of  the  nobles  will  cast  up^ 
their  arm.  to  ward  a  blow  off  the  crowned  head  of  our  royal  Law- 
giver who  reigneth  in  Zion,  who  will  plead  and  contend  for  Jacob, 
in  the  day  of  his  controversy. 

It  is  now  time,  my  worthy,  and  noble  Lord,  for  you  who  are  the 
little  nurse-fathers  (under  our  sovereign  Prince)  to  put  on  courage 
for  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  to  take  up  a  fallen  orphan,  speaking  out 
of  the  dust,  and  to  embrace  in  your  arms  Christ's  bride.  He  hath 
no  more  in  Scotland  that  is  the  delight  of  his  eyes,  than  that  one 
little  sister,  whose  breasts  were  once  well-fashioned.  She  once 
ravished  her  Well-beloved  with  her  eyes,  and  overcame  him  with 
her  beauty:  "She  looked  forth  as  the  morning,  fair  as  the  moon, 
clear  as  the  sun,  terrible  as  an  army  with  banners  :  her  stature 
was  like  the  palm-tree,  and  her  breasts  like  clusters  of  grapes,  and 
she  held  the  King  in  his  galleries."  (Cant.  iv.  9,  and  vi.  10,  and 
vii.  5,  7.)  But  now  the  crown  is  fallen  from  her  head,  and  her 
gold  waxed  dim,  and  our  white  Nazarites  are  become  black  as  the 
coal.  Blessed  are  they  who  will  come  out  and  help  Christ  against 
the  mighty  !  The  shields  of  the  earth  and  the  nobles  are  debtors 
to  Christ  for  their  honor,  and  should  bring  their  glory  and  honor 
to  the  New  Jerusalem  ;  (Rev.  xxi.  24.)  Alas,  that  great  men 
should  be  so  far  from  sulDJecting  themselves  to  the  sweet  yoke  of 
Christ,  that  they  burst  his  bonds  asunder,  and  think  they  dow 
not  go  on  foot  when  Christ  is  on  horseback,  and  that  every  nod  of 
Christ,  connnanding  as  a  king,  is  a  load  like  a  mountain  of  iron  ; 
and,  therefore,  they  say,  "This  Man  shall  not  reign  over  us;  we 
must  have  another  king  than  Christ  in  his  own  house."  There- 
fore, kneel  to  Christ,  and  kiss  the  Son,  an'  let  him  have  your 
Lordship's  vote,  as  your  alone ^  Lawgiver.  I  am  sure  that  when 
you  leave  the  old  waste  inn  of  this  perishing  life,  and  shall  reckon 
with  your  liost,  and  depart  hence,  and  take  shipping,  and  make 
over  for  eternity,  which  is  the  yonder  side  of  time, — and  a  sand- 

1  Mother-church.  2  Throw  up.  3  Only. 


Rutherford's  letters,  367 

glass  of  three-score  short  years  is  running  out, — to  look  over  your 
shoulder,  then,  to  that  which  ye  have  done,  spoken,  and  suffered 
for  Christ,  his  dear  bride,  (that  he  ransomed  with  that  blood  Avhich 
is  more  precious  than  gold.)  and  for  truth,  and  the  freedom  of 
Christ's  Kingdom,  your  accounts  will  more  sweetly  smile  and 
laugh  upon  you  than  if  you  had  two  worlds  of  gold  to  leave  to 
your  posterity.  O  my  dear  Lord,  consider  that  our  Master,  eter- 
nity, and  judgment,  and  the  last  reckoning,  will  be  upon  us  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye.  The  blast  of  the  Last  Trumpet,  now  hard 
at  hand,  will  cry  down  all  acts  of  Parliament,  all  the  determina- 
tions of  pretended  Assemblies,  against  Christ  our  Lawgiver.  There 
will  be  siiortly  a  proclamation  by  One  standing  in  the  clouds,  that 
time  shall  be  no  more,  and  that  courts  with  kings  of  clay  shall  be 
no  more ;  and  prisons,  confinements,  forfeitures  of  nobles,  wrath 
of  kings,  hazard  of  lands,  houses,  and  name,  for  Christ,  shall  be 
no  more.  This  world's  span-length  of  time  is  drawn  now  to  less 
than  half  an  inch,  and  to  the  point  of  the  evening  of  the  day  of 
this  old  gray-haired  world;  and,  therefore,  be  fixed  and  fast  for 
Christ  and  his  truth  for  a  time  ;  and  fear  not  him  whose  life  goeth 
out  at  his  nostrils,  who  shall  die  as  a  man.  I  am  persuaded 
Christ  is  responsal  ^  and  law-biding,  to  make  recompense  for  any- 
thing that  is  hazarded  or  given  out  for  him — losses  for  Christ  are 
but  our  goods  given  out  in  bank  in  Christ's  hand.  Kings  earthly 
are  well-favored  little  clay  gods,  time's  idols ;  but  a  sight  of  our 
invisible  King  shall  decry  and  darken  all  the  glory  of  this  world. 
At  the  day  of  Christ,  truth  shall  be  truth,  and  not  treason.  Alas  ! 
it  is  pitiful  that  silence,  when  the  thatch  of  our  Lord's  house  hath 
taken  fire,  is  now  the  flower  and  bloom  of  court  and  state  wisdom  ; 
and  to  cast  a  covering  over  a  good  profession,  (as  if  it  blushed  at 
light,)  is  thought  a  canny ^  and  sure  way  through  this  life;  but 
the  safest  way,  I  am  persuaded,  is  to  tine^  and  win  with  Ciuist, 
and  to  hazard  fairly  for  him  ;  for  Heaven  is  but  a  company  of  no- 
ble venturers  for  Christ.  I  dare  hazard  my  soul  that  Christ  will 
grow  green,  and  blossom  like  the  Rose  of  Sharon  yet  in  Scotland; 
howbeit  now  his  leaf  seemeth  to  wither,  and  his  root  to  dry  up. 

Your  noble  ancestors  have  been  enrolled  among  the  worthies 
of  this  nation,  as  the  sure  friends  of  the  Bridegroom,  and  valiant 
for  Christ :  I  hope  that  you  will  follow  on  to  come  to  the  streets 
for  the  same  Lord.  The  world  is  still  at  yea  and  nay  with  Christ. 
It  shall  be  your  glory,  and  the  sure  foundation  of  your  liouse, 
(now  when  houses  are  tumbling  down,  and  birds  building  their 
nests,  and  thorns  and  briers  are  growing  up,  where  nobles  did 
spread  a  table,)  if  you  engage  your  estate  and  nobility  for  this 
noble  King  Jesus,  with  whom  the  created  powers  of  the  world  are 
still  in  tops.*  All  the  world  shall  fall  before  him,  and,  as  God 
liveth  !  every  arm  lifted  up  to  take  the  crown  off  his  royal  head, 
or  that  refuseth  to  hold  it  on  his  head,  shall  be  broken  from  the 
shoulder  blade.  The  eyes  that  behold  Christ  weep  in  sackcloth, 
and  Avallow  in  his  blood,  and  will  not  help,  even  these  eyes  shall 

1  Responsible.  2  Prudent.  ^  To  lose.  *  In  wrangling  debate. 


368  Rutherford's  letters. 

rot  away  in  their  eye-holes.  Oh,  if  ye  and  the  nobles  of  this  land 
saw  the  beauty  of  that  world's  wonder,  Jesus  our  King,  and  the 
glory  of  Him  who  is  angels'  wonder,  and  Heaven's  wonder  for 
excellency  !  Oh,  what  would  men  count  of  clay  estates,  of  time- 
eaten  life,  of  worm-eaten  and  moth-eaten  worldly  glory,  in  com- 
parison of  that  fairest,  fairest  of  God's  creation,  the  Son  of  the 
Father's  delights.  I  have  but  small  experience  of  suffering  for 
him  ;  but  let  my  Judge  and  Witness  in  Heaven  lay  ray  soul  in 
the  iDalance  of  justice,  if  I  find  not  a  young  heaven,  and  a  little 
paradise  of  glorious  comforts  and  soul-delighting  love-kisses  of 
Christ  here  beneath  the  moon,  in  suffering  for  him  and  his  truth  : 
and  that  the  glory,  joy,  and  peace,  and  fire  of  love,  which  I  thought 
had  been  kept  whill  supper-time,  when  we  shall  get  leisure  to 
feast  our  fill  upon  Christ,  I  have  felt  in  glorious  beginnings  in  my 
bonds  for  this  princely  Lord  Jesus.  Oh  !  it  is  my  sorrow,  my  daily 
pain,  that  men  will  not  come  and  see.  I  would  now  be  ashamed 
to  believe  that  it  should  be  possible  for  any  soul  to  think  that  he 
could  be  a  loser  for  Christ,  suppose  he  should  lend  Christ  the  lord- 
ship of  Lindsay,  or  some  such  great  worldly  estate.  Therefore, 
my  worthy,  and  dear  Lord,  set  now  your  face  against  the  oppo- 
sites^  of  Jesus,  and  let  your  soul  take  courage  to  come  under  his 
banner,  to  appear  as  his  soldier  for  him  ;  and  the  blessings  of  a 
falling  kirk,  the  prayers  of  the  prisoners  of  hope  who  wait  for 
Zion's  joy,  and  the  good  will  of  Him  who  dwelt  in  the  bush,  and 
it  burned  not,  shall  be  with  you. 

To  his  saving  grace  I  recommend  your  Lordship  and   your 
House,  and  am  still  Christ's  prisoner,  and 

Your  Lordship's  obliged  servant, 

In  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  7,  1637. 


LETTER  CCXXXn. 


TO     MY     LORD      BOYD. 


My  very  honorable,  and  good  Lord, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
peace  be  to  you.— I  am  glad  to  hear  that  you,  in  the  morning  of 
your  short  day,  mind  Christ,  and  that  you  love  the  honor  of  his 
crown  and  kingdom.  I  beseech  your  Lordship  to  begin  now  to 
frame  your  love,  and  to  cast  it  in  no  mould  but  one,  that  it  may 
be  for  Christ  only  ; — for  when  your  love  is  now  in  the  framing 
and  making,  it  will  take  best  with  Christ.  If  any  other  than 
Jesus  get  a  grip^  of  it,  when  it  is  green  and  young,  Christ  will  be 
an  unco  ^  and  strange  world  to  you.  Promise  the  lodging  of  your 
soul  first  away  to  Christ,  and  stand  by  your  first  covenant,  and 
keep  to  Jesus,  that  he  may  find  you  honest.     It  is  easy  to  master 

1  Oh,  that.  2  Opponents.  3  Hold,  gripe.  *  Cold. 


Rutherford's  letters.  369 

an  arrow,  and  to  set  it  right,  ere  the  string  be  drawn ;  but  when 
once  it  is  shot,  and  in  the  air,  and  the  flight  begun,  then  ye  have 
no  more  power  at  all  to  command  it.  It  were  a  blessed  thing,  if 
your  love  could  now  level  only  at  Christ,  that  his  fair  face  were 
the  black  of  the  mark  ye  shot  at ;  for  when  your  love  is  loosed, 
and  out  of  j^our  grips,'  and  in  its  motion  to  fetch  home  an  idol, 
and  hath  taken  a  whorish  gadding  journey,  to  seek  an  unknown 
and  strange  lover,  ye  shall  not  then  have  power  to  call  home  the 
arrow,  or  to  be  master  of  your  love — and  ye  will  hardly  give  Christ 
what  ye  scarcely  have  yourself. 

I  speak  not  this,  as  if  youth  itself  could  fetch  heaven  and 
Christ.  Believe  it,  my  Lord,  it  is  hardly  credible  what  a  nest  of 
dangerous  temptations  youth  is  ;  how  inconsiderate,  foolish,  proud, 
vain,  heady,  rash,  profane,  and  careless  of  God,  this  piece  of  your 
life  is  ;  so  that  the  Devil  findeth  in  that  age  a  garnished  and  well- 
swept  house,  and  seven  devils  worse  than  himself,  for  then  affec- 
tions are  on  horseback,  lofty,  and  stirring ;  then  the  old  man  hath 
blood,  lust,  much  will,  and  little  wit,  and  hands,  feet,  wanton  eyes, 
profane  ears,  as  his  servants,  and  as  kings'  officers  at  command, 
to  come  and  go  at  his  will.  Then  a  green  conscience  is  as 
souple=^  as  the  twig  of  a  young  tree.  It  is  for  every  way,  every 
religion  ;  every  lewd  course  prevaileth  with  it :  and,  therefore,  oh, 
what  a  sweet  couple,  what  a  glorious  yoke  are  youth  and  grace, 
Christ  and  a  young  man  !  This  is  a  meeting  not  to  be  found  in 
every  town.  None  who  have  been  at  Christ  can  bring  back  to 
your  Lordship  a  report  answerable  to  his  worth  ;  for  Christ  can- 
not be  spoken  of,  or  commended  according  to  his  worth.  "Come 
and  see,"  is  the  most  faithful  messenger  to  speak  of  him  :  little 
persuasion  Avould  prevail  where  this  was.  It  is  impossible  in  the 
setting  out  of  Christ's  love,  to  lie  and  pass  over  truth's  line.  The 
discourses  of  angels,  or  love-books  written  by  the  congregation  of 
seraphim,  (all  their  wits  being  conjoined  and  melted  into  one,)  would 
forever  be  in  the  nether  side  of  truth,  and  of  plentifully  declaring 
the  thing  as  it  is.  The  infiniteness,  the  boundlessness  of  that  in- 
comparable excellency  that  is  in  Jesus,  is  a  great  word.  God 
send  me,  if  it  were  but  the  relics  and  leavings,  or  an  ounce  weight 
or  two,  of  his  matchless  love ;  and  suppose  I  never  got  another 
heaven,  (provided  this  blessed  fire  were  evermore  burning,)  I  could 
not  but  be  happy  forever.  Come  hither,  then,  and  give  out  your 
money  wisely  for  bread  ;  come  hither,  and  bestow  your  love. 

I  have  cause  to  speak  this,  because  except  ye  possess  and  en- 
joy Christ,  ye  will  be  a  cold  friend  to  his  Spouse — for  it  is  love  to 
the  husband  that  causeth  kindness  to  the  wife.  I  dare  swear  it 
were  a  blessing  to  your  house,  the  honor  of  your  honor,  the  flower 
of  your  credit,  now  in  your  place,  and  as  far  as  ye  are  able,  to 
lend  your  hand  to  your  weeping  mother,  even  your  oppressed  and 
spoiled  mother-kirk.  If  ye  love  her,  and  bestir  yourself  for  her, 
and  hazard  the  lordship  of  Boyd  for  the  recovery  of  her  veil, 

1  Out  of  your  own  keeping.  2  Supple. 

24 


370  Rutherford's  letters. 

(which  the  smiting  watchmen  have  taken  from  her,)  then  surely 
her  husband  will  scorn  to  sleep  in  your  common'  or  reverence. 
Bits  of  lordships  are  httle  to  Him  who  hath  many  crowns  on  his 
head,  and  the  kingdoms  of  the  world  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand. 
Court,  honor,  glory,  riches,  stability  of  houses,  favor  of  princes, 
are  all  on  his  finger  ends.  Oh,  what  glory  were  it  to  lend  your 
honor  to  Christ,  and  to  his  Jerusalem.  Ye  are  one  of  Zion's  born 
sons ;  your  honorable  and  Christian  parents  would  venture  you 
upon  Christ's  errands:  therefore,  I  beseech  you,  by  the  mercies  of 
God,  by  the  death  and  wounds  of  Jesus,  by  the  hope  of  your  glo- 
rious inheritance,  and  by  the  comfort  and  hope  of  the  joyful  pres- 
ence ye  would  have  at  the  water-side,  when  ye  are  putting  your 
foot  in  the  dark  grave,  take  courage  for  Christ's  truth,  and  the 
honor  of  his  free  kingdom ;  for,  howbeit  ye  be  a  young  flower, 
and  green  before  the  sun,  ye  know  not  how  soon  death  will 
cause  you  cast  your  bloom,  and  wither  root,  and  branch,  and 
leaves ;  and,  therefore,  write  up  what  ye  have  to  do  for  Christ, 
and  make  a  treasure  of  good  works,  and  begin  in  time.  By  ap- 
pearance ye  have  the  advantage  of  the  brae;*  see  what  ye  can 
do  for  Christ,  against  these  who  are  waiting  whill  Christ's  Tab- 
ernacle fall,  that  they  may  run  away  with  the  boards  thereof,  and 
build  their  nests  on  Zion's  ruins.  They  are  blind  who  see  not 
louns^  now  pulUng  up  the  stakes,  and  breaking  the  cords,  and 
rending  the  curtains  of  Christ's,  (sometimes,')  beautiful  tent  in 
this  land.  Antichrist  is  lifting  that  tent  up  upon  his  shoulders, 
and  going  away  with  it ;  and  when  Christ  and  the  Gospel  are 
out  of  Scotland,  dream  not  that  your  houses  shall  thrive,  and  that 
it  will  go  well  with  the  nobles  of  the  land.  As  the  Lord  liveth  ! 
the  streams  of  your  waters  shall  become  pitch,  and  the  dust  of 
your  land  brimstone,  and  your  land  shall  become  burning  pitch, 
and  the  owl  and  the  raven  shall  dwell  in  your  houses :  and  where 
your  table  stood,  there  shall  grow  briers  and  nettles,  Isa.  xxxiv. 
9,  11.  The  Lord  gave  Christ  and  his  Gospel  as  a  pawn  to  Scot- 
land. The  watchmen  have  fallen  foul,  and  lost  their  part  of  the 
pawn  ;  and  who  seeth  not,  that  God  hath  dried  up  their  right  eye, 
and  their  right  arm,  and  hath  broken  the  shepherds'  staves,  and 
that  men  are  treading  in  their  hearts  upon  such  unsavory  salt, 
that  is  good  for  nothing  else.  If  ye,  the  nobles,  put  away  the 
pawn  also,  and  refuse  to  plead  the  controversy  of  Zion  with  the 
professed  enemies  of  Jesus,  ye  have  done  with  it.  Oh  !  where  is 
the  courage  and  zeal  now  of  the  ancient  nobles  of  this  land,  who 
with  their  swords,  and  hazard  of  life,  honor,  and  houses,  brought 
Christ  to  our  hands?  And  now  the  nobles  cannot  be  but  guilty 
of  shouldering  out  Christ,  and  of  murdering  the  souls  of  their 
posterity,  if  they  shall  hide  themselves,  and  lurk  in  the  lee-side 
of  the  hill,  till  the  wind  blow  down  the  temple  of  God.  It  goeth 
now  under  the  name  of  wisdom,  for  men  to  cast  their  cloak  over 

1  Under  obligation  to  you.  ^  Slope,  hill. 

3  Low,  worthless  fellows.  *  Once. 


Rutherford's  letters.  371 

Christ  and  their  profession,  as  if  Christ  were  stolen  goods,  and 
durst  not  be  avouched.  But  though  this  be  reputed  a  piece  of 
pohcy,  yet  God  esteemeth  such  men  to  be  but  state  fools  and  court 
gowks,'  whatever  they,  or  other  heads-of-wit'  like  to  them,  think 
of  themselves,  since  their  damnable  silence  is  the  ruin  of  Christ's 
kingdom.  Oh,  but  it  be  true  honor  and  glory  to  be  the  fast 
friends  of  the  Bridegroom,  and  to  own  Christ's  bleeding  head, 
and  his  forsaken  cause,  and  to  contend  legally,  and  in  the  wisdom 
of  God,  for  our  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  and  his  kingly  crown  !  But  I 
will  believe  that  your  Lordship  will  take  Christ's  honor  to  heart, 
and  be  a  man  in  the  streets  (as  the  prophet  speaketh)  for  the  Lord 
and  his  truth.  To  his  rich  grace  and  sweet  presence,  and  the 
everlasting  consolation  of  the  promised  Comforter,  I  recommend 
your  Lordship,  and  am 

Your  Lordship's,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
Aberdeen,  September  7,  1637. 


LETTER  CCXXXIIL 

TO     HIS    WORTHY,    AND     MUCH    HONORED    FRIEND,  FULK    ELIES. 

Worthy,  and  much  honored  in  our  Lord, — Grace,  mercy, 
and  peace  be  to  you. — I  am  glad  of  our  more  than  paper  acquaint- 
ance. Seeing  we  have  one  Father,  it  reckoneth  the  less,  though 
we  never  saw  one  another's  face.  I  profess  myself  most  un- 
worthy to  follow  the  camp  of  such  a  worthy  and  renowned  Cap- 
tain as  Christ.  Oh,  alas  !  I  have  cause  to  be  grieved,  that  men 
expect  anything  of  such  a  wretched  man  as  I  am.  It  is  a  won- 
der to  me,  if  Christ  can  make  anything  of  my  noughty,^  short, 
and  narrow  love  to  him ;  surely  it  is  not  worth  the  up-taking. 

2.  As  for  our  lovely  and  beloved  Church  in  Ireland,  my  heart 
bleedeth  for  her  desolation ;  but  I  believe  that  our  Lord  is  only 
lopping  the  vine-trees,  but  not  intending  to  cut  them  down,  or 
root  them  out.  It  is  true,  seeing  we  are  heart-atheists  by  nature, 
and  cannot  take  providence  aright,  (because  we  halt  and  crook* 
ever  since  we  fell,)  we  dream  of  a  halting  providence  ;  as  if  God's 
ellwand,  whereby  he  measureth  joy  and  sorrow  to  the  sons  of  men, 
were  crooked  and  unjust,  because  servants  ride  on  horseback,  and 
princes  go  on  foot :  but  our  Lord  dealeth  good  and  evil,  and  to 
some  one  portion,  or  to  others  of  both,  by  ounce  weights  ;  and 
meastueth  them  in  a  just  and  even  balance.  It  is  but  folly  to 
measure  the  Gospel  by  summer  or  winter  weather — the  summer- 
sun  of  the  saints  shineth  not  on  them  in  this  life.  How  should 
we  have  complained,  if  the  Lord  had  turned  the  same  providence 
that  we  now  stomach  at,  upside  down,  and  had  ordered  matters 
thus,  that  first  the  saints  should  have  enjoyed  Heaven,  glory,  and 
ease,  and  then  Methuselah's  days  of  sorrow  and  daily  miseries  ? 
1  Boobies.  *  Wiseacres.  3  Having  nothing  in  it,  *  Walli  lamelj. 


372  Rutherford's  letters. 

We  would  think  a  short  heaven  no  heaven ;  certainly  his  ways 
pass  finding  out. 

3.  Ye  complain  of  the  evil  of  heart-atheism :  but  it  is  to  a 
greater  atheist  than  any  man  can  be,  that  ye  write  of  that.  Oh, 
light  findeth  not  that  reverence  and  fear  which  a  plant  of  God's 
setting  should  find  in  our  soul !  How  do  we,  by  nature,  as 
others,  detain  and  hold  captive  the  truth  of  God  in  unrighteous- 
ness, and  so  make  God's  light  a  bound  prisoner  ?  And  even  when 
the  prisoner  breaketh  the  jail,  and  cometh  out  in  belief  of  a  God- 
head, and  in  some  practice  of  holy  obedience,  how  often  do  we, 
of  new,  lay  hands  on  the  prisoner,  and  put  our  light  again  in  fet- 
ters? Certainly  there  cometh  great  mist  and  clouds  from  the 
lower  part  of  our  soul,  our  earthly  aflfections,  to  the  higher  part, 
which  is  our  conscience,  either  natural  or  renewed :  a  smoke  in 
a  lower  house  breaketh  up,  and  defileth  the  house  above.  If  we 
had  more  practice  of  obedience,  we  should  have  more  sound  light. 
1  think,  lay  aside  all  other  guiltiness,  that  this  one,  the  violence 
done  to  God's  candle,  in  our  soul,  were  a  sufficient  dittay'  against 
us.  There  is  no  helping  of  this  but  by  striving  to  stand  in  awe 
of  God's  light.  Lest  light  tell  tales  of  us,  we  desire  little  to  hear ; 
but  since  it  is  not  without  God,  that  light  sitteth  neighbor  to  will, 
(a  lawless  lord,)  no  marvel  that  such  a  neighbor  should  leaven  our 
judgment,  and  darken  our  light.  I  see  there  is  a  necessity  that 
we  protest  against  the  doings  of  the  Old  Man,  and  raise  up  a 
party  against  our  worst  half,  to  accuse,  condemn,  sentence,  and 
with  sorrow  bemoan  the  dominion  of  sin's  kingdom ;  and  withal 
make  law,  in  the  New  Covenant,  against  our  guiltiness  ;  for 
Christ  once  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh,  and  we  are  to  condemn  it 
over  again.  And  if  there  had  not  been  such  a  thing  as  the  grace 
of  Jesus,  I  should  have  long  since  given  up  with  Heaven,  and 
with  the  expectation  to  see  God.  But  grace,  grace,  free  grace, 
the  merits  of  Christ  for  nothing,  white  and  fair,  and  large  Saviour- 
mercy,  (which  is  another  sort  of  thing  than  creature-mercy,  or 
Law  mercy,  yea,  a  thousand  degrees  above  angel-mercy,)  have 
been,  and  must  be,  the  rock  that  we  drowned  souls  must  swim  to. 
New  washing,  renewed  application  of  purchased  redemption,  by 
that  sacred  blood  that  sealeth  the  free  Covenant,  is  a  thing  of 
daily  and  hourly  use  to  a  poor  sinner.  Till  we  be  in  Heaven  our 
issue  of  blood  shall  not  be  quite  dried  up  ;  and,  therefore,  we 
must  resolve  to  apply  peace  to  our  souls  from  the  new  and  living 
way  ;  and  Jesus  who  cleanseth  and  cureth  the'leprous  soul,  lovely 
Jesus,  must  be  our  song  on  this  side  of  Heaven's  gates  :  and  even 
when  we  have  won  the  castle,  then  must  we  eternally  sing. 
"  Worthy,  worthy  is  the  Lamb,  who  hath  saved  us,  and  washed 
us  in  his  own  blood." 

I  would  counsel  all  the  ransomed  ones  to  learn  this  song,  and 
to  drink  and  be  drunk  with  the  love  of  Jesus.  O  fairest,  O  high- 
est, O  loveliest  One,  open  the  well !  Oh,  water  the  burnt  and 
withered  travellers  with  this  love  of  thine !     I  think  it  is  possible 

'  Indictment. 


Rutherford's  letters.  373 

on  earth  to  build  a  young  New  Jerusalem,  a  little  new  heaven  of 
this  surpassing  love.  God,  either  send  me  more  of  this  love,  or 
take  me  quickly  over  the  water,  where  I  may  be  filled  with  his 
love.  My  softness  cannot  take  with  want.  I  profess  I  bear  not 
hunger  of  Christ's  love  fair.  I  know  not  if  I  play  foul  play  with 
Christ,  but  I  would  have  a  link  of  that  chain  of  his  providence 
mended,  in  pining  and  delaying  the  hungry  on-waiters.  For  my- 
self, I  could  wish  that  Christ  would  let  out  upon  me  more  of  that 
love.  Yet  to  say  Christ  is  a  niggard  to  me,  I  dare  not ;  and  if  I 
say  I  have  abundance  of  his  love,  I  should  lie.  I  am  half  strait- 
ened '  to  complain,  and  cry,  "  Lord  Jesus,  hold  thy  hand  no  longer." 
Worthy  sir,  let  me  have  your  prayers,  in  my  bonds.  Grace  be 
with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  7,  1637. 


LETTER  CCXXXIV. 

TO     JAMES      LINDSAY. 


Dear  Brother, — The  constant  and  daily  observing  of  God's 
going  alongst  with  you,  in  his  coming,  going,  ebbing,  flowing, 
embracing  and  kissing,  glooming  "^  and  striking,  giveth  me,  (a 
witless  and  lazy  observer  of  the  Lord's  way  and  working)  a 
heavy  stroke.  Could  I  keep  sight  of  him,  and  know  when  I 
want,  and  carry  as  became  me  in  that  condition,  I  would  bless 
my  case. 

But,  1.  For  desertions  ;  I  think  them  like  lying  lea  ^  of  lean  and 
weak  land  for  some  years,  whill  it  gather  sap  for  a  better  crop.  It 
is  possible  to  gather  gold,  where  it  may  be  had,  with  moon-light. 
Oh,  if  I  could  but  creep  one  foot,  or  half  a  foot,  nearer  in  to 
Jesus,  in  such  a  dismal  night  as  that,  when  he  is  away,  I  should 
think  it  an  happy  absence  ! 

2.  If  I  knew  that  the  Beloved  were  only  gone  away  for  trial, 
and  further  humiliation,  and  not  smoked  out  of  the  house  with 
new  provocations,  I  would  forgive  desertions,  and  hold  my  peace 
at  his  absence:  but  Christ's  bought  absence,  (that  I  bought  with 
my  sin,)  is  two  running  boils  at  once,  one  upon  each  side ;  and 
what  side  then  can  I  lie  on  ? 

3.  I  know  that  as  night  and  shadows  are  good  for  flowers,  and 
moon-light  and  dews  are  better  than  a  continual  sun,  so  is  Christ's 
absence  of  special  use,  and  that  it  hath  some  nourishing  virtue  in 
it,  and  giveth  sap  to  humility,  and  putteth  an  edge  on  hunger, 
and  furnisheth  a  fair  field  to  faith  to  put  forth  itself,  and  to  exer- 
cise its  fingers  in  gripping  *  it  seeth  not  what. 

4.  It  is  mercy's  wonder,  and  grace's  wonder,  that  Christ  will 
lend  a  piece  of  the  lodging,  and  a  back  chamber  beside  himself, 

1  Almost  impelled,  *  Frowning.  3  Land  in  grass.  *  Catching. 


374  Rutherford's  letters. 

to  our  lusts  ;  and  that  he  and  such  swine  should  keep  house  to- 
gether in  our  soul.  For  suppose  they  couch  and  contract  them- 
selves into  little  room  when  Christ  cometh  in,  and  seem  to  lie  as 
head  under  his  feet,  yet  they  often  break  out  again ;  and  that  a 
foot  of  the  Old  Man,  or  a  leg  or  arm  nailed  to  Christ's  cross, 
looseth  the  nail,  or  breaketh  out  again ;  and  yet  Christ,  beside 
this  unruly  and  misnurtured'  neighbor,  can  still  be  making  heaven 
in  the  saints,  one  way  or  other.  May  I  not  say,  "Lord  Jesus, 
what  doest  thou  here  ?"  Yet  here  he  must  be.  But  I  will  not 
lose  my  feet  to  go  on  into  this  depth  and  wonder  ;  for  free  mercy, 
and  infinite  merits,  took  a  lodging  to  Christ  and  us,  beside  such  a 
loathsome  guest  as  sin. 

5.  Sanctification  and  mortification  of  our  lusts,  are  the  hardest 
part  of  Christianity.  It  is,  in  a  manner,  as  natural  to  us  to  leap 
when  we  see  the  New  Jerusalem,  as  to  laugh  when  we  are  tickled: 
joy  is  not  under  command,  or  at  our  nod,  when  Christ  kisseth : 
but  oh,  how  many  of  us  would  have  Christ  divided  into  two  halves, 
that  we  might  take  the  half  of  him  only,  and  take  his  oflftce, 
Jesus  and  Salvation  !  but  "  Lord"  is  a  cumbersome  word,  and  to 
obey  and  work  out  our  own  salvation,  and  to  perfect  holiness,  is 
the  cumbersome  and  stormy  north  side  of  Christ,  and  that  which 
we  eschew  and  shift. 

6.  For  your  question,  the  access  that  reprobates  have  to  Christ, 
(which  is  none  at  all,  for  to  the  Father  in  Christ  neither  can  they, 
nor  will  they  come,  because  Christ  died  not  for  them  ;  and  yet,  by 
law,  God  and  justice  overtaketh  them,)  I  sa}'^,  first,  there  are  with 
you  more  worthy  and  learned  than  1  am,  Messrs.  Dickson,  Blair, 
and  Hamilton,  who  can  more  fully  satisfy  you  ;  but  I  shall  speak 
in  brief  what  I  think  of  it,  in  these  assertions.  First,  All  God's 
justice  toward  man  and  angels  floweth  from  an  act  of  absolute, 
sovereign  free-will  of  God,  who  is  our  Former  and  Potter,  and  we 
are  but  clay ;  for  if  he  had  forbidden  to  eat  of  the  rest  of  the  trees 
of  the  Garden  of  Eden,  and  commanded  Adam  to  eat  of  the  Tree 
of  Knowledge  of  Good  and  Evil,  that  command  no  doubt  had  been 
as  just  as  this, — "Eat  of  all  the  trees,  but  not  at  all  of  the  Tree  of 
Knowledge  of  Good  and  Evil."  The  reason  is,  because  his  will  is 
before  his  justice,  by  order  of  nature,  and  what  is  his  will  is  his 
justice,  and  he  willeth  not  things  without  himself  because  they  are 
just.  God  cannot,  God  needeth  not  hunt  sanctity,  holiness,  or 
righteousness  from  things  without  himself,  and  so  not  from  the 
actions  of  men  or  angels ;  because  his  will  is  essentially  holy  and 
just,  and  the  prime  rule  of  holiness  and  justice  ;  as  the  fire  is  natu- 
rally light,  and  inclineth  upward,  and  the  earth  heavy  and  incli- 
neth  downward.  The  second  assertion  then,  that  God  saith  to 
reprobates,  "Believe  in  Christ,  (who  hath  not  died  for  your  salva^ 
tion,)  and  ye  shall  be  saved,"  is  just  and  right ;  because  his  eternal 
and  essentially  just  will  hath  so  enacted  and  decreed.  Suppose 
natural  reason  speak  against  this,  this  is  the  deep  and  special  mys- 
tery of  the  Gospel.     God  hath  obliged,  hard  and  fast,  all  the  rep- 

1  Unsubdued  by  chastisement. 


Rutherford's  letters.  375 

rebates  of  the  visible  Church  to  beheve  this  promise,  "  He  that 
beheveth  shall  be  saved :"  and  yet  in  God's  decree  and  secret  in- 
tention, there  is  no  salvation  at  all  decreed  and  intended  to  repro- 
bates ;  and  yet  the  obligation  of  God,  being  from  his  sovereign  free- 
will, is  most  just,  as  is  said  in  the  first  assertion.  Third  assertion, 
Tlie  righteous  Lord  hath  right  over  the  reprobates  and  all  reason- 
able creatures,  that  violate  his  commandments.  This  is  easy. 
Fourth  assertion,  The  faith  that  God  seeketh  of  reprobates,  is,  that 
they  rely  upon  Christ,  as  despairing  of  their  own  righteousness, 
leaning  wholly  and  withal  humbly,  as  weary  and  loaded,  upon 
Christ,  as  on  the  Resting-stone  laid  in  Zion.  But  he  seeketh  not 
that,  without  being  weary  of  their  sin,  they  rely  upon  Christ,  as 
mankind's  Saviour ;  for  to  rely  on  Christ,  and  not  to  be  weary  of 
sin,  is  presumption,  not  faith.  Faith  is  ever  neighbor  to  a  contrite 
spirit ;  and  it  is  impossible  that  faith  can  be,  where  there  is  not 
a  cast  down  and  contrite  heart,  in  some  measure,  for  sin.  Now 
it  is  certain,  that  God  commandeth  no  man  to  presume.  Fifth  as- 
sertion, Then  reprobates  are  not  absolutely  obliged  to  believe  that 
Christ  died  for  them  in  particular ;  for,  in  truth,  neither  reprobates 
nor  others  are  obliged  to  believe  a  lie :  only  they  are  obliged  to  be- 
lieve that  Christ  died  for  them,  if  they  be  first  weary,  burdened, 
sin-sick,  and  condemned  in  their  own  consciences,  and  stricken 
dead  and  killed  with  the  Law's  sentence,  and  have  indeed  em- 
braced him  as  offered,  which  is  a  second  and  subsequent  act  of 
faith,  following  after  a  coming  to  him,  and  a  closing  with  him. 
Sixth  assertion,  Reprobates  are  not  formally  guilty  of  contempt  of 
God,  and  misbehef,i  because  they  apply  not  Christ  and  the  promi- 
ses of  the  Gospel  to  themselves  in  particular  ;  for  so  they  should 
be  guilty,  because  they  believe  not  a  lie,  which  God  never  obliged 
them  to  believe.  Seventh  assertion.  Justice  hath  a  right  to  punish 
reprobates,  because,  out  of  pride  of  heart,  confiding  in  their  own 
righteousness,  they  rely  not  upon  Christ,  as  a  Saviour  of  all  them 
that  come  to  him.  This  God  may  justly  oblige  them  unto;  be- 
cause in  Adam  they  had  perfect  ability  to  do;  and  men  are  guilty 
because  they  love  their  own  inability,  and  rest  upon  themselves, 
and  refuse  to  deny  their  own  righteousness,  and  to  take  them  to 
Christ,  iu  whom  there  is  righteousness  for  wearied  sinners.  Eighth 
assertion,  It  is  one  thing  to  rely,  lean,  and  rest  upon  Christ,  in  hu- 
mility and  weariness  of  spirit,  and  denying  our  own  righteousness, 
believing  him  to  be  the  only  righteousness  of  wearied  sinners  ;  and 
it  is  another  thing  to  believe  that  Christ  died  for  me,  John,  Thomas, 
Anna,  upon  an  intention  and  decree  to  save  us  by  name.  For,  1st, 
The  first  goeth  first,  the  latter  is  always  after  in  due  order.  2ndly, 
The  first  is  faith,  the  second  is  a  fruit  of  faith  ;  and,  3rdly,  the  first 
obligeth  reprobates  and  all  men  in  the  Visible  Kirk,  the  latter  obli- 
geth  only  the  weary  and  laden,  and  so  only  the  elect  and  effectu- 
ally called  of  God.  Ninth  assertion.  It  is  a  vain  order;  '-I  know 
not  if  Christ  died  for  me,  John,  Thomas,  Anna,  by  name;  and, 
therefore,  I  dare  not  rely  on  him."     The  reason  is,  because  it  is 

1  Wrong  belief. 


376  Rutherford's  letters. 

not  faith,  to  believe  God's  intention  and  decree  of  election  at  the 
first,  ere  ye  be  wearied.  Look  first  to  your  own  intention  and 
soul.  If  ye  find  sin  a  burden,  and  can,  and  do  rest,  under  that 
bnrdeu,  npon  Christ ;  if  this  be  once,  now  come  and  beheve  in  par- 
ticular, or  rather  apply  by  sense,  (for,  in  my  judg-ment,  it  is  a  fruit 
of  belief,  not  beUef,)  and  feeling  tlie  good-will,  intention,  and  gra- 
cious purpose  of  God  anent '  your  salvation.  Hence,  because  tliere 
is  malice  in  reprobates,  and  contempt  of  Christ,  guilty  they  are, 
and  justice  hath  law  against  them ;  and,  which  is  the  mystery, 
they  cannot  come  up  to  Christ,  because  he  died  not  for  them ;  but 
their  sin  is,  that  they  love  their  inability  to  come  to  Christ,  and  he 
who  loveth  his  chains,  deserveth  chains. 

And  thus  in  short.     Remember  my  bonds. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  September  7,  1637. 


LETTER  CCXXXV. 

TO      MY      LORD      CRAIGHALL. 

My  Lord, — I  cannot  expound  your  Lordship's  contrary  tides, 
and  these  temptations  wherewith  ye  are  assaulted,  to  be  any  other 
thing  than  Christ  trying  you,  and  saying  unto  you,  "And  will  ye 
also  leave  me?"  I  am  sure  that  Christ  hath  a  great  advantage 
against  you,  if  ye  play  foul  play  to  him,  in  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
hath  done  his  part,  in  evidencing  to  your  conscience,  that  this  is 
the  way  of  Christ,  wherein  ye  shall  have  peace ;  and  the  other,  as 
sure  as  God  liveth,  is  the  Antichrist's  way :  therefore,  as  ye  fear 
God,  fear  your  light,  and  stand  in  awe  of  a  convincing  conscience. 
It  is  far  better  for  your  Lordship  to  keep  your  conscience,  and  to 
hazard  in  such  an  honorable  cause  your  place,  than  wilfully,  and 
against  your  light,  to  come  under  guiltiness.  Kings  cannot  heal 
broken  consciences ;  and  when  death  and  judgment  shall  corn- 
prise  ^  your  soul,  your  counsellors,  and  others,  cannot  become  cau- 
tion' to  justice  for  you.  Ere  it  be  long,  our  Lord  will  put  a  final 
determination  to  acts  of  Parliament,  and  men's  laws,  and  will 
clear  you,  before  men  and  angels,  of  men's  unjust  sentences.  Ye 
received  honor,  and  place,  and  authority,  and  riches,  and  reputa- 
tion from  your  Lord,  to  set  forward  and  advance  the  liberties  and 
freedom  of  Christ's  Kingdom.  Men,  whose  consciences  are  made 
of  stoutness,  think  little  of  such  matters,  which,  notwithstanding, 
encroach  directly  upon  Christ's  prerogative  royal.  So  would  men 
think  it  a  light  matter  for  Uzzah  to  put  out  his  hand  to  hold  the 
Lord's  falling  ark  ;  but  it  cost  him  his  life.  And  who  doubteth, 
but  a  carnal  friend  will  advise  you  to  shut  your  window,  and  pray 
beneath  your  breath.  "  Ye  make  too  great  a  din  with  your  pray- 
ers ;"  so  would  a  head-of-wit  *  speak,  if  he  were  in  Daniel's  place. 

•  Concerning.  2   To  comprise,  legally  to  attach  for  debt 

3  Security.  4  Wiseacre. 


Rutherford's  letters.  377 

But  men's  overgilded  reasons  will  not  help  you,  when  your  con- 
science is  like  to  rive  with  a  double  charge.     Alas,  alas  !  when 
will  this  world  learn  to  submit  their  wisdom  to  the  wisdom  of  God? 
I  am  sure  that  your  Lordship  hath  found  the  truth ;  go  not  then 
to  search  for  it  over  again  ;  for  it  is  conunon  for  men  to  make 
doubts,  when  they  have  a  mind  to  desert  the  truth.     Kings  are 
not  their  own  men  ;  their  ways  are  in  God's  hand.     I  rejoice,  and 
am  giad,  that  ye  resolve  to  walk  with  Christ,  howbeit  his  court  be 
thin.     Grace  be  with  your  Lordship. 
Your  Lordship's, 
In  his  sweet  Master  and  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
Aberdeen,  September  7,  1637. 


LETTER  CCXXXVL 

TO      MR.      JAMES      HAMILTON. 

Reverend  and  dear  Brother, — Peace  be  to  you  from  God 
our  Father,  and  from  our  Lord  Jesus. 

I  am  laid  low,  when  I  remember  what  I  am,  and  that  my  out- 
side casteth  such  a  lustre  when  I  find  so  little  within.  It  is  a  won- 
der that  Christ's  glory  is  not  defiled,  running  tinough  such  an  un- 
clean and  impure  channel.  But  I  see  that  Christ  will  be  Christ, 
in  the  dreg  and  refuse  of  men.  His  art,  his  shining  wisdom,  his 
beauty,  speak  loudest  in  blackness,  weakness,  deadness;  yea,  in 
nothing.  I  see  nothing,  no  money,  no  worth,  no  good,  no  life,  no 
deserving,  is  the  ground  that  Omnipotency  delighteth  to  draw 
glory  out  of.  Oh,  how  sweet  is  the  inner  side  of  the  walls  of 
Christ's  house,  and  a  room  beside  himself!  My  distance  from  him 
maketh  me  sad.  Oh,  that  we  were  in  other's  arms  !  Oh,  that  the 
middle  things  betwixt  us  were  removed  !  I  find  it  a  difficult  mat- 
ter to  keep  all  stots'  with  Christ.  When  he  laugheth,  I  scarce 
believe  it,  I  would  so  fain  have  it  true.  But  I  am  like  a  low-  man 
looking  up  to  a  high  mountain,  whom  weariness  and  fainting 
overcometh.  I  would  climb  up,  but  I  find  that  I  do  not  advance 
in  my  journey  as  I  would  wish ;  yet  I  trust  that  he  will  take  me 
home  against  night.  I  marvel  not  that  Antichrist  in  his  slaves  is 
so  busy  :  but  our  crowned  King  seeth  and  beholdeth,  and  will  arise 
for  Zion's  safety. 

I  am  exceedingly  distracted  with  letters,  and  company  that 
visit  me ;  what  I  can  do,  or  time  will  permit,  I  shall  not  omit. 
Excuse  my  brevity,  for  I  am  straitened.  Remember  the  Lord's 
prisoner:  I  desire  to  be  mindful  of  you.  Grace,  grace  be  with 
you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  7,  1G37. 

1  To  keep  pace  with,  to  maintain  equal  ground  with.     Slot  is  the  rebound  of  a  balL 

2  Short,  not  tall. 


378  Rutherford's  letters. 

LETTER  CCXXXVII. 

TO     THE     LAIRD     OF     GAITGIRTH. 

Much  honored  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I 
can  do  no  more  than  thank  you  on  paper,  and  remember  you  to  j 
Him  whom  I  serve,  for  kindness  and  care  of  a  prisoner. 

1  bless  the  Lord,  that  the  cause  I  suffer  for,  needeth  not  to  blush 
before  kings :  Christ's  white,  honest,  and  fair  truth  needeth  neither 
to  wax  pale  for  fear,  nor  to  blush  for  shame.  I  bless  the  Lord, 
who  hath  graced  you  to  own  Christ  now,  when  so  many  are 
afraid  to  profess  him,  and  hide  him,  for  fear  they  suffer  loss  by 
avouching  him.  Alas,  that  so  many  in  these  days  are  carried 
with  the  times  !  as  if  their  conscience  rolled  upon  oiled  wheels,  so 
do  they  go  any  way  the  wind  bloweth  them  :  and,  because  Christ 
is  not  market-sweet,'  men  put  him  away  from  them. 

Worthy,  and  much  honored  sir,  go  on  to  own  Christ,  and  his 
oppressed  truth  : — the  end  of  sufferings  for  the  Gospel,  is  rest  and 
gladness.  Light  and  joy  are  sown  for  the  mourners  in  Zion,  and 
the  harvest,  (which  is  of  God's  making,  for  time  and  manner,)  is 
near  :  crosses  have  right  and  claim  to  Christ  in  his  members,  till 
legs  and  arms,  and  whole  mystical  Christ  be  in  heaven.  There 
will  be  rain,  and  hail,  and  storms,  in  the  saints'  clouds,  ever-till 
God  cleanse  with  fire  the  works  of  the  creation,  and  till  he  burn 
the  botch-house '^  of  heaven  and  earth,  that  men's  sins  hath  sub- 
jected unto  vanity. 

They  are  blessed  who  suffer  and  sin  not,  for  suffering  is  the 
badge  that  Christ  hath  put  upon  his  followers.  Take  what  way 
we  can  to  Heaven,  the  way  is  hedged  up  with  crosses ;  there  is 
no  way  but  to  break  through  them.  Wit  and  wiles,  shifts  and 
laws,  will  not  find  out  a  way  round  the  cross  of  Christ,  but  we 
must  through.  One  thing,  by  experience,  my  Lord  hath  taught 
me,  that  the  waters  betwixt  this  and  Heaven  may  all  be  ridden, 
if  we  be  well  horsed  ;  I  mean,  if  we  be  in  Christ ;  and  not  one 
shall  drown  by  the  way,  but  such  as  love  their  own  destruction. 
Oh,  if  we  could  wait  on  for  a  time,  and  believe  in  the  dark  the 
salvation  of  God !  At  least  we  are  to  believe  good  of  Christ,  till 
he  gives  us  the  slip,  (which  is  impossible,)  and  to  take  his  word 
for  caution,^  that  he  shall  fill  up  all  the  blanks  in  his  promises, 
and  give  us  what  we  want ;  but  to  the  unbeliever,  Christ's  testa- 
ment is  white,  blank,  unwritten  paper. 

Worthy,  and  dear  sir,  set  your  face  to  Heaven,  and  make  you 
to  stoop  at  all  the  low  entries  in  the  way,  that  ye  may  receive  the 
Kingdom  as  a  child.  "  Without  this,"  He  that  knew  the  way, 
said,  "  there  is  no  entry  in,"  Oh,  but  Christ  is  willing  to  lead  a 
poor  sinner  !     Oh,  what  love  my  poor  soul  hath  found  in  him.  in 

'  Desirable,  and,  therefore,  sought  after  in  the  open  market. 

2  House  that  has  been  marred  or  botched  j  an  allusion  to  the  ruin  which  sin  has 
brought  upon  the  world.  '  Security. 


Rutherford's  letters.  379 

the  house  of  my  pilgrimage  !     Suppose  that  love  in  Heaven,  and 
earth,  were  lost,  I  dare  swear,  it  may  be  found  in  Christ. 

Now  the  very  God   of  peace  establish  you,  till  the  day  of  the 
glorious  appearance  of  Cluist. 

Your  own,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  7,  1C37. 


LETTER  CCXXXVIIL 

TO    THE     LADY     GAITGIRTH. 

Much  honored  and  Christian  Lady, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
peace  be  to  you. — I  long  to  hear  how  it  goeth  with  you  and  your 
children. 

I  exhort  you  not  to  lose  breath,  nor  to  faint  in  your  journey. 
The  way  is  not  so  long  to  your  home  as  it  was,  it  will  wear  to 
one  step  or  an  inch  at  length,  and  ye  shall  come  ere  long  to  be 
within  your  arm-length  of  the  glorious  crown.  Your  Lord  Jesus 
did  sweat  and  pant,  ere  he  got  up  that  mount ;  he  was  at, 
"  Father,  save  me,"  with  it.  It  was  he  who  (Psalm  xxii.  14,) 
said,  "I  am  poured  out  like  water;  all  my  bones  are  out  of  joint" 
— Christ  was  as  if  they  had  broken  him  upon  the  wheel — "  My 
heart  is  like  wax,  it  is  melted  in  the  midst  of  my  bowels."  (Ver. 
15.)  "  My  strength  is  dried  up  like  a  potsherd."  I  am  sure,  ye 
love  the  way  the  better,  that  his  holy  feet  trod  it  before  you. 
Crosses  have  a  smell  of  crossed  and  pained  Christ.  I  believe  that 
your  Lord  will  not  leave  you  to  die  your  lone  ^  in  the  way.  I 
know  that  ye  have  sad  hours,  when  the  Comforter  is  hid  under  a 
veil,  and  when  ye  inquire  for  him,  and  find  but  a  toom^  nest. 
This,  I  grant,  is  but  a  cold  good-day,  when  the  seeker  misseth 
Him  whom  the  soul  loveth ;  but  even  his  unkindness  is  kind,  his 
absence  lovely,  his  mask  a  sweet  sight,  till  God  send  Christ  him- 
self, in  his  own  sweet  presence.  Make  his  sweet  comfoits  your 
own,  and  be  not  strange,  and  shame-faced  with  Christ.  Homely ' 
dealing  is  best  for  him,  it  is  his  liking.  When  your  winter  storms 
are  over,  the  summer  of  your  Lord  shall  come  ;  your  sadness  is 
with  child  of  joy,  he  will  do  you  good  in  the  latter-end. 

Take  no  heavier  lift  of  your  children  than  your  Lord  alloweth. 
Give  them  room  beside  your  heart,  but  not  in  the  yolk  of  your 
heart,  where  Christ  should  be  ;  for  then  they  are  your  idols,  not 
your  bairns.  If  your  Lord  take  any  of  them  home  to  his  house, 
before  the  storm  come  on,  take  it  well.  The  owner  of  the  orchard 
may  take  down  two  or  three  apples  off  his  own  trees,  before  mid- 
summer, and  ere  they  get  the  harvest  sun  :  and  it  would  not  be 
seemly  that  his  servant,  the  gardener,  should  chide  him  for  it. 
Let  our  Lord  pluck  his  own  fruit  at  any  season  he  pleaseth  ;  they 
are  not  lost  to  you,  they  are  laid  up  so  well,  as  that  they  are 
coffered  in  Heaven,  where  our  Lord's  best  jewels  lye.  They  are 
1  By  yourself  alone.  2  Empty.  3  Familiar. 


380  Rutherford's  letters. 

all  free  goods  that  are  there ;  death  can   have  no  law  to  arrest 
anything  that  is  within  the  walls  of  the  New  Jerusalem. 

All  the  saints,  because  of  sin,  are  like  old  rusty  horologes,  that 
must  be  taken  down,  and  the  wheels  scoured  and  mended,  and 
set  up  again  in  better  case  than  before.  Sin  hath  rusted  both 
soul  and  body ;  our  dear  Lord,  by  death,  taketh  us  down  to  scour 
the  wheels  of  both,  and  to  purge  us  perfectly  from,  the  root  and 
remainder  of  sin ;  and  we  shall  be  set  up  in  better  case  than 
before.  Then  pluck  up  your  heart ;  Heavea  is  yours,  and  that  is 
a  word  which  few  can  say. 

Now,  the  great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  and  the  very  God  of 
peace,  confirm  and  establish  you,  to  the  day  of  the  appearance  of 
Christ  our  Lord. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  7,  1637. 


LETTER  CCXXXIX. 

TO    MR.     MATTHEW     MOWAT. 

Reverend  and  dear  Brother,— I  am  refreshed  with  your 
letters.  I  would  take  all  well  at  my  Lord's  hands  that  he  hath 
done,  if  I  knew  that  I  could  do  my  Lord  any  service  in  my  suffer- 
ing ;  suppose  my  Lord  would  make  a  stop-hole  '  of  me,  to  fill  a 
hole  in  the  wall  of  his  house,  or  a  pinning  ^  in  Zion's  new  work. 
For  any  place  of  trust  in  my  Lord's  house,  as  steward,  or  cham- 
berlain, or  the  like,  surely  I  think  myself,  (my  very  dear  brother, 
I  speak  not  by  any  proud  figure  or  trope,)  unwortliy  of  it ;  nay,  I 
am  not  worthy  to  stand  behind  the  door ;  if  my  head,  and  feet, 
and  body  were  half  out,  half  in,  in  Christ's  house,  so  that  I  saw 
the  fair  face  of  the  Lord  of  the  house,  it  would  still  my  greening  ^ 
and  love-sick  desires.  When  I  hear  that  the  men  of  God  are  at 
work,  and  speaking  in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  I  think  my- 
self but  an  outcast,  or  outlaw,  chased  from  the  city,  to  lye  on  the 
hills,  and  live  amongst  the  rocks  and  out-fields.  Oh,  that  I  might 
but  stand  in  Christ's  out-house,  or  hold  a  candle  in  any  low  vault 
of  his  house  !  But  I  know  this  is  but  the  vapors  that  arise  out 
of  a  quarrelous  and  unbelieving  heart  to  darken  the  wisdom  of 
God.  And  your  fault  is  just  mine,  that  I  cannot  believe  my 
Lord's  bare  and  naked  word.  I  must  either  have  an  apple  to 
play  me  with,  and  shake  hands  with  Christ,  and  have  seal  cau- 
tion,'' and  witness  to  his  word,  or  else  I  count  myself  loose  ;  how- 
beit,  I  have  the  word  and  faith  of  a  king.  Oh,  I  am  made  of 
unbelief,  and  cannot  swim  but  where  my  feet  may  touch  the 
ground  !     Alas,  Christ  under  my  temptations  is  presented  to  me 

'  Anything  to  stop  up  a  hole  with. 

2  A  small  stone  used  in  building  to  fill  up  the  interstices  between  the  larger  stones. 

3  Longing  with  earnest  desire.  ^  Security. 


Rutherford's  letters.  381 

as  lying  waters,  as  a  dyvour '  and  a  cozener !  We  can  make 
such  a  Christ,  as  temptations,  casting  us  in  a  night-dream,  do 
feign  and  devise ;  and  temptations  represent  Christ  ever  unhke 
himself,  and  we  in  our  folly  listen  to  the  Tempter. 

If  I  could  minister  one  saving  word  to  any,  how  glad  would 
my  soul  be !  But  I  myself,  which  is  the  greatest  evil,  often  mis- 
take the  cross  of  Christ ;  for  I  know  if  we  had  wisdom,  and  knew 
well  that  ease  slayeth  us  fools,  we  would  desire  a  market  where 
we  might  barter  or  niffer  ^  our  lazy  ease  with  a  profitable  cross  ; 
howbeit  there  be  an  outcast^  natural  betwixt  our  desires  and  trib- 
ulation. But  some  give  a  dear  price  and  gold  for  physic,  which 
they  love  not ;  and  buy  sickness,  howbeit  they  wish  rather  to  have 
been  whole  than  to  be  sick. 

But  surely,  brother,  ye  shall  have  my  advice,  (howbeit,  alas !  I 
cannot  follow  it  myself,)  not  to  contend  with  the  honest  and  faith- 
ful Lord  of  the  house  ;  for,  go  he,  or  come  he,  he  is  aye  gracious  in 
his  departure.  There  are  grace,  and  mercy,  and  loving  kindness 
upon  Christ's  back  parts  ;  and  when  he  goeth  away,  the  proportion 
of  his  face,  the  image  of  that  fair  Sun  that  stayeth  in  eyes,  senses, 
and  heart,  after  he  is  gone,  leaveth  a  mass  of  love  behind  it  in  the 
heart.  The  sound  of  his  knock  at  the  door  of  his  Beloved,  after 
he  is  gone  and  passed,  leaveth  a  share  of  joy  and  sorrow  both  :  so 
we  have  something  to  feed  upon  till  he  return  :  and  he  is  more 
loved  in  his  departure,  and  after  he  is  gone,  than  before ;  as  the 
day  in  the  declining  of  the  sun,  and  towards  the  evening,  is  often 
most  desired. 

And  as  for  Christ's  cross,  I  never  received  evil  of  it,  but  what 
was  of  mine  own  making ;  when  I  miscooked  Christ's  physic,  no 
marvel  that  it  hurt  me.  For  since  it  was  on  Christ's  back,  it  hath 
always  a  sweet  smell,  and  these  1600  years  it  keepeth  the  smell 
of  Christ :  nay,  it  is  older  than  that  too,  for  it  is  a  long  time  since 
Abel  first  handseled  the  cross,  and  had  it  laid  upon  his  shoulder; 
and  down  from  him,  all  alongst  to  this  very  day,  all  the  saints 
have  known  what  it  is.  I  am  glad  that  Christ  hath  such  a  re- 
lation to  this  cross,  and  that  it  is  called  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus, 
(Gal.  vi.  14,)  his  reproach,  (Heb.  xiii.  13,)  as  if  Christ  would  claim 
it  as  his  proper  goods,  and  so  it  cometh  into  the  reckoning  among 
Christ's  own  property ;  if  it  were  simple  evil,  as  sin  is,  Christ,  who 
is  not  the  author  nor  owner  of  sin,  would  not  own  it. 

I  wonder  at  the  enemies  of  Christ,  (in  whom  malice  hath  run 
away  with  wisdom,  and  will  is  up,  and  wisdom  down,)  that  they 
would  essay  to  lift  up  tlie  Stone  laid  in  Zion.  Surely  it  is  not 
laid  in  such  sinking  ground  as  that  they  can  raise  it,  or  remove  it : 
for  when  we  are  in  their  belly,  and  they  have  swallowed  us  down, 
they  will  be  sick,  and  spue  us  out  again.  I  know  that  Zion  and 
her  Husband  cannot  both  sleep  at  once ;  I  believe  that  our  Lord 
once  again  will  water  with  his  dew  the  withered  hill  of  Mount 
Zion  in  Scotland,  and  come  down,  and  make  a  new  marriage 
again,  as  he  did  long  since.     Remember  our  Covenant. 

1  Bankrupt.  2  Exchange.  3  Quarrel. 


382  Rutherford's  letters. 

Your  excuse  for  your  advice  to  me  is  needless.     Alas  !  many  sit 
beside  light,  as  sick  folks  beside  meat,  and  cannot  make  use  of  it. 
Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  brother  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  7,  1637. 


LETTER  CCXL. 


TO    MR,    JOHN    MEINE. 


Dear  Brother, — I  received  your  letter. — 1  cannot  but  testify 
under  mine  own  hand,  that  Christ  is  still  the  longer  the  better, 
and  that  this  time  is  the  time  of  loves.  When  I  have  said  all  I 
can,  others  may  begin  and  say  that  I  have  said  nothing  of  him. 
I  never  knew  Christ  to  ebb  or  flow,  wax  or  wane  ;  his  winds  turn 
not ;  when  he  seemeth  to  change,  it  is  but  we  who  turn  our  wrong 
side  to  him,  I  never  had  a  plea^  with  him,  in  my  hardest  con- 
flicts, but  of  mine  own  making.  Oh,  that  I  could  live  in  peace 
and  good  neighborhood  with  such  a  second,  and  let  him  alone  ! 
My  unbelief  made  many  black  lies,  but  my  recantation  to  Christ 
is  not  worth  the  hearing.  Surely  he  hath  borne  with  strange 
gawds'^  in  me  :  he  knoweth  my  heart  hath  not  natural  wit  to  keep 
quarters  with  such  a  Saviour. 

Ye  do  well  to  fear  your  backsliding,  I  had  stood  sure,  if  I  had, 
in  my  youth,  borrowed  Christ  to  be  my  bottom  ;  but  he  that 
beareth  his  own  weight  to  Heaven,  shall  not  fail  to  shp  and  sink. 
Ye  had  no  need  to  be  barefooted  among  the  thorns  of  this  apostate 
generation,  lest  a  stob  strike  up^  into  your  foot,  and  cause  you  to 
halt  all  your  days.  And  think  not  that  Christ  will  do  with  you 
in  the  matter  of  suffering,  as  the  Pope  doth  in  the  matter  of  sm. 
Ye  shall  not  find  that  Christ  will  sell  a  dispensation,  or  give  a 
dyvour's  <  protection  against  crosses.  Crosses  are  proclaimed  as 
common  accidents  to  all  the  saints,  and  in  them  standeth  a  part 
of  our  communion  with  Christ;  but  there  lyeth  a  sweet  casualty 
to  the  cross,  even  Christ's  presence  and  his  comforts,  when  they 
are  sanctified. 

Remember  my  love  to  your  father  and  mother,  Grace  be  with  you. 
Yours  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  7,  1637. 


LETTER  CCXLL 


TO     JOHN     FLEMING,     BAILLIE     OF     LEITH. 

Much  honored  in  the  Lord, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be 
to  you. — I  am  still  in  good  terms  with  Christ ;  however  my  Lord's 

>  duarrel  2  Bad  customs. 

3  A  prick  run  up.  4  Bankrupt's. 


Rutherford's  letters.  383 

wind  blow,  I  have  the  advantage  of  the  calm  and  sunny  side  of 
Christ.  Devils,  and  Hell,  and  Devil's  servants,  are  all  blown 
blind,  in  pursuing  the  Lord's  little  bride  ;  they  shall  be  as  a  night- 
dreain,'who  fight  against  Mount  Zion. 

Worthy  sir,  1  hope  that  ye  take  to  heart  the  worth  of  your  call- 
ing. This  great  fair  and  meeting  of  the  people  shall  skail,'  and 
the  port  is  open  for  us.  As  fast  as  time  weareth  out,  we  flee* 
away  :  eternity  is  at  our  elbow.  Oh,  how  blessed  are  they,  who, 
in  time,  make  Christ  sure  for  themselves  !  Salvation  is  a  great 
errand.  I  find  it  hard  to  fetch  Heaven.  Oh,  that  we  would  take 
pains  on  our  lamps,  for  the  Bridegroom's  coming.  The  other  side 
of  this  world  shall  be  turned  up  incontinently,  and  up  shall  down, 
and  those  that  are  weeping  in  sackcloth  will  triumph  on  white 
horses,  with  Him  whose  name  is  the  Word  of  God.  Those  dying 
idols,  the  fair  creatures  that  we  whorishly  love  better  than  our 
Creator,  shall  pass  away  like  snow-water.  The  Godhead,  the 
Godhead,  a  communion  with  God  in  Christ,  to  be  halvers  with 
Christ  of  the  purchased  house  and  inheritance  in  Heaven,  should 
be  our  scope  and  aim. 

For  myself,  when  1  lay  my  accounts,  oh,  what  telhng,  oh,  what 
weighing  is  in  Christ !  Oh,  how  soft  are  his  kisses  !  Oh,  love, 
love  surpassing  in  Jesus  !  I  have  no  fault  to  that  love,  but  that 
it  seemeth  to  deal  niggardly  with  me ;  I  have  httle  of  it.  Oh, 
that  I  had  Christ's  seen  and  read  bond,  subscribed  by  himself,  for 
my  fill  of  it !  What  garland  have  I,  or  what  crown,  if  I  looked 
right  on  things,  but  Jesus?  Oh,  there  is  no  room  in  us  on  this 
side  of  the  water  for  that  love  !  This  narrow  bit  of  earth,  and 
these  ebb  ^  and  narrow  souls  can  hold  little  of  it,  because  we  are 
full  of  rifts.  I  would  that  glory,  glory  would  enlarge  us,  (as  it 
will,)  and  make  us  tight,  and  close  up  our  seams  and  rifts,  that 
we  might  be  able  to  comprehend  it,  which  yet  is  incomprehensible. 

Remember  my  love  to  your  wife.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  7,  1637. 


LETTER  CCXLH. 

TO     THE     LADY     ROWALLAN. 

Madam, — Though  not  acquainted,  I  am  bold  in  Christ  to 
speak  to  your  Ladyship  on  paper.  I  rejoice  in  our  Lord  Jesus,  on 
your  behalf,  that  it  hath  pleased  Him  whose  love  to  you  is  as  old 
as  himself  to  manifest  the  savor  of  his  love,  in  Christ  Jesus,  to 
your  soul,  in  the  revelation  of  his  will  and  mind  to  you,  now 
when  so  many  are  shut  up  in  unbelief.  Oh,  the  sweet  change 
which  ye  have  made,  in  leaving  the  black  kingdom  of  this  world 
and  sin,  and  coming  over  to  our  Bridegroom's  new  Kingdom,  to 

>  Disperse.  »  Fly.  3  Shallow. 


384  Rutherford's  letters. 

know,  and  be  taken  with  the  love  of  the  beautiful  Son  of  God. 
I  beseech  you,  madam,  in  the  Lord,  to  make  now  sure  work,  and 
see  that  the  old  house  be  casten  down,  and  razed  from  the  foun- 
dation, and  that  the  new  building  of  your  soul  be  of  Christ's  own 
laying  ;  for  then  wind  nor  storm  shall  cither  loose  it,  or  shake  it 
asunder.  Many  now  take  Christ  by  guess ;  be  sure  that  it  be 
he,  and  only  he,  whom  ye  have  met  with  :  his  sweet  smell,  his 
lovely  voice,  his  fair  face,  his  sweet  working  in  the  soul,  will  not 
lie ;  they  will  soon  tell  if  it  be  Christ  indeed — and  I  think  that 
your  love  to  the  saints  speaketh  that  it  is  he — and,  therefore,  I 
say,  be  sure  that  ye  take  Christ  himself,  and  take  him  with  his 
Father's  blessing.  His  Father  alloweth  him  well  upon  you ; 
your  lines  are  well  fallen ;  it  could  not  have  been  better,  nor  so 
well  with  you,  if  they  had  not  fallen  in  these  places :  in  Heaven 
or  out  of  Heaven,  there  is  nothing  better,  nothing  so  sweet  and 
excellent  as  the  thing  ye  have  lighted  on,  and  therefore  hold  you 
with  Christ.  Joy,  much  joy  may  ye  have  of  him  ;  but  take  his 
cross  with  him  cheerfully.  Christ  and  his  cross  are  not  separable 
in  this  life,  howbeit  Christ  and  his  cross  part  at  Heaven's  door, 
for  there  is  no  house-room  for  crosses  in  Heaven.  One  tear,  one 
sigh,  one  sad  heart,  one  fear,  one  loss,  one  thought  of  trouble  can- 
not find  lodging  there  :  they  are  but  the  marks  of  our  Lord  Jesus, 
dovi^n  in  this  wide  inn,  and  stormy  country,  on  this  side  of  death : 
sorrow  and  the  saints  are  not  married  together  ;  or  suppose  it 
were  so,  Heaven  would  make  a  divorce. 

I  find  that  his  sweet  presence  eateth  out  the  bitterness  of  sor- 
row and  suffering.  I  think  it  a  sweet  thing,  that  Christ  saith  of 
my  cross,  "Half  mine;"  and  that  he  divideth  these  sufferings 
with  me,  and  taketh  the  larger  share  to  himself;  nay,  that  I  and 
my  whole  cross  are  wholly  Christ's.  Oh,  what  a  portion  is  Christ ! 
Oh,  that  the  saints  would  dig  deeper  in  the  treasures  of  his  wis- 
dom and  excellency ! 

Thus  recommending  your  Ladyship  to  the  good- will  and  tender 
mercies  of  our  Lord,  I  rest 

Your  Ladyship's,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  September  7,  1G37. 


LETTER  CCXLin. 

for   marion    mack  naught. 

Much  honored  and  dearest  in  our  sweet  Lord  Jesus, 
— Grace,  mercy,  and  peace,  from  God  our  Father,  and  from  our 
Lord  Jesus. 

I  know  that  the  Lord  will  do  for '  your  town.  I  hear  that  the 
Bishop  is  afraid  to  come  amongst  you  :  for  so  it  is  spoken  in  this 
town.     And  many  now  rejoice  here  to  pen  a  supplication  to  the 

I  To  do  for,  to  act  for. 


Rutherford's  letters.  385 

Council,  for  bringing  me  home  to  ray  place,  and  for  repairing  other 
wrongs  done  in  the  country :  and  see  if  you  can  procure  that  three 
or  four  hundred  in  the  country,  noblemen,  gentlemen,  country- 
men, and  citizens  subscribe  it — the  more  the  better.  It  may  be 
that  it  will  affright  the  Bishop,  and,  by  law,  no  advantage  can  be 
taken  against  you  for  it.  I  have  not  time  to  write  to  Carlton  and 
to  Knockbrex ;  but  I  would  you  did  speak  to  them  in  it,  and  let 
them  advise  with  Carlton.  Mr.  A.  thinketh  well  of  it,  and  I  think 
others  will  approve  it. 

I  am  still  in  good  case  with  Christ,  my  court '  is  no  less  than  it 
was,  the  door  of  the  Bridegroom's  house-of-wine  is  open,  when 
such  a  poor  stranger  as  I  come  athort.^  I  change,  but  Christ  abi- 
deth  still  the  same. 

They  have  put  out  my  one  poor  eye,  my  only  joy,  to  preach 
Christ,  and  to  go  errands  betwixt  him  and  his  bride.  What  my 
Lord  will  do  with  me,  I  know  not ;  it  is  like  that  I  shall  not  win- 
ter in  Aberdeen,  but  where  it  shall  be  else,  I  know  not.  There  are 
some  blossomings  of  Christ's  Kingdom  in  this  town,  and  the  smoke 
is  rising,  and  the  ministers  are  raging ;  but  I  love  a  rumbling  and 
roaring  devil  best. 

I  beseech  you  in  the  Lord,  my  dear  sister,  to  wait  for  the  salva- 
tion of  God.  Slack  not  your  hands  in  meeting  to  pray.  Fear  not 
flesh  and  blood  :  we  have  been  all  over-feared,  and  that  gave 
louns  ^  the  confidence  to  shut  me  out  of  Galloway. 

Remember  my  love  to  John  Carsen,  and  Mr.  John  Brown.  I 
never  could  get  my  love  off  that  man  ;  I  think  Christ  hath 
something  to  do  with  him.  Desire  your  husband  from  me,  not  to 
think  ill  of  Christ  for  his  Cross.  Many  misken^  Christ,  because 
he  hath  the  cross  on  his  back ;  but  he  will  cause  us  all  to  laugh 
yet.  I  beseech  you,  as  ye  would  do  anything  for  me,  to  remember 
my  Lady  Marischall  to  God,  and  her  son  the  Earl  Marischall,  es- 
pecially her  Christian  daughter,  my  Lady  Pitsligo. 

I  shall  go  to  death  with  it,  that  Christ  will  return  again  to  Scot- 
land, with  salvation  in  his  wings,  and  to  Galloway. 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,        S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  September  7,  1637. 


LETTER  CCXLIV. 

TO     MARION     MACKNAUGHT. 

"  And  in  that  day  will  I  make  Jerusalem  a  burdensome  stone  for  all  people  :  all  that 
burden  themselves  with  it  shall  be  cut  in  pieces,  though  all  the  people  of  the  earth 
be  gathered  together  against  it." — Zech.  xii.  3. 

Well  beloved  Sister, — I  have  been  sparing  to  write  to  you, 
because  I  was  heavy  at  the  proceedings  of  our  late  Parliament. 

1  Favor.  2  Across. 

3  Low,  mean  fellows.  *  To  misken,  not  to  recognize. 


386  Rutherford's  letters. 

Where  law  should  have  been,  they  would  not  give  our  Lord,  Je- 
sus, fair  law  and  justice,  nor  the  benefit  of  the  house,  to  hear  either 
the  just  grievances,  or  the  humble  supplications  of  the  servants  of 
God.  Nothing  resteth,  but  that  we  lay  our  grievances  before  our 
crowned  King  Jesus,  who  reigneth  in  Zion.  And  howbeit  it  be 
true,  that  the  Acts  of  the  Perth  Assembly  for  conformity  are  estab- 
lished, and  the  King's  power  to  impose  the  surplice,  and  other 
mass-apparel,  upon  ministers,  be  confirmed ;  yet  what  men  con- 
clude, is  not  scripture.  Kings  have  short  arms  to  overturn  Christ's 
throne ;  and  our  Lord  hath  been  walking  and  standing  upon  his 
feet  at  this  Parliament,  when  fifteen  earls  and  lords,  and  forty-four 
commissioners  for  burrows,  with  some  barons,  have  voted  for  our 
kirk,  in  face  of  a  King,  who,  with  much  awe  and  terror,  with  his 
own  hand  wrote  up  the  voters  for  or  against  himself  Long  be- 
fore this  Kirk,  in  the  second  Psalm,  the  ends  of  the  earth,  Scot- 
land and  England,  were  gifted  of  the  Father  to  his  Son  Christ ; 
and  that  is  an  old  Act  of  Parliament  decreed  by  our  Lord,  and 
printed  four  thousand  years  ago — their  Acts  are  but  yet  printing. 
The  first  Act  shall  stand,  let  all  the  potentates  of  the  world,  who 
love  Christ's  room  better  than  himself,  rage  as  they  please.  Though 
the  mountains  be  carried  into  the  midst  of  the  sea,  yet  there  is  a 
river  that  cometh  out  of  the  sanctuary,  and  the  streams  of  it  re- 
fresh the  City  of  God.  That  well  is  not  yet  cried  down  in  Scot- 
land, nor  can  it  dry  up ;  therefore,  still  believe  and  trust  in  God's 
salvation.  If  you  knew  the  whole  proceedings,  it  is  the  Lord's 
merc}^  that  matters  have  gone  at  our  Parliament  as  they  have 
gone.  The  Lord  Jesus,  in  our  King's  ears,  to  his  great  provoca- 
tion and  grief,  hath  gotten  many  witnesses ;  and  we  saw  in  all, 
the  Son  of  God  overturning  their  policy,  and  making  the  world 
know  how  well  he  loveth  his  poor  sun-burnt  bride  in  Scotland — 
the  Lord  liveth,  and  blessed  be  the  God  of  our  salvation. 

For  the  matter  betwixt  your  husband  and  Carlton,  I  trust  iu 
God  it  shall  be  removed.  It  hath  grieved  me  exceedingly.  I  have 
dealt  with  Carlton,  and  shall  deal ;  put  it  off  yourself  upon  the 
Lord,  that  it  burden  you  not. 

I  have  heard  of  your  daughter's  marriage :  I  pray  the  Lord  Je- 
sus to  subscribe  the  contract,  and  to  be  at  the  banquet,  as  he  was 
at  the  marriage  in  Cana  of  Galilee.  Show  her  from  me,  that 
though  it  be  true  that  God's  children  have  prayed  for  her,  yet  the 
promise  of  God  is  made  to  her  prayers  and  faith  especially  :  and, 
therefore,  I  would  entreat  her  to  seek  the  Lord,  to  be  at  the  wed- 
ding ;  let  her  give  Christ  the  love  of  her  virginity  and  espousals, 
and  choose  him  first  as  her  husband,  and  that  match  shall  bless 
the  other.  It  is  a  new  world  she  entereth  into,  and,  therefore,  she 
hath  need  of  new  acquaintance  with  the  Son  of  God,  and  of  a  re- 
newing of  her  love  to  him,  whose  love  is  better  tiian  wine  :  1  Cor. 
vii.  29,  "  The  time  is  short,  let  the  married  be  as  though  they  were 
not  married  ;"  (ver.  30,)  "  They  that  weep,  as  though  they  weeped 
not ;  they  that  rejoice,  as  though  they  rejoiced  not ;  they  that  buy, 
as  though  they  possessed  not ;"  (ver.  31,)  "They  that  use  this 


Rutherford's  letters.  387 

world,  as  though  they  used  it  not :  for  the  fashion  of  this  world 
passeth  away."  Grace,  grace  be  her  portion  from  the  Lord.  I 
know  that  you  have  a  care  on  you  of  it,  that  all  be  right :  but  let 
Christ  bear  all.  You  need  not  pity  him,  (if  I  may  say  so ;)  put 
him  to  it,  he  is  strong  enough. 

The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  Jesus  be  with  you. 
Your  friend. 
In  his  dearest  Friend,  Christ  Jesus.        S.  R. 
Aberdeen. 


LETTER  CCXLV. 


TO     MY     LADY      BOYD. 


My  very  honorable,  and  Christian  Lady, — Grace,  mercy, 
and  peace  be  to  you. — I  received  your  letter,  and  am  well  pleased 
that  your  thoughts  of  Christ  stay  Avith  you,  and  that  your  purpose 
still  is,  by  all  means,  to  take  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  by  violence, 
which  is  no  small  conquest : — and  it  is  a  degree  of  watchfulness 
and  thankfulness  also,  to  observe  sleepiness  and  unthankfulness. 
We  have  all  good  cause  to  complain  of  false  light,  that  playeth  the 
thief,  and  stealeth  away  the  lantern.  When  it  cometh  to  the 
practice  of  constant  walking  with  God.  our  journey  is  ten  times  a 
day  broken  into  ten  pieces, — Clirist  getteth  but  only  broken,  and 
halfed.'  and  tired  work  of  us,  and  alas  !  too  often  against  the 
hair.2  ' 

I  have  been  somewhat  nearer  the  Bridegroom  ;  but  when  I  draw 
nigh,  and  see  my  vileness,  for  shame  I  would  be  out  of  his  pres- 
ence again ;  but  yet,  desire  of  his  soul-refreshing  love  putteth 
blushing  me  under  an  arrest.  Oh,  what  am  I,  so  loathsome  a 
burden  of  sin,  to  stand  beside  such  a  beautiful  and  holy  Lord,  such 
a  high  and  lofty  One  who  inhabiteth  eternity  !  But  since  it  pleaseth 
Christ  to  condescend  to  such  an  one  as  I,  let  shamefacedness  be 
laid  aside,  and  lose  itself  in  condescending  love.  I  would  heartily 
be  content  to  keep  a  corner  of  the  King's  hall.  Oh,  if  I  were  at  the 
yonder  end  of  my  weak  desires  !  then  should  I  be  where  Christ, 
my  Lord  and  Lover,  liveth  and  reigneth  ;  there  I  should  be  ever- 
lastingly solaced  with  the  sight  of  his  face,  and  satisfied  with  the 
surpassing  sweetness  of  his  matchless  love.  But  truly  now  I  stand 
in  the  nether  side  of  my  desires,  and  with  a  drooping  head,  and 
panting  heart,  I  look  up  to  fair  Jesus,  standing  afar  off  from  us,  whill  * 
corruption  and  death  shall  scour  and  refine  the  body  of  clay,  and 
rot  out  the  bones  of  the  Old  Man  of  sin.  In  tlie  mean  time  we  are 
blessed  in  sending  word  to  the  Beloved,  that  we  love  to  love  him  ; 
and  till  then,  there  is  joy  in  wooing,  suiting,'  lying  about  his  house, 
looking  in  at  the  windows,  and  sending  a  poor  soul's  groans  and 
wishes  through  a  hole  of  the  door  to  Jesus,  till  God  send  a  glad 

»  Halved.  2  Against  the  grain.  3  Oh,  that 

4  Till.  '  Urging  a  suit. 


388  Rutherford's  letters. 

meeting :  and  blessed  be  God,  that  after  a  low  ebb,  and  so  sad  a 
word,  "  Lord  Jesus,  it  is  long  since  I  saw  thee,"  that  even  then, 
our  wings  are  growing,  and  the  absence  of  sweet  Jesus  breedeth  a 
new  fleece  of  desires  and  longings  for  him.  I  know  that  no  man 
hath  a  velvet  cross,  but  the  cross  is  made  of  that  which  God  will 
have  it.  But  verily,  howbeit,  it  be  no  warrantable  market  to  buy 
a  cross,'  yet  I  dare  not  say,  oh,  that  I  had  liberty  to  sell  Christ's 
cross,  lest,  therewith,  also,  I  should  sell  joy,  comfort,  sense  of  love, 
patience,,  and  the  kind  visits  of  a  Bridegroom :  and,  therefore, 
lilessed  be  God,  we  get  crosses  unbought  and  good-cheap.''  Sure  I 
am,  it  were  better  to  buy  crosses  for  Christ,  than  to  sell  them : 
howbeit  neither  be  allowed  to  us. 

And  for  Christ's  joyful  coming  and  going,  which  your  Ladyship 
speaketh  of,  I  bear  with  it,  as  love  can  permit.  It  should  be 
enough  to  me,  if  I  were  wise,  that  Christ  will  have  joy  and  sor- 
row halvers  of  the  life  of  the  saints,  and  that  each  of  them  should 
have  a  share  of  our  days :  as  the  night  and  the  day  are  kindly 
partners  and  halvers  of  time,  and  take  it  up  betwixt  them.  But 
if  sorrow  be  the  greedier  halver  of  our  days  here,  I  know  that 
joy's  day  shall  dawn,  and  do  more  than  recompense  all  our  sad 
hours.  Let  my  Lord  Jesus,  (since  he  willeth  to  do  so,)  weave  my 
bit  and  span-length  of  time  with  white  and  black,  well  and  wo, 
with  the  Bridegroom's  coming  and  his  sad  departure,  as  warp  and 
woof  in  one  web ;  and  let  the  rose  be  neighbored  with  the  thorn  ; 
yet  hope  that  maketh  not  ashamed  hath  written  a  letter  and  lines 
of  hope  to  the  mourners  in  Zion,  that  it  shall  not  be  long  so. 
When  we  are  over  the  water,  Christ  shall  cry  down  crosses,  and 
up  Heaven  for  evermore ;  and  down  Hell,  and  down  death,  and 
down  sin,  and  down  sorrow ;  and  up  glory,  up  life,  up  joy  for 
evermore.  In  this  hope,  I  sleep  quietly  in  Christ's  bosom  whilP 
He  come  who  is  not  slack  ;  and  would  sleep  so,  were  it  not  that 
the  noise  of  the  Devil,  and  of  sin's  feet,  and  the  cries  of  an  unbe- 
lieving heart  awaken  me : — but,  for  the  present,  I  have  nothing 
whereof  I  can  accuse  Christ's  cross.  Oh,  if  ^  I  could  please  my- 
self in  Christ  only. 

I  hope,  madam,  that  your  sons  will  improve  their  power  for 
Jesus  :  for  there  is  no  danger,  neither  is  there  any  question  or 
justling  betwixt  Christ  and  authority,  (though  our  enemies  falsely 
state  the  question,)  as  if  Christ  and  authority  could  not  abide 
under  one  roof, — the  question  only  is,  betwixt  Christ  and  men  in 
authority.  Authority  is  for  and  from  Christ,  and  sib^  to  him; 
how  then  can  he  make  a  plea"  with  it?  Nay.  the  truth  is,  worms 
and  gods  of  clay  are  risen  up  against  Christ.  If  the  fruit  of  your 
Ladyship's  womb  be  helpers  of  Christ,  ye  have  good  ground  to 
rejoice  in  God. 

All  that  your  Ladyship  can  expect  for  your  good-will  to  me, 
and  my  brother,  (a  wronged  stranger  for  Christ,)  is  the  prayers 

1  No  one  is  entitled,  by  any  act  of  his  own,  to  bring  a  cross  or  trial,  for  its  own 
sake,  upon  himself.  2  Gratuitously.  3  Till. 

*  Oh,  that.  5  Related  by  blood,  consanguineous.  ^  Quarrel 


Rutherford's  letters.  389 

of  a  prisoner  of  Jesus,  to  whom  I  recommend  your  Ladyship,  and 
your  House  and  children  :  and  in  whom  I  am, 

Madam,  your  Ladyship's  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  8,  1637. 


LETTER  CGXLVL 


TO     MR.     THOMAS     GARVEN 


Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  re- 
joice that  ye  cannot  be  quit  of  Christ,  (if  I  may  speak  so,)  but 
that  he  must,  he  will  have  you.  Betake  yourself  to  Christ,  my 
dear  brother.  It  is  a  great  business  to  make  quit  of  superfluities, 
and  of  those  things  which  Christ  cannot  dwell  with.  I  am  con- 
tent with  my  own  cross,  that  Christ  hath  made  mine  by  an  eternal 
lot,  because  it  is  Christ's  and  mine  together.  I  marvel  not,  that 
winter  is  without  Heaven  ;  for  there  is  no  winter  within  it ;  all  the 
saints,  therefore,  have  their  own  measure  of  winter,  before  their 
eternal  summer.  Oh,  for  the  long  day,  and  the  high  sun,  and  the 
fair  garden,  and  the  King's  great  city  up  above  these  visible 
Heavens  !  What  God  layeth  on  let  me  suffer  ;  for  some  have 
one  cross,  some  seven,  some  ten,  some  half  a  cross  :  yet  all  the 
saints  have  whole  and  full  joy,  and  seven  crosses  have  seven  joys. 
Christ  is  cumbered  with  me,  (to  speak  so,)  and  my  cross,  but  he 
falleth  not  off^  me,  we  are  not  at  variance.  I  find  the  very 
glooms  2  of  Christ's  wooing  a  soul  sweet  and  lovely.  I  had  rather 
have  Christ's  bufTet  and  love-stroke,  than  another  king's  kiss  ; — 
speak  evil  of  Christ  who  will,  I  hope  to  die  w^ith  love-thoughts  of 
him.  Oh,  that  there  are  so  few  tongues  in  Heaven  and  earth  to 
extol  him  !  I  wish  his  praises  go  not  down  amongst  us.  Let 
not  Christ  be  low  and  lightly  esteemed  in  the  midst  of  us  :  but 
let  all  hearts  and  all  tongues  cast  in  their  portion,  and  contribute 
something  to  make  him  great  in  Mount  Zion. 

Thus  recommending  you  to  his  grace,  and  remembering  my 
love  to  your  wife  and  mother,  and  your  kind  brother  R.  B.,  and 
entreating  you  to  remember  my  bonds,  I  rest, 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  8, 1637. 


LETTER  CCXLVn. 


TO    JONET    KENNEDY. 


Loving  and  dear  Sister, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to 
you. — I  received  your  letter.     I  know  that  the  savor  of  Christ  in 

1  Doth  not  separate  himself  from  me.  2  Frowns. 


390  Rutherford's  letters. 

you,  (whom  the  virgins  love  to  follow,)  cannot  be  blown  away 
with  winds,  either  from  Hell,  or  the  evil-smelled  air  of  this  pol- 
luted world.  Sit  far  aback  from  the  walls  of  this  pest-house,  even 
the  pollutions  of  this  defiling  world.  Keep  your  taste,  your  love, 
and  hope  in  Heaven ;  it  is  not  good  that  your  love  and  your  Lord 
should  be  in  two  sundry'  countries.  Up,  up  after  your  Lover, 
that  ye  and  he  may  be  together.  A  King  from  Heaven  hath  sent 
for  you :  by  faith  he  shovveth  you  the  New  Jerusalem,  and  taketh 
you  alongst  in  the  Spirit,  through  all  the  ease-rooms  ^  and  dwell- 
ing-houses in  Heaven,  and  saith,  "  All  these  are  thine ;  this  palace 
is  for  thee  and  Christ ;"  and  if  ye  only  had  been  the  chosen  of 
God,  Christ  would  have  built  that  one  house  for  you  and  himself; 
now  it  is  for  you  and  many  others  also.  Take  with  you  in  your 
journey  what  ye  may  carry  with  you — your  conscience,  faith, 
hope,  patience,  meekness,  goodness,  brotherly  kindness,  for  such 
wares  as  these  are  of  great  price  in  the  high  and  new  Country 
whither  ye  go.  As  for  other  things,  Avhich  are  but  the  world's 
vanity  and  trash,  since  they  are  but  the  house-sweepings,  ye  will 
do  best  not  to  carry  them  with  you.  Ye  found  them  here,  leave 
them  here,  and  let  them  keep  the  house. 

Your  sun  is  well  turned  and  low  ;  be  nigh  your  lodging  against 
night.  We  go  one  and  one  out  of  this  great  market,  till  the 
town  be  empty,  and  the  two-lodgings.  Heaven  and  Hell,  be  filled. 
At  length  there  will  be  nothing  in  the  earth  but  toom  ^  walls  and 
burnt  ashes,  and  therefore,  it  is  best  to  make  away.  Antichrist 
and  his  Master  are  busy  to  plenish  ^  Hell,  and  to  seduce  many  : 
and  Stars,  great  Church-lights,  are  falling  from  heaven,  and 
many  are  misled  and  seduced,  and  makeup  with^  their  faith,  and 
sell  their  birth-rights,  by  their  hungry  hunting  for  I  know  not 
what.  Fasten  your  grips  ^  fast  upon  Christ.  I  verily  esteem  him 
the  best  aught  "^  that  I  have.  He  is  my  Second  in  prison.  Having 
him,  though  my  cross  were  as  heavy  as  ten  mountains  of  iron, 
when  he  putteth  his  sweet  shoulder  under  me  and  it,  my  cross  is 
but  a  feather.  I  please  myself  in  the  choice  of  Christ ;  he  is  my 
wale '  in  Heaven  and  earth.  I  rejoice  that  he  is  in  Heaven  before 
me.  God  send  a  joyful  meeting :  and,  in  the  mean  time,  the 
traveller's  charges  for  the  way,  I  mean  a  burden  of  Christ's  love, 
to  sweeten  the  journey,  and  to  encourage  a  breathless  runner;  for 
when  I  lose  breath,  climbing  up  the  mountain,  he  maketh  new 
breath. 

Now  the  very  God  of  peace  establish  you  to  the  day  of  his 
appearance. 

Yours,  in  his  only  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  9,  1637. 

1  Separate.  2  Rooms  for  repose.  3  Empty. 

*  To  replenish.  s  Become  content  with.  8  Hold. 

'  Possession.  8  Selection. 


Rutherford's  letters.  391 


LETTER  CCXLVIII. 

TO     MARGARET     REID. 

My  very  dear,  and  worthy  Sister, — 'Grace,  mercy,  and 
peace  be  to  you. — Ye  are  truly  blessed  of  the  Lord,  however  a 
sour  world  gloom '  upon  you,  if  ye  continue  in  the  faith  grounded 
and  settled,  and  be  not  moved  away  from  the  hope  of  the  Gospel. 
It  is  good  that  there  is  a  heaven,  and  it  is  not  a  night-dream  or  a 
fancy.  It  is  a  wonder  that  men  deny  not  that  there  is  a  heaven, 
as  they  deny  there  is  a  way  to  it,  but  of  men's  making.  You 
have  learned  of  Christ  that  there  is  a  heaven  ;  contend  for  it,  and 
contend  for  Christ;  bear  well  and  submissively  the  hard  cross  of 
this  step-mother  world,  that  God  will  not  have  to  be  yours.  I  con- 
fess it  is  hard,  and  I  would  I  were  able  to  ease  you  of  your  burden : 
but  believe  me  that  this  world,  (which  the  Lord  will  not  have  to 
be  yours,)  is  but  the  dross,  the  refuse,  and  scum  of  God's  creation, 
the  portion  of  the  Lord's  poor  hired  servants ;  the  movables,  not 
the  heritage ;  a  hard  bone  casten  to  the  dogs,  holden  out  of  the 
New  Jerusalem,  whereupon  they  rather  break  their  teeth  than 
satisfy  their  appetite.  It  is  your  Father's  blessing,  and  Christ's 
birth-right,  that  our  Lord  is  keeping  for  you ;  and  I  persuade  you 
that  your  seed,  also,  shall  inherit  the  earth,  (if  that  be  good  for 
them,)  for  that  is  promised  to  them ;  and  God's  bond  is  as  good, 
and  better,  than  if  men  would  give  every  one  of  them  a  bond  for 
a  thousand  thousands.  Ere  ye  were  born,  crosses,  in  number, 
measure,  and  weight,  were  written  for  you,  and  your  Lord  will 
lead  you  through  them  :  make  Christ  sure,  and  the  blessings  of 
the  earth  shall  be  at  Christ's  back.  I  see  many  professors  for  the 
fashion  ^  follow  on  ;  but  they  are  professors  of  glass  :  I  would  cause 
a  little  knock  of  persecution  ding  ^  them  in  twenty  pieces,  and  so 
the  world  would  laugh  at  the  sherds.  Therefore,  make  fast  work. 
See  that  Christ  lay  the  ground-stone^  of  your  profession  ;  for  wind 
and  rain,  and  spaits^  will  not  wash  away  his  jjuilding ;  his  works 
have  no  shorter  date  than  to  stand  for  evermore.  I  should  twenty 
times  have  perished  in  my  affliction,  if  I  had  not  leaned  my  weak 
back,  and  laid  my  pressing  burden  both  upon  the  Stone,  the  Foun- 
dation-stone, the  Corner-stone  laid  in  Zion ;  and  I  desire  never  to 
rise  olf  this  stone. 

Now,  the  very  God  of  peace  confirm  and  establish  you  unto  the 
day  of  the  blessed  appearance  of  Christ  Jesus.     God  be  with  you. 
Yours,  in  his  dearest  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen. 

1  Frown.  ^  For  the  sake  of  appearances. 

3  To  ding — to  knock,  to  drive.  ■*  Foundation.  s  Floods,  deluges. 


392  Rutherford's  letters. 


LETTER  CCXLIX. 

TO     JAMES     BAUTIE. 

Loving  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  unto  you. — I 
received  your  letter,  and  render  you  thanks  for  the  same ;  but  I 
have  not  time  to,  answer  all  the  heads  of  it,  as  the  bearer  can  in- 
form you.  First,  Ye  do  well  to  take  yourself  at  the  right  stot '  when 
ye  wrong  Christ  by  doubting  and  misbelief;^  for  this  is  to  nick- 
name Christ,  and  term  him  a  liar,  which  being  spoken  to  our 
Prince,  Would  be  hanging  or  beheading  ;  but  Christ  hangeth  not 
always  for  treason.  It  is  well  that  he  may  registrate  a  believer's 
bond  a  hundred  times,  and  more  than  seven  times  a  day  have  law 
against  us,  and  yet  he  spareth  us  as  a  man  doth  his  son  that 
serveth  him — no  tender-hearted  mother,  who  may  have  law  to 
kill  her  sucking  child,  would  put  in  execution  that  law. — 2ndly, 
For  your  failings,  even  when  ye  have  a  set  tryste  ^  with  Christ, 
and  when  ye  have  a  fair,  seen  advantage,  by  keeping  your  ap- 
pointment with  him,  and  salvation  cometh  to  the  very  passing  of 
the  seals,  I  would  say  two  things : — 1.  Concluded  and  sealed  sal- 
vation may  go  through  and  be  ended,  suppose  you  write  your 
name  to  the  tail  of  the  Covenant  with  ink  that  can  hardly  be 
read — neither  think  I  ever  any  man's  salvation  passed  the  seals, 
but  there  was  an  odd  trick  or  slip,  in  less  or  more,  upon  the  fool's 
part,  who  is  infefted  in  Heaven.  In  the  most  grave  and  serious 
work  of  our  salvation,  I  think  Christ  had  ever  good  cause  to  laugh 
at  our  silliness,  and  to  put  on  us  his  merits,  that  we  might  bear 
weight.  2.  It  is  a  sweet  law  of  the  New  Covenant,  and  a  privi- 
lege of  the  new  burgh,  that  citizens  pay  according  to  their  means  : 
for  the  New  Covenant  saith  not,  so  much  obedience  by  ounce- 
weights,  and  no  less,  under  the  pain  of  damnation  :  Christ  taketh 
as  poor  men  may  give  ;  where  there  is  a  mean  portion,  he  is  con- 
tent with  the  less,  if  there  be  sincerity  :  broken  simis  and  little, 
feckless^  obedience  Avill  be  pardoned,  and  hold  the  foot^  with  him. 
Know  ye  not  that  our  kindly  Lord  retaineth  his  good,  old  heart 
yet  ?  He  breaketh  not  a  braised  reed,  nor  quencheth  the  smoking 
flax ;  if  the  wind  but  blow,  lie  holdeth  his  hand  about  it  till  it  rise 
to  a  flame.  The  law  cometh  on  with  three  oyesses,  with  all  the 
heart,  with  all  the  soul,  and  with  all  the  whole  strength — and 
when  would  poor  folks,  like  you  and  me,  furnish  all  these  sums  ? 
It  feareth  me,  (nay,  it  is  most  certain,)  that  if  the  payment  were 
to  come  out  of  our  purse,  when  we  should  put  our  hand  into  our 
bag,  we  should  bring  out  the  wind,  or  worse  :  but  the  covenant 

1  Point.  Stot  means  the  rebound  of  a  ball  from  the  object  against  which  it  has 
been  thrown.  2  Weak  faith. 

3  Fixed  appointment  to  meet.  *  Worthless. 

5  That  is,  be  sustained,  or  allowed  to  pass. 


Rutherford's  letters.  393 

seeketh  not  heap-mete,^  nor  stented  obedience  as  the  condition  of 
it,  because  forgiveness  hath  always  place.  Hence  I  draw  this 
conclusion  ;  that  to  think  matters  betwixt  Christ  and  us  go  back 
for  want  of  heaped  measure,'  is  a  piece  of  old  Adam's  pride,  who 
would  either  be  at  legal  payment  or  nothing.  We  would  still 
have  God  in  our  common,'^  and  buy  his  kindness  with  our  merits. 
For  beggarly  pride  is  devil's  honesty,  and  blusheth  to  be  in  Christ's 
common, 2  and  scarce  giveth  God  a  gramercy,  and  a  lifted  cap,  (ex- 
cept it  be  the  Pharisee's  unlucky  "God,  I  thank  thee,")  or  a  bowed 
knee  to  Christ.  It  will  only  give  a  "  Good-day"  for  a  "  Good-day" 
again  ;  and  if  he  dissemble  his  kindness,  as  it  were,  in  jest,  and 
seem  to  misken  ^  it,  it,  in  earnest,  spurneth  with  the  heels,  and 
snufleth  in  the  wind,  and  careth  not  much  for  Christ's  kindness. 
"  If  he  will  not  be  friends,  let  him  go,"  saith  pride.  Beware  of 
this  thief,  when  Christ  oifereth  himself — 3rdly,  No  marvel  then 
of  whisperings,  Whether  you  be  in  the  Covenant  or  not  ?  for  pride 
maketh  loose  work  of  the  Covenant  of  grace,  and  will  not  let 
Christ  be  full  bargain-maker.  To  speak  to  you  particularly  and 
shortly : — 1.  All  the  truly  regenerated  cannot  determinately  tell 
you  the  measure  of  their  dejections ;  because  Christ  beginneth 
young  with  many,  and  stealeth  into  their  heart,  ere  they  wit  of 
themselves,  and  becometh  homely  *  with  them,  with  little  din  or 
noise.  I  grant  that  many  are  blinded,  in  rejoicing  in  a  good-cheap^ 
conversion,  that  never  cost  them  a  sick  night ;  Christ's  physic 
wrought  in  a  dream  upon  them  ;  but  for  that,  I  would  say.  if 
other  marks  be  found  that  Christ  is  indeed  come  in,  never  make 
plea  with  him,  because  he  will  not  answer,  "Lord  Jesus,  how 
camest  thou  in  ? — whether  in  at  door  or  window  ?"  Make  him 
welcome,  since  he  is  come.  "The  wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth" 
— all  the  world's  wit  cannot  perfectly  render  a  reason  why  the 
wind  should  be  a  month  in  the  east,  six  weeks,  possibly,  in  the 
west,  and  the  space  only  of  an  afternoon  in  the  south  or  north. 
Ye  will  not  find  out  all  the  nicks  ^  and  steps  of  Christ's  way  with 
a  soul,  do  what  ye  can  ;  for  sometimes  he  will  come  in  stepping 
softly,  like  one  walking  beside  a  sleeping  person,  and  slip-to  the 
door,  and  let  none  know  he  is  there.  2.  Ye  object.  The  truly  re- 
generate should  love  God  for  himself;  and  ye  fear  that  ye  love 
him  more  for  his  benefits,  (as  incitements  and  motives  to  love 
him,)  than  for  himself  I  answer.  To  love  God  for  himself,  as  the 
last  end,  and  also  for  his  benefits,  as  incitements  and  motives  to 
love  him,  may  stand  well  together;  as  a  son  loveth  his  mother, 
because  she  is  his  mother,  howbeit  she  be  poor  ;  and  he  loveth 
her  for  an  apple  also.  I  hope  ye  will  not  say,  that  benefits  are 
the  only  reason  and  bottom  of  your  love  ;  it  seemeth  there  is  a 
better  foundation  for  it ;  always,''  if  a  hole  be  in  it,  sew  it  up 

'  Heaped  measure.    By  the  ancient  Scottish  laws  and  customs,  many  kinds  of  grain, 
&c.,  were  required  to  be  heaped  in  the  measure,  in  order  to  render  the  quantity  legaJ. 
2  Under  obligation  to.  3   7\,  misken,  not  to  know. 

■4  Familiar.  s  Gratuitous.  6  Notches,  marks. 

7  Although,  however,  like  toutes-fois,  in  French. 


394  Rutherford's  letters. 

shortly.^  3.  Ye  feel  not  such  mourning  in  Christ's  absence  as  ye 
would.  I  answer,  That  the  regenerate  mourn  at  all  times,  and 
all  in  like  measure  for  his  absence,  I  deny.  There  are  different 
degrees  of  mourning,  less  or  more,  as  they  have  less  or  more  love 
to  him,  and  less  or  more  sense  of  his  absence.  But,  1.  Some  they 
must  have.  2.  Sometimes  they  miss  not  the  Lord,  and  then  they 
cannot  mourn  ;  howbeit,  it  is  not  long  so  ;  at  least,  it  is  not  always 
so.  3.  Ye  challenge  yourself  that  some  truths  find  more  credit '' 
with  you  than  others.  Ye  do  well,  for  God  is  true  in  the  least,  as 
well  as  in  the  greatest,  and  he  must  be  so  to  you.  Ye  must  not 
call  him  true  in  the  one  page  of  the  leaf,  and  false  in  the  other ; 
for  our  Lord,  in  all  his  writings,  never  contradicted  himself  yet. 
Although  the  best  of  the  regenerate  have  slipped  here,  always 
labor  ye  to  hold  your  feet. — 4thly,  Comparing  the  state  of  one 
truly  regenerate,  whose  heart  is  a  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
yours,  which  is  full  of  uncleanness  and  corruption,  ye  stand  dumb 
and  discouraged,  and  dare  not  sometimes  call  Christ  lieartsomely  * 
your  own.  I  answer,  The  best  regenerate  have  their  defilements, 
and,  if  I  may  speak  so,  their  draff-poke,^  that  will  clog  behind 
them  all  their  days  ;  and,  wash  as  they  will,  there  will  be  filth  in 
their  bosom — but  let  not  this  put  you  from  the  well.  2.  I  answer, 
Albeit  there  be  some  ounce-weights  of  carnalit)^,  and  some  squint 
look,  or  eye  in  our  neck  to  an  idol,  yet  love  in  its  own  measure 
may  be  found  ;  for  glory  must  purify  and  perfect  our  love  ;  it  will 
never  till  then  be  absolutely  pure.  Yet,  if  the  idol  reign,  and  have 
the  whole  of  the  heart,  and  the  keys  of  the  house,  and  Christ  only 
be  made  an  underling  to  run  errands,  all  is  not  right ;  therefore, 
examine  well.  3.  There  is  a  two-fold  discouragement ;  one  of 
unbelief,  to  conclude,  and  make  doubt  of  the  conclusion,  for  a 
mote  in  your  eye,  and  a  by-look  *  to  an  idol ;  this  is  ill :  there  is 
another  discouragement  of  sorrow  for  sin,  when  ye  find  a  by-look^ 
to  an  idol ;  this  is  good,  and  matter  of  thanksgiving  ;  therefore, 
examine  here  also. — Sthly,  The  assurance  of  Jesus's  love,  ye  say, 
would  be  the  most  comfortable  news  that  ever  ye  heard.  Answer, 
That  may  stop  twenty  holes,  and  loose  many  objections.  That 
love  hath  telling  in  it,  I  trow.  Oh,  that  ye  knew  and  felt  it,  as  I 
have  done  !  I  wish  you  a  share  of  my  feast ;  sweet,  sweet,  hath 
it  been  to  me.  If  my  Lord  had  not  given  me  this  love,  I  should 
have  fallen  through  the  causeway  of  Aberdeen  ere  now  !  But  for 
you.  hing  on,^  your  feast  is  not  far  off;  ye  shall  be  filled  ere  ye 
go  ;  there  is  as  much  in  our  Lord's  pantry  as  will  satisfy  all  his 
bairns,  and  as  much  wine  in  his  cellar  as  will  quench  all  their 
thirst.  Hunger  on,  for  there  is  meat  in  hunger  for  Christ.  Never 
go  from  him,  but  fash^  him,  (who  yet  is  pleased  with  the  impor- 
tunity of  hungry  souls,)  with  a  dish-full  of  hungry  desires,  till  he 

1  Immediately.  2  Cordially. 

3  Literally,  a  sack  for  carrying  draf,  that  is,  the  refuse  of  malt  which  has  been 
brewed;  metaphorically,  moral  imperfection,  as  in  the  Scottish  proverb,  "  Ilka  man 
has  his  ain  draff-poke," — every  one  has  his  own  peculiar  failing. 

■»  A  look  askance.  6   To  hing  on,  to  wait  with  patience. 

6  Trouble,  pester,  annoy. 


Rutherford's  letters.  395 

fill  you  ;  and  if  he  delay,  yet  come  not  ye  away,  albeit  ye  should 
fall  aswoon '  at  his  feet.— 6thly,  Ye  crave  my  mind,  whether 
sound  comfort  may  be  found  in  prayer,  when  conviction  of  a 
known  idol  is  present.  I  answer,  An  idol,  as  an  idol,  cannot  stand 
with  sound  comforts  ;  for  that  comfort  that  is  gotten  at  Dagon's 
feet  is  a  cheat  or  blaflum  ;  ^  yet  sound  comfort,  and  conviction  of 
an  eye  to  an  idol,  may  as  well  dwell  together  as  tears  and  joy. 
But  let  this  do  you  no  ill ;  I  speak  it  for  your  encouragement,  that 
ye  may  make  the  best  out  of  your  joys  ye  can,  albeit  you  find  them 
mixed  with  motes.  2.  Conviction,  if  alone,  without  remorse 
and  grief,  is  not  enough  ;  therefore,  lend  it  a  tear  if  ye  dow  win 
at^  it. — Tthly,  Ye  question,  when  ye  win^  to  more  fervency  some- 
times with  your  neighbor  in  prayer,  than  when  you  are  alone, 
whether  hypocrisy  be  in  it  or  not  ?  I  answer.  If  this  be  always, 
no  question  a  spice  of  hypocrisy  is  in  it,  which  should  be  taken 
heed  to ;  but  possibly  desertion  may  be  in  private,  and  presence 
in  public,  and  then  the  case  is  clear. — Sthly,  A  fit  of  applause 
may  occasion,  by  accident,  a  rubbing  of  a  cold  heart,  and  so  heat 
and  life  may  come  ;  but  it  is  not  the  proper  cause  of  that  heat ; 
hence  God,  of  his  free  grace,  will  ride  his  errands  upon  our  stinking 
corruption ;  but  corruption  is  but  a  mere  occasion  and  accident, 
as  the  playing  on  a  pipe  removed  anger  from  the  prophet,  and, 
made  him  fitter  to  prophesy,  (2  Kings  iii.  15.) — Othly,  Ye  com- 
plain of  Christ's  short  visits,  tbat  he  will  not  bear  you  company 
one  night ;  but  when  ye  lye  down  warm  at  night,  ye  rise  cold  at 
morning.  Answer,  I  cannot  blame  you,  (nor  any  other,  that 
knoweth  that  sweet  Guest,)  to  bemoan  his  withdrawings,  and  to 
be  most  desirous  of  his  abode  and  company  ;  for  he  would  capti- 
vate and  engage  the  affection  of  any  creatine  that  saw  his  face. 
Since  he  looked  on  me,  and  gave  me  a  sight  of  his  fair  love,  he 
gained  my  heart  wholly,  and  got  away  with  it ;  well,  well  may 
he  brook^  it;  he  shall  keep  it  long,  ere  I  fetch  it  from  him.  But 
I  shall  tell  you  what  ye  should  do.  Treat  him  well,  give  him  the 
chair  and  the  board-head,«  and  make  him  welcome  to  the  mean 
portion  ye  have  ;  a  good  supper  and  kind  entertainment  maketh 
the  guests  love  the  inn  the  better.  Yet  sometimes  Christ  hath  an 
errand  elsewhere,  for  mere  trial ;  and  then,  though  ye  give  him 
king's  cheer,  he  will  away ;  as  is  clear  in  desertions  for  mere  trial, 
and  not  for  sin. — lOthly,  Ye  seek  the  difference  betwixt  the  mo- 
tions of  the  Spirit,  in  their  least  measure,  and  the  natural  joys  of 
your  own  heart.  Answer,  As  a  man  can  tell,  if  he  joy  and  de- 
light in  his  wife,  as  his  wife  ;  or  if  he  delight  and  joy  in  her  for 
satisfaction  of  his  lust,  but  hating  her  person,  and  so  loving  her 
for  her  flesh,  and  not  grieving  when  ill  befalletli  her  ;  so  will  a 
man's  joy  in  God,  and  his  whorish  natural  joy,  be  discovered ;  if 
he  sorry  for  anything  that  may  offend  the  Lord,  it  will  speak  the 
singleness  of  his  love  to  him. — llthly,  Ye  ask  the  reason  why 

I  Into  a  swoon.  ^  An  illusion. 

3  That  is,  are  able  to  attain  to.  *  Attain. 

5  To  brook,  to  enjoy.  *  Head  of  the  table. 


396  Rutherford's  letters. 

sense  overcometh  faith.  Answer,  Because  sense  is  more  natural, 
and  near  of  kin  to  our  selfish  and  soft  nature.  Ye  ask,  If  faith, 
in  that  case,  be  sound  ?  Answer,  If  it  be  chased  away,  it  is  neither 
sound  nor  unsound,  because  it  is  not  faith  ;  but  it  might  be,  and 
Avas  faith,  before  sense  did  blow  out  the  act  of  believing. — Lastly, 
Ye  ask  what  to  do,  when  promises  are  borne-in '  upon  you,  and 
sense  of  impenitency,  for  sins  of  youth,  hindereth  application.  I 
answer.  If  it  be  living  sense,  it  may  stand  with  application  ;  and 
in  this  case,  put  to  your  hand,^  and  eat  your  meat  in  God's  name : 
if  false,  so  that  the  sins  of  youth  are  not  repented  of,  then,  as  faith 
and  impenitency  cannot  stand  together,  so  neither  that  sense  and 
application  can  consist. 

Brother,  excuse  my  brevity,  for  time  straiteneth  me,  that  I  get 
not  my  mind  said  in  these  things,  but  must  refer  that  to  a  new 
occasion,  if  God  offer  it.  Brother,  pray  for  me.  Grace  be  with 
you. 

Yours,  in  his  dearest  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CCL. 

TO  JOHN  STUART,  PROVOST  OP  AYR,  NOW  IN  IRELAND. 


Much  honored  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  unto  you. 
— I  long  to  hear  from  you,  being  now  removed  from  my  flock,  and 
the  prisoner  of  Christ  at  Aberdeen.  I  would  not  have  you  to  think 
it  strange,  that  your  journey  to  New  England  hath  gotten  such  a 
dash :  it  indeed  hath  made  my  heart  heavy  ;  yet  I  know  it  is  no 
dumb  providence,  but  a  speaking  one,  whereby  our  Lord  speaketh 
his  mind  to  you,  though  for  the  present  ye  do  not  well  understand 
what  he  saith  :  however  it  be,  he  who  sitteth  upon  the  floods,  hath 
shown  you  his  marvellous  kindness  in  the  great  depths.  I  know 
that  your  loss  is  great,  and  your  hope  gone  against  you  ;  but  I 
entreat  you,  sir,  expound  aright  our  Lord's  laying  all  hindrances 
in  the  way.  I  persuade  myself  that  your  heart  aimeth  at  the  foot- 
steps of  the  flock,  to  feed  beside  the  shepherd's  tents,  and  to  dwell 
beside  Him  whom  your  soul  loveth  ;  and  that  it  is  your  degire  to 
remain  in  the  wilderness,  where  the  Woman  is  kept  from  the 
Dragon  :  and  this  being  your  desire,  remember  that  a  poor  prisoner 
of  Christ  said  it  to  you,  that  that  miscarried  journey  is  with  child 
to  you  of  mercy  and  consolation,  and  shall  bring  forth  a  fair  birth, 
on  which  the  Lord  will  attend  in  his  own  way.  Wait  on;  "He 
that  believeth  maketh  not  haste,"  (Isaiah  xxviii.  16.) 

I  hope  that  ye  have  been  asking  what  the  Lord  meaneth,  and 
what  further  may  be  his  will,  in  reference  to  your  return.  My 
dear  brother,  let  God  make  of  you  what  he  will,  he  will  end  all 
with  consolation,  and  will  make  glory  out  of  your  sufferings  ; — and 

1  Impressed  upon  the  mind.  2  That  is,  stretch  out  your  hand  to  the  food. 


Rutherford's  letters.  397 

would  yon  wish  better  work?  This  water  was  in  your  way  to 
Heaven,  and  written  in  your  Lord's  book ;  ye  behooved  to  cross  it, 
and,  therefore,  kiss  his  wise  and  unerring  providence.  Let  not 
the  censures  of  men,  who  see  but  the  outside  of  things,  and  scarce 
well  that,  abate  your  courage  and  rejoicing  in  the  Lord  ;  howbeit 
your  faith  seeth  but  the  black  side  of  providence,  yet  it  hath  a 
better  side,  and  God  will  let  you  see  it.  Learn  to  believe  Christ 
better  than  his  strokes,  himself  and  his  promises  better  than  his 
glooms  :^  dashes  and  disappointments  are  not  canonical  scripture  ; 
fighting  for  the  promised  land,  seemed  to  cry  to  God's  promise, 
"  Thou  liest."  If  our  Lord  ride  upon  a  straw,  his  horse  shall 
neither  stumble  nor  fall,  (Rom.  viii.  28,)  "For  we  know  that  all 
things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God  ;"  ergo^  ship- 
wreck, losses,  (fcc.  work  together  for  the  good  of  them  that  love 
God.  Hence  I  infer,  that  losses,  disappointments,  ill  tongues,  loss 
of  friends,  houses,  or  country  are  God's  workmen,  set  on  work  to 
work  out  good  to  you,  out  of  everything  that  befalleth  you.  Let 
not  the  Lord's  dealing  seem  harsh,  rough,  or  unfatherly,  because 
it  is  unpleasant.  When  the  Lord's  blessed  will  bloweth  across 
your  desires,  it  is  best  in  humility,  to  strike  sail  to  him,  and  to  be 
willing  to  be  led  any  way  our  Lord  pleaseth.  It  is  a  point  of  de- 
nial of  yourself,  to  be  as  if  ye  had  not  a  will,  but  had  made  a  free 
disposal  of  it  to  God,  and  had  sold  it  over  to  him ;  and  to  make 
use  of  his  will  for  your  own,  is  both  true  hohness,  and  your  ease 
and  peace  :  ye  know  not  what  the  Lord  is  working  out  of  this,  but 
ye  sball  know  it  hereafter. 

And  what  I  write  to  you,  I  write  to  your  wife.  I  compassionate 
her  case,  but  entreat  her  not  to  fear  nor  faint.  This  journey  is  a 
part  of  her  wilderness  to  Heaven  and  the  Promised  Land,  and 
there  are  fewer  miles  behind  ;  it  is  nearer  the  dawning  of  the  day 
to  her  than  when  she  went  out  of  Scotland.  I  should  be  glad  to 
hear  that  ye  and  she  have  comfort  and  courage  in  the  Lord. 

Now,  as  concerning  our  Kirk,  our  Service-book  ^  is  ordained,  by 
open  proclamation  and  sound  of  trumpet  to  be  read  in  all  the 
kirks  of  this  kingdom.  Our  prelates  are  to  meet  this  month  for  it 
and  our  Canons,  and  for  a  reconciliation  betwixt  us  and  the 
Lutherans.  The  Professors  of  Aberdeen  University  are  charged 
to  draw  up  the  articles  of  an  Uniform  Confession  ;  but  reconcilia- 
tion with  Popery  is  intended.  This  is  the  day  of  Jacob's  visita- 
tion ;  the  ways  of  Zion  mourn,  our  gold  is  become  dim,  the  sun  is 
gone  down  upon  our  prophets.  A  dry  wind,  but  neither  to  fan 
nor  to  cleanse,  is  coming  upon  this  land,  and  all  our  ill  is  coming 
from  the  multiplied  transgressions  of  this  land,  and  from  the  friends 
and  lovers  of  Babel  among  us, — (Jer.  li.  35,)  "  The  violence  done  to 
me,  and  to  my  flesh  be  upon  thee,  Babylon,  shall  the  inhabitants 
of  Zion  say  ;  and,  my  blood  upon  the  inhabitants  of  Chaldea, 
shall  Jerusalem  say." 

Now  for  myself;  I  was  three  days  before  the  High  Commission, 
and  accused  of  treason  preached  against  our  King.  A  minister 
I  Frowns.  '  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 


398  Rutherford's  letters. 

being  witness,  went  well  nigh  to  swear  it.  God  hath  saved  me 
from  their  malice.  1st,  They  have  deprived  me  of  my  ministry  ; 
2dly,  Silenced  me,  that  I  exorcise  no  part  of  the  ministerial  func- 
tion within  this  kingdom,  under  the  pain  of  rebellion  ;  3dly,  Con- 
fined my  person  within  the  town  of  Aberdeen,  where  I  find  the 
ministers  working  for  my  confinement  in  Caithness  or  Orkney, 
far  from  them,  because  some  people  here,  (willing  to  be  edified,) 
resort  to  me.  At  my  first  entry,  I  had  heavy  challenges'  within 
me,  and  a  court  fenced  ^  (but  I  hope  not  in  Christ's  name,) 
wherein  it  was  asserted,  that  my  Lord  would  have  no  more  of  my 
service,  and  was  tired  of  me :  and,  like  a  fool,  I  summoned  Christ 
also  for  unkindness ;  my  soul  fainted,  and  I  refused  comfort,  and 
said,  "  What  ailed  Christ  at  me  ?  for  I  desired  to  be  faithful  in  his 
house."  Thus  in  my  rovings  and  mistakings,  my  Lord  .Tesus  be- 
stowed mercy  on  me,  who  am  less  than  the  least  of  all  saints.  I 
lay  upon  the  dust,  and  bought  a  plea  from  Satan  ^  against  Christ, 
and  he  was  content  to  sell  it.  But  at  length  Christ  did  show  him- 
self friends  with  me,  and  in  mercy  pardoned  and  passed  my  part 
of  it,  and  only  complained  that  a  court  should  be  holden  in  his 
bounds,  without  his  own  allowance.  Now  I  pass  from  my  com- 
pearance ;^  and,  as  if  Christ  had  done  the  fault,  he  hath  made  the 
mendss  and  returned  to  my  soul;  so  that  now  his  poor  prisoner 
feedeth  on  the  feasts  of  love.  My  adversaries  know  not  what  a 
courtier  I  am  now  with  my  Royal  King,  for  whose  crown  I  now 
suffer.  It  is  but  our  soft  and  lazy  flesh  that  hath  raised  an  ill  re- 
port of  the  cross  of  Christ.  Oh.  sweet,  sweet  is  his  yoke  !  Christ's 
chains  are  of  pure  gold  ;  sufferings  for  him  are  perfumed  ;  I  would 
not  give  my  weeping  for  the  laughing  of  all  the  Fourteen  Pre- 
lates ;  I  would  not  exchange  my  sadness  with  the  world's  joy.  O 
lovely,  lovely  Jesus,  how  sweet  must  thy  kisses  be,  when  thy  cross 
smelleth  so  sweetly !  Oli,  if  ^  all  the  Three  Kingdoms  had  part  of 
my  love-feast,  and  of  the  comfort  of  a  dawted  ''  prisoner  ! 

Dear  brother,  I  charge  you  to  praise  for  me,  and  to  seek  help 
of  our  acquaintance  there,  to  help  me  to  praise.  Why  should  I 
smother  Christ's  honesty  to  me  !  My  heart  is  taken  up  with  this, 
that  my  silence  and  sufferings  may  preach.  I  beseech  you  in  the 
bowels  of  Christ,  to  help  me  to  praise.  Remember  my  love  to 
your  wife,  to  Mr.  Blair,  and  Mr.  Livingston,  and  Mr.  Cunning- 
ham. Let  me  hear  from  you,  for  I  am  anxious  what  to  do  :  if  I 
saw  a  call  for  New  England,  I  would  follow  it.    Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours  in  our  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1G37, 

*  Self-accusations.  2  Constituted. 

3  That  is,  hired  Satan,  by  my  own  repining,  to  give  me  some  cause  or  ground  of 
controversy  with  Christ. 

*  Appearance  in  obedience  to  legal  citation.  s  Made  amends. 

*  That.  7  Much  made  of. 


Rutherford's  letters.  399 

LETTER  CCLI. 

TO    JOHN     STUART,     PROVOST     OF     AYR. 

Much  honored,  and  dearest  in  Christ, —  Grace,  mercy, 
and  peace  from  God  our  Father,  and  from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
be  upon  you. 

I  expected  the  comfort  of  a  letter  to  a  prisoner  from  you,  ere 
now.  I  am  here,  sir,  putting  off  a  part  of  my  inch  of  time ;  and 
when  I  awake  first  in  the  morning,  (which  is  always  with  great 
heaviness  and  sadness),  this  question  is  brought  to  my  mind — 
"  Am  I  serving  God  or  not  ?"  Not  that  I  doubt  of  the  truth  of  this 
honorable  cause  wherein  I  am  engaged — I  dare  venture  into  eter- 
nity, and  before  my  Judge,  that  I  now  suffer  for  the  truth  ;  be- 
cause that  I  cannot  endure  that  my  Master,  who  is  a  freeborn 
King,  should  pay  tribute  to  any  of  the  shields  or  potsherds  of  the 
earth :  oh,  that  I  could  hold  the  crown  upon  my  princely  King's 
head  with  my  sinful  arm,  howbeit  it  should  be  struck  from  me,  in 
that  service,  from  the  shoulder-blade, — but  my  closed  mouth,  my 
dumb  Sabbaths,  the  memory  of  my  communion  with  Christ,  in 
many  fair,  fair  days  in  Anwoth,  (whereas  now  my  Master  getteth 
no  service  of  my  tongue  as  then.)  hath  almost  broken  my  faith  in 
two  halves  :  yet  in  my  deepest  apprehensions  of  his 'anger,  I  see 
through  a  cloud  that  I  am  wrong  ;  and  he,  in  love  to  my  soul,  hath 
taken  up  the  controversy  betwixt  faith  and  apprehensions,  and  a 
decreet'  is  passed  on  Christ's  side  of  it,  and  I  subscribe  the  de- 
creet.' The  Lord  is  equal  in  his  ways,  but  my  guiltiness  often 
overmastereth  my  believing.  I  have  not  been  well  known :  for 
except  as  to  open  outbreakings,  I  want  nothing  of  what  Judas  and 
Cain  had  ;  only  he  hath  been  pleased  to  prevent  me  in  mercy,  and 
to  cast  me  into  a  fever  of  love  for  himself,  and  his  absence  maketh 
my  fever  most  painful ;  and  beside  he  hath  visited  my  soul  and 
watered  it  with  his  comforts  : — but  yet  I  have  not  what  I  would ; 
the  want  of  real  and  felt  possession  is  my  only  death.  I  know 
that  Christ  pitieth  me  in  this. 

The  great  men,  my  friends,  that  did  ^  for  me,  are  dried  up,  like 
winter-brooks  of  water.  All  say,  "  No  dealing  for  that  man  ;  his 
best  will  be,  to  be  gone  out  of  the  kingdom."  So  I  see  they  tire 
of  me  :  but,  believe  me,  I  am  most  gladly  content  that  Christ 
breaketh  all  my  idols  in  pieces :  it  hath  put  a  new  edge  upon  my 
blunted  love  to  Christ ;  I  see  that  he  is  jealous  of  my  love,  and 
will  have  all  to  himself.  In  a  word,  these  six  things  are  my  bur- 
den :  1.  I  am  not  in  the  vineyard  as  others  are,  it  may  be,  because 
Christ  thinketh  me  a  withered  tree,  not  worth  its  room — but  God 
forbid !  2.  Wo,  wo,  wo  is  coming  upon  my  Harlot-mother,  this 
apostate  Kirk  !  The  time  is  coming  when  we  shall  wish  for 
doves'  wings,  to  flee  and  hide  us.     Oh.  for  the  desolation  of  this 

1  Sentence  of  a  court,  8  Acted. 


400  Rutherford's  letters. 

land  !  3.  1  see  my  clear  Master,  Christ,  going  his  lone,^  (as  it 
were,)  mourning  in  sackcloth.  His  fainting  friends  fear  that  King 
Jesus  shall  lose  the  field  :  but  he  must  carry  the  day.  4.  My 
guiltiness  and  the  sins  of  youth  are  come  up  against  me,  and  they 
would  come  into  the  plea  in  my  sufferings,  as  deserving  causes  in 
God's  justice  ;  but  I  pray  God,  for  Christ's  sake,  that  he  may  never 
give  them  that  room.  Wo  is  me,  that  I  cannot  get  my  royal, 
dreadful,  mighty,  and  glorious  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth  set 
on  high.  Sir,  ye  may  help  me  and  pity  me  in  this,  and  bow  your 
knee,  and  bless  his  name,  and  desire  others  to  do  it,  that  he  hath 
been  pleased  in  my  sufferings  to  make  Atheists,  Papists,  and  ene- 
mies about  me,  say,  "It  is  like  that  God  is  with  this  prisoner." 
Let  Hell  and  the  powers  of  Hell,  (I  care  not,)  be  let  loose  against 
me  to  do  their  worst,  so  being  that  Christ,  and  my  Father  and  his 
Father  be  magnified  in  my  sufferings.  5.  Christ's  love  hath 
pained  me ;  for  howbeit  his  presence  hath  shamed  me,  and 
drowned  me  in  debt,  yet  he  often  goeth  away  when  my  love  to 
him  is  burning.  He  seemeth  to  look  like  a  proud  wooer,  who 
will  not  look  upon  a  poor  match,  that  is  dying  of  love.  I  will  not 
say  he  is  lordly  :  but  I  know  he  is  wise  in  hiding  himself  from  a 
child  and  a  fool,  who  maketh  an  idol  and  a  god  of  one  of  Christ's 
kisses,  which  is  idolatry.  I  fear  that  I  adore  his  comforts  more 
than  himself,  and  that  I  love  the  apples  of  life  better  than  the 
Tree  of  life. 

Sir,  write  to  me.     Commend  me  to  your  wife.     Mercy  be  her 
portion.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  dearest  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CCLH. 

TO  JOHN  STUART,  PROVOST  OP  AYR. 

Worthy,  and  dearly  beloved  in  our  Lord,  —  Grace, 
mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  was  refreshed  and  comforted  with 
your  letter.  What  I  wrote  to  you,  for  your  comfort,  I  do  not  re- 
member ;  but  I  believe,  that  love  will  prophesy  homeward,  as  it 
would  have  it.  I  wish  that  I  could  help  you  to  praise  His  great 
and  holy  name  who  keepeth  the  feet  of  his  saints,  and  hath  num- 
bered all  your  goings.  I  know  that  our  dearest  Lord  will  pardon 
and  pass  by  our  honest  errors  and  mistakes,  when  we  mind  his 
honor :  yet  I  know  that  none  of  you  have  seen  the  other  ha^"  and 
the  hidden  side  of  your  wonderful  return  home  to  us  again.  1  am 
confident  ye  shall  yet  say,  that  God's  mercy  blew  your  sails  back 
to  Ireland  again. 

Worthy,  and  dear  sir,  I  cannot  but  give  you  an  account  of  my 
present  estate,  that  ye  may  go  an  errand  for  me  to  my  high  and 
royal  Master,  of  whom  I  boast  all  the  day.     I  am  as  proud  of  his 

1  By  himself  alone. 


Rutherford's  letters.  401 

love,  (nay,  I  bless  myself,  and  boast  more  of  my  present  lot,)  as 
any  poor  man  can  be  of  an  earthly  king's  court,  or  of  a  kingdom. 
First,  I  am  very  often  turning  both  the  sides  of  ni}?^  cross,  especially 
my  dumb  and  silent  Sabbaths  ;  not  because  I  desire  to  find  a  cross 
or  defect  in  my  Lord's  love,  but  because  my  love  is  sick  with  fan- 
cies and  fear.  Whether  or  not  the  Lord  hath  a  process  leading 
against  my  guiltiness,  that  I  have  not  yet  well  seen,  I  know  not. 
My  desire  is  to  ride  fair,  and  not  to  spark  dirt,'  (if,  with  reverence 
to  him,  I  may  be  permitted  to  make  use  of  such  a  word,)  in  the 
face  of  my  only  Well-beloved  ;  but  fear  of  guiltiness  is  a  tale- 
bearer betwixt  me  and  Christ,  and  is  still  whispering  ill  tales  of 
my  Lord,  to  weaken  my  faith.  I  had  rather  that  a  cloud  went 
over  my  comforts  by  these  messages,  than  that  my  faith  should  be 
hurt :  for,  if  my  Lord  get  no  wrong  by  me,  verily  I  desire  grace, 
not  to  care  what  become  of  me.  I  desire  to  give  no  faith,  nor 
credit  to  my  sorrow,  that  can  make  a  lie  of  my  best  friend  Christ. 
Wo,  wo  be  to  them  all !  who  speak  ill  of  Christ.  Hence  these 
thouglits  awake  with  me  in  the  morning,  and  go  to  bed  with  me. 
Oh,  what  service  can  a  dumb  body  do  in  Christ's  house !  Oh,  I 
thmk  the  word  of  God  is  imprisoned  also  !  Oh,  I  am  a  dry  tree  ! 
Alas,  I  can  neither  plant  nor  water !  Oh,  if '^  my  Lord  would  make 
but  dung  of  me,  to  fatten  and  make  fertile  his  own  corn-ridges  in 
mount  Zion  !  Oh,  if  I  might  but  speak  to  three  or  four  herd-boys  ^ 
of  my  worthy  Master,  I  would  be  satisfied  to  be  the  meanest  and 
most  obscure  of  all  the  pastors  in  this  land,  and  to  live  in  any 
place,  in  any  of  Christ's  basest  outhouses  !  but  he  saith,  "  Sirrah, 
1  will  not  send  j^ou,  I  have  no  errands  for  you  thereaway."^  My 
desire  to  serve  him  is  sick  of  jealousy,  lest  he  be  unwilling  to  em- 
ploy me.  Secondly,  This  is  seconded  by  another  ;  Oh  !  all  that  I 
have  done  in  Anwoth,  the  fair  work  that  my  Master  began  there, 
is  like  a  bird  dying  in  the  shell :  and  what  will  I  then  have  to 
show  of  all  my  labor,  in  the  day  of  my  compearance ^  before  him, 
when  the  Master  of  the  vineyard  calleth  the  laborers,  and  giveth 
them  their  hire?  Thirdly,  But  truly,  when  Christ's  sweet  wind 
is  in  the  right  airth,*  I  repent,  and  I  pray  Christ  to  take  law- 
burrows  ^  of  my  quarrelous  unbelieving  sadness  and  sorrow ; — Lord, 
rebuke  them  that  put  ill  betwixt  a  poor  servant  like  me  and  his 
good  Master  : — then  I  say,  whether  the  black  cross  will  or  not,  I 
must  climb  on  hands  and  feet  up  to  my  Lord.  I  am  now  ruing 
from  my  heart,  that  I  pleasured  the  liaw,  (my  old  dead  husband,) 
so  far  as  to  apprehend  wrath  in  my  sweet  Lord  Jesus.  I  had 
far  rather  take  a  hire  to  plead  for  the  grace  of  God,  for  I  think 
m3"self  Christ's  sworn  debtor  :  and  the  truth  is,  to  speak  of  my 
Lord,  what  I  cannot  deny,  I  am  over  head  and  ears,  drowned  in 
many  obligations  to  his  love  and  mercy — he  handleth  me  some- 

1  To  cause  dirt  to  rise  at  the  horse's  heels.  2  oh,  that. 

3  Boys  who  tend  cattle  in  the  fields.  •'  In  those  parts. 

5  Appearance.  6  Point  of  the  compass. 

'''  Legal  security,  which  a  man  is  obliged  to  give  to  the  person  who  swears  the  peace 
against  him.  that  he  will  not  injure  that  individual,  in  person  or  property. 

26 


402  Rutherford's  letters. 

times  so,  that  I  am  ashamed  almost  to  seek  more  for  a  four-hours/ 
but  to  live  content,  till  the  marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb,  with 
that  which  he  giveth.  But  I  know  not  how  greedy  and  how  ill 
to  please  love  is  ;  for  either  my  Lord  Jesus  hath  taught  me  ill 
manners,  not  to  be  content  with  a  seat,  except  my  head  lie  in  his 
bosom,  and  except  I  be  fed  with  the  fatness  of  his  house ;  or  else 
I  am  grown  impatiently  dainty,  and  ill^^  to  please,  as  if  Christ 
were  obliged,  under  this  cross,  to  do  no  other  thing  but  bear  me 
in  his  arms,  and  as  if  I  had  claim  by  his  merit  for  my  suffering 
for  him.  But  I  wish  he  would  give  me  grace  to  learn  to  go  on 
my  own  feet,  and  to  learn  to  do  without  his  comforts,  and  to  give 
thanks  and  believe,  when  the  sun  is  not  in  my  firmament,  and 
when  my  Well-beloved  is  from  home,  and  gone  another  errand. 
Oh,  what  sweet  peace  have  I,  when  I  find  that  Christ  holdeth  and 
I  draw, — when  I  climb  up  and  he  shuteth  ^  me  down, — ^when  I 
embrace  him  and  he  seemeth  to  loose  the  grips  ^  and  flee  away 
from  me  !  I  think  there  is  even  a  sweet  joy  of  faith,  and  contented- 
ness,  and  peace,  in  his  very  tempting  unkindness,  because  my 
faith  saith,  "Christ  is  not  in  sad  earnest^  with  me,  but  trying  if 
I  can  be  kind  to  his  mask  and  cloud  that  covereth  him,  as  well  as 
to  his  fair  face."  I  bless  his  great  name  that  I  love  his  veil  which 
goeth  over  his  face,  whill  God  send  better :  for  faith  can  kiss  God's 
tempting  reproaches  when  he  nicknameth  a  sinner,  "  A  dog,  not 
worthy  to  eat  bread  with  the  bairns."  ^  I  think  it  an  honor  that 
Christ  miscalleth  ''  me,  and  reproacheth  me  ;  I  will  take  that  well 
of  him,  howbeit  I  would  not  bear  it  well  if  another  should  be  that 
homely ;  ^  but  because  I  am  his  own,  (God  be  thanked,)  he  may 
use  me  as  he  pleaseth.  I  must  say,  the  saints  have  a  sweet  life 
between  them  and  Christ.  There  is  much  sweet  solace  of  love 
between  him  and  them,  when  he  feedeth  among  the  lilies,  and 
Cometh  into  his  garden,  and  maketh  a  feast  of  honeycombs,  and 
drinketh  his  wine  and  his  milk,  and  crieth,  "  Eat,  O  Friends ; 
drink,  yea,  drink  abundantly,  O  Well-beloved."  One  hour  of  this 
labor  is  worth  a  shipful  of  the  world's  drunken  and  muddy  joy: 
nay,  even  the  gate  ^  of  Heaven  is  the  sunny  side  of  the  brae,^"  and 
the  very  garden  of  the  world  ;  for  the  men  of  this  world  have  their 
own  unchristened  and  profane  crosses ;  and  wo  be  to  them  and 
their  cursed  crosses  both  ;  for  their  ills  are  salted  with  God's  ven- 
geance, and  our  ills  seasoned  with  our  Father's  blessing  :  so  that 
they  are  no  fools  who  choose  Christ,  and  sell  all  things  for  him  ; 
it  is  no  bairns'  market,  nor  a  blind  block  ; ''  we  know  well  what 
we  get,  and  what  we  give. 

Now,  for  any  resolution  to  go  to  any  other  kingdom,  I  dare  not 
speak  one  word  :  my  hopes  of  enlargement  are  cold,  my  hopes  of 
re-entry  to  my  Master's  ill-dressed  vineyard  again  are  far  colder  : 

*  Slight  afternoon's  repast.  2  Difficult.  3  shoveth,  pusheth. 

<  Hold.  5  Sober  earnest.       6  Children,  Mark  vii.  27,28. 

''  Calleth  me  names.  8  So  familiar.  9  Way. 

1"  Slope,  declivity.  Sunny  side  of  the  brae,  the  most  warm,  sheltered,  and  comfort- 
able situation.  i>  Bargain. 


Rutherford's  letters.  403 

I  have  no  seat  for  my  faith  to  sit  on,  but  bare  omnipotency,  and 
God's  holy  arm  and  good- will ;  here  I  desire  to  stay,  and  ride  at 
anchor,  and  winter,  whill  God  send  fair  weather  again,  and  be 
pleased  to  take  home  to  his  house  my  Harlot-Mother.  Oh,  if  her 
Husband  would  be  that  ^  kind,  as  to  go  and  fetch  her  out  of  the 
brothel-house,  and  chase  her  lovers  to  the  hills  ! — but  there  will  be 
sad  days  ere  it  come  to  that.  Remember  my  bonds.  Grace  be 
with  you. 

Yours,  in  our  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CCLm. 

TO    THE     LADY    BUSBIE, 


Mistress, — Although  not  acquaint,^  yet  because  we  are  Fa- 
ther's children,  I  thought  good  to  write  unto  you.  Howbeit  my 
first  discourse  and  communing  with  you  of  Christ  be  on  paper  ; 
yet  I  have  cause,  since  I  came  hither,  to  have  no  paper-thoughts^ 
of  him  ;  for  in  my  sad  days  he  has  become  the  flower  of  my  joys, 
and  I  but  lie  here  living  upon  his  love  ;  but  cannot  get  so  much 
of  it  as  I  fain  would  have;  not  because  Christ's  love  is  lordly,  and 
looketh  too  high,  but  because  I  have  a  narrow  vessel  to  receive 
his  love,  and  I  look  too  low.  But  I  give  under  my  own  hand- 
write^  to  you  a  testimonial^  of  Christ  and  his  cross,  that  they  are 
a  sweet  couple,  and  that  Christ  hath  never  yet  been  set  in  his 
due  chair  of  honor  amongst  us  all.  Oh,  I  know  not  where  to  set 
him  !  Oh  !  for  a  high  seat  to  that  royal,  princely  One  !  Oh,  that 
my  poor  withered  soul  had  once  a  running-over  flood  of  that  love, 
to  put  sap  into  my  dry  root,  and,  that  that  flood  would  spring  out 
to  the  tongue,  and  the  pen,  to  utter  great  things  to  the  high  and 
due  commendation  of  such  a  fair  One  !  Oh,  holy,  holy,  holy  One  ! 
Alas  !  there  are  too  many  dumb  tongues  in  the  world,  and  dry 
hearts,  seeing  there  is  employment  in  Christ  for  them  all,  and  ten 
thousand  worlds  of  men  and  angels  moe,  to  set  on  high  and  exalt 
the  greatest  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth. 

Wo  is  me,  that  bits  of  hving  clay  dare  come  out,  to  rush  hard- 
heads with  him  ;  and  that  my  unkind  Mother,  this  Harlot-kirk, 
hath  given  her  sweet  half-marrow*  such  a  meeting;  for  this  land 
hath  given  up  with  Christ,  and  the  Lord  is  cutting  Scotland  in 
two  halves,  and  sending  the  worst  half,  the  harlot-sister,  over  to 
Rome's  brothel-house,  to  get  her  fill  of  Egypt's  love.  I  would  my 
sufferings  (nay,  suppose  I  were  burnt  quick  to  ashes,)  might  buy 
an  agreement  betwixt  his  fairest  and  sweetest  love,  and  his  gawdy, 
lewd  wife  ;  fain  would  I  give  Christ  his  welcome-home  to  Scotland 
again,  if  he  would  return.     This  is  a  black  day,  a  day  of  clouds 

»  So.  2  Acquainted.  3  Slight  thoughts. 

*  Subscription.  ^  A  certificate  of  character.  '  Married  partner. 


404  Rutherford's  letters. 

and  darkness ;  for  the  roof-tree  '  of  the  fair  temple  of  my  Lord 
Jesus  hath  fallen,  and  Christ's  back  is  toward  Scotland.  Oh, 
thrice  blessed  are  they  who  could  hold  Christ  with  their  tears  and 
prayers  !  I  know  that  ye  will  help  to  deal  w^ith  him,  for  he  w^ill 
return  again  to  this  land.  The  next  day  shall  be  Christ's,  and 
there  will  be  a  fair,  green,  young  garden  for  Christ  in  this  land, 
and  God's  summer-dew  shall  lye  on  it  all  the  night,  and  we  will 
sing  again  our  new  marriage-song  to  our  Bridegroom,  concerning 
his  vineyard  ; — but  who  knoweth  whether  we  shall  live  and  see  it? 
I  hear  that  the  Lord  is  taking  pains  to  afflict  and  dress  you,  as 
a  fruitful  vine,  for  himself  Grow  and  be  green,  and  cast  out  your 
branches,  and  bring  forth  fruit ;  fat,  and  green,  and  fruitful  may 
ye  be,  in  the  true  and  sappy  root !  Grace,  grace,  free  grace  be 
your  portion !  Remember  my  bonds,  with  prayers  and  praises. 
Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637:  , 


LETTER  CCLIV. 


TO    NINIAN    MURE. 


Loving  Friend, — I  received  your  letter.  I  entreat  you  now, 
in  the  morning  of  your  life,  to  seek  the  Lord  and  his  face.  Be- 
ware of  the  folly  of  dangerous  youth — a  perilous  time  for  your  soul. 
Love  not  the  world.  Keep  faith  and  truth  with  all  men,  in  your 
covenants  and  bargains.  Walk  with  God,  for  he  seeth  you.  Do 
nothing  but  that  which  ye  may  and  would  do,  if  your  eye-strings 
were  breaking,  and  your  breath  growing  cold.  Ye  heard  the  truth 
of  God  from  me,  my  dear  Heart ;  follow  it,  and  forsake  it  not. 
Prize  Christ  and  salvation  above  all  the  world.  To  live  after  the 
guise  and  course  of  the  rest  of  the  world,  will  not  bring  you  to 
Heaven ;  without  faith  in  Christ,  and  repentance,  ye  cannot  see 
God.  Take  pains  for  salvation  ;  press  forward  toward  the  mark, 
for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  :  if  ye  watch  not  against  evils 
night  and  day,  which  beset  you,  ye  will  come  behind.^  Beware 
of  lying,  swearing,  uncleanness,  and  the  rest  of  the  works  of  the 
flesh  ;  because,  "  For  these  things  the  wrath  of  God  cometh  upon 
the  children  of  disobedience."  How  sweet  soever  they  may  seem 
for  the  present,  yet  the  end  of  these  courses  is  the  eternal  wrath 
of  God,  and  utter  darkness,  where  there  is  weeping  and  gnashing 
of  teeth.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  loving  pastor,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 

1  The  beam  running  along  the  roof,  against  which  the  rafters  incline. 

2  Fall  short. 


Rutherford's  letters.  405 

LETTER  CCLV. 

TO     MR.     THOMAS     GARVEN. 

Reverend  and  dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace 
be  to  you. — I  am  sorry  that  what  joy  and  sorrow  drew  from  my 
imprisoned  pen,  in  my  love-fits,  hath  made  you  and  many  of  God's 
children  beUeve,  that  there  is  something  in  a  broken  reed  the  hke 
of  me  :  except  that  Christ's  grace  hath  bought  such  a  sold  body, 
I  know  not  what  else  any  may  think  of  me,  or  expect  from  me. 
My  stock  is  less,  (my  Lord  knoweth  that  I  speak  truth,)  than 
many  believe.  My  empty  sounds  have  promised  too  much.  I  should 
be  glad  to  lie  under  Christ's  feet,  and  kep  ^  and  receive  the  off- 
fallings,  or  any  old  pieces  of  any  grace,  that  fall  from  his  sweet 
fingers  to  forlorn  sinners.  I  lie  often,  unco-like,^  looking  in  at  the 
King's  windows.  Surely,  I  am  unworthy  of  a  seat  in  the  King's 
hall-floor :  I  but  often  look  afar  off,  both  feared  and  freinmed-like,^ 
to  that  fairest  face,  fearing  He  bid  me  look  away  from  him.  My 
guiltiness  riseth  up  upon  me,  and  I  have  no  answer  for  it.  I 
offered  my  tongue  to  Christ,  and  my  pains  in  his  house  ;  and  what 
know  I  what  it  meaneth,  when  Christ  will  not  receive  my  poor 
propine?^  When  love  will  not  take,  we  expone^  that  it  will 
neither  take  nor  give,  borrow  nor  lend.  Yet  Christ  hath  another 
sea-compass  which  he  saileth  by,  than  my  short  and  raw  thoughts 
— I  leave  his  part  of  it  to  himself  I  dare  not  expound  his  deal- 
ing, as  sorrow  and  misbeliefs  often  dictate  to  me  :  I  look  often 
with  bleared  and  blind  eyes  to  my  Lord's  cross  ;  and  when  I  look 
to  the  wrong  side  of  his  cross,  I  know  that  I  miss  a  step,  and  slide. 
Surely,  I  see  that  I  have  not  legs  of  my  own  for  carrying  me  to 
Heaven;  I  must  go  in  at  Heaven's  gates,  borro\ving  strength  from 
Christ. 

I  am  often  thinking,  oh,  if  he  would  but  give  me  leave  to  love 
him,  and  if  Christ  would  but  open  up  his  wares,  and  the  infinite 
plies,  and  windings,  and  corners  of  his  soul-delighting  love ;  and 
let  me  see  it,  backside  and  foreside  ;  and  give  me  leave  but  to 
stand  beside  it,  hke  a  hungry  man  beside  meat,  to  get  my  fill  of 
wondering,  as  a  preface  to  my  fill  of  enjoying !  But  verily,  I  think 
that  my  foul  eyes  would  defile  his  fair  love  to  look  to  it.  Either 
my  hunger  is  over  humble,  (if  that  may  be  said,)  or  else  I  consider 
not  what  honor  it  is  to  get  leave  to  love  Christ.  Oh,  that  he 
would  pity  a  prisoner,  and  let  out  a  flood  upon  the  dry  ground  ! 
It  is  nothing  to  him  to  fill  the  like  of  me ;  one  of  his  looks  would 
do  me  meikle  world's  good,''  and  him  no  ill.  I  know  that  I  anj 
not  at  a  point  yet  with  Christ's  love.  I  am  not  yet  fitted  for  so 
much   as  I  would  have  of  it.     My  hope  sitteth  neighbor  with 

1  To  intercept.  ^  Seemingly  strange. 

3  Having  the  appearance  or  guise  of  a  stranger,  of  one  in  nowise  related  by  blood. 

*  Present.  5  Expound. 

6  Weak  faith.  '  More  good  than  all  the  world. 


406  Rutherford's  letters. 

meikle  black  hunger  :  ^  and  certainly,  I  dow  not,  ^  but  think,  that 
there  is  more  of  than  love  ordained  for  me  than  I  yet  comprehend, 
and  that  I  know  not  the  weight  of  the  pension  which  the  King 
will  give  me.  I  shall  be  glad  if  my  hungry  bill  get  leave  to  lie 
beside  Christ,  waiting  on  an  answer.  Now  I  should  be  full  and 
rejoice,  if  I  got  a  poor  man's  alms  of  that  sweetest  love  :  but  I  con- 
fidently believe,  that  there  is  a  bed  made  for  Christ  and  me,  and 
that  we  shall  take  our  fill  of  love  in  it ;  and  I  often  think,  when 
my  joy  is  run  out,  and  at  the  lowest  ebb,  that  I  would  seek  no 
more  than  my  rights^  passed  the  King's  great  seal,  and  that  these 
eyes  of  mine  could  see  Christ's  hand  at  the  pen. 

If  your  Lord  call  you  to  suffering,  be  not  dismayed :  there  shall 
be  a  new  allowance  of  the  King  for  you  when  ye  come  to  it.  One 
of  the  softest  pillows  Christ  hath,  is  laid  under  his  witnesses'  head, 
though  often  they  must  set  down  their  bare  feet  among  thorns. 
He  hath  brought  my  poor  soul  to  desire  and  wish,  oh,  that  my 
ashes,  and  the  powder  I  shall  be  dissolved  into,  had  well-tuned 
tongues  to  praise  him. 

Thus  in  haste,  desiring  your  prayers  and  praises,  I  recommend 
you  to  my  sweet,  sweet  Master,  my  honorable  Lord,  of  whom  I 
hold  all.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  own,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CCLVL 

TO    THE     EARL     OF     CASSILLIS. 

My  very  HONORABLE,  AND  NOBLE  LoRD, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
peace  be  to  your  Lordship. — Pardon  me  to  express  my  earnest  de- 
sire to  your  Lordship  for  Zion's  sake,  for  whom  we  should  not  hold 
our  peace  ; — I  that  know  your  Lordship  will  take  my  pleading,  on 
this  behalf,  in  the  better  part,  because  the  necessity  of  a  falling 
and  weak  Church  is  urgent ; — I  that  believe  your  Lordship  is  one 
of  Zion's  friends,  and  that  by  obligation  ;  for  when  the  Lord  shall 
count  and  write  up  the  people,  it  shall  be  written,  "  This  man  was 
born  there :"  therefore,  because  your  Lordship  is  a  born  son  of  the 
House,  I  hope  your  desire  is,  that  the  beauty  and  glory  of  the 
Lord  may  dwell  in  the  midst  of  the  city,  whereof  your  Lordship 
is  a  son.  It  must  be,  without  all  doubt,  the  greatest  honor  of 
your  place  and  House,  to  kiss  the  Son  of  God,  and  for  his  sake  to 
be  kind  to  his  oppressed  and  wronged  bride,  who,  now  in  the  day 
of  her  desolation,  beggeth  help  of  you,  that  are  the  shields  of  the 
earth.  I  am  sure  that  many  kings,  princes,  and  nobles,  in  the 
day  of  Christ's  second  coming,  would  be  glad  to  run  errands  for 
Christ,  even  barefooted,  through  fire  and  water ;  but  in  that  day 
he  will  have  none  of  their  service.  Now  he  is  asking,  if  your 
Lordship  will  help  him  against  the  mighty  of  the  earth,  when 

1  Much  utter  hunger.  2  Am  not  able.  3  Charters,  title-deeds. 


Rutherford's  letters.  407 

men  are  setting  their  shoulders  to  Christ's  fair  and  beautiful  Tent 
in  this  land,  to  loosen  its  stakes,  and  break  it  down  ;  and  certainly 
such  as  are  not  with  Christ,  are  against  him ;  and  blessed  shall 
your  Lordsiiip  be  of  the  Lord,  blessed  shall  your  house  and  seed 
be,  and  blessed  shall  your  honor  be,  if  ye  einpawned  and  laid  in 
Christ's  hand  the  Earldom  of  Cassilhs,  (and  it  is  but  a  shadow  in 
comparison  of  the  City  made  without  hands,)  and  laid  it  even  at 
the  stake,  rather  than  Christ  and  borne-down  truth  have  not  a 
witness  of  you  against  the  apostasy  of  this  land.  Ye  hold  your 
lands  of  Christ,  your  charters  are  under  his  seal,  and  He  who  hath 
many  crowns  on  his  head,  dealeth,  cutteth,  and  carveth  pieces  of 
this  clay-heritage  to  men,  at  his  pleasure.  It  is  little  that  your 
Lordship  hath  to  give  him.  He  will  not  sleep  long  in  your  com- 
mon,' but  shall  surely  pay  home  your  losses  for  his  cause.  It  is 
but  our  bleared  eyes  that  look  through  a  false  glass  to  this  idol- 
god  of  clay,  and  think  something  of  it.  They  who  are  passed 
with  their  last  sentence  to  Heaven  or  Hell,  and  have  made  their 
reckoning,  and  departed  out  of  this  smoky  inn,  have  now  no  other 
conceit  of  this  world,  but  as  a  piece  of  beguiling  well-lustred  clay. 
- — And  how  fast  doth  time,  (like  a  flood  in  motion,)  carry  your 
Ijordship  out  of  it !  and  is  not  eternity  coming  with  wings  7  Court 
goeth  not  in  Heaven  as  it  doeth  here.  Our  Lord,  (who  hath  all 
you,  the  nobles,  lying  in  the  shell  ^  of  his  balance,)  esteemeth  you 
accordingly  as  ye  are  the  Bridegroom's  friends  or  foes.  Your 
honorable  ancestors,  with  the  hazard  of  their  lives,  brought  Christ 
to  our  hands ;  and  it  will  be  cruelty  to  the  posterity,  if  ye  lose  him 
to  them.  One  of  our  tribes,  Levi's  sons,  the  watchmen,  are  fallen 
from  the  Lord,  and  have  sold  their  Mother,  and  their  Father  also, 
and  the  Lord's  truth,  for  their  new  velvet-world,  and  their  satin 
church.  If  ye,  the  nobles,  play  Christ  a  slip,  now  when  his  back 
is  at  the  wall,^  (if  I  may  so  speak,)  then  may  we  say,  that  the 
Lord  hath  casten  water  upon  Scotland's  smoking  coal.  But  we 
hope  better  things  of  you.  It  is  not  wisdom,  however  it  be  the 
state-wisdom  now  in  request,  to  be  silent,  when  they  are  casting 
lots  for  a  better  thing  than  Christ's  coat.  All  this  land,  and  every 
man's  part  of  the  play  for  Christ,  and  tears  of  poor  and  friendless 
Zion,  (now  going  dool-like^  in  sackcloth,)  are  up  in  Heaven 
before  our  Lord  ;  and  there  is  no  question,  but  our  King  and  Lord 
shall  be  master  of  the  fields  at  length.  We  would  all  be  glad  to 
divide  the  spoil  with  Christ,  and  to  ride  in  triumph  with  him  ;  but 
oh,  how  few  will  take  a  cold  bed  of  straw  in  the  camp  with  him  ! 
how  fain  would  men  have  a  well-thatched  house  above  their  heads, 
all  the  way  to  Heaven  !  and  many  now,  would  go  to  Heaven  the 
land  way,  (for  they  love  not  to  be  sea-sick,)  riding  up  to  Christ 
upon  foot-mantles,  and  rattling  coaches,  and  rubbing  their  velvet 
with  the  princes  of  the  land  in  the  highest  seats  : — If  this  be  the 
way  that  Christ  called  strait  and  narrow,  I  quit  all  skill  of  the 

I  Under  obligation  to  you.  2  Scale. 

3  One's  hack  is  said  to  be  at  the  wall  when  one  is  in  a  depressed  and  unfortunate 
condition.  *  In  mourning  guise. 


408  Rutherford's  letters. 

way  to  salvation.  Are  they  not  now  louping'  Christ  and  the 
Gospel?  Have  tliey  not  put  our  Lord  Jesus  to  the  market,  and 
he  who  out-biddeth  his  fellow  shall  get  him? 

O  my  dear,  and  noble  Lord,  go  on,  (howbeit  the  wind  be  in 
your  face,)  to  back  our  princely  Captain.  Be  courageous  for  him. 
Fear  not  those  who  have  no  subscribed  lease  of  days.  The 
worms  shall  eat  kings.  Let  the  Lord  Jehovah  be  your  fear ;  and 
then,  as  the  Lord  liveth,  the  victory  is  yours.  It  is  true  tiiat  many 
are  striking  up  a  new  way  to  Heaven  ;  but,  my  soul  for  theirs  if 
ihey  find  it,  and  if  this  be  not  the  only  way,  whose  end  is  Christ's 
Father's  house  ;  and  my  weak  experience,  since  the  day  I  was 
first  in  bonds,  hath  confirmed  me  in  the  truth  and  assurance  of 
this.  Let  doctors  and  learned  men  cry  the  contrary,  I  am  per- 
suaded that  this  is  the  way.  The  bottom  hath  fallen  out  of  both 
their  wisdom  and  conscience  at  once  ;  their  book  hath  beguiled 
them,  for  we  have  fallen  upon  the  true  Christ.  I  dare  hazard,  if 
I  alone  had  ten  souls,  my  salvation  upon  this  Stone,  that  many 
now  break  their  bones  upon.  Let  them  take  this  fat  world. — Oh, 
poor  and  hungry  is  their  paradise  !  Therefore  let  me  entreat  your 
Lordship,  by  your  compearance  ^  before  Christ,  now  while  this 
piece  of  the  afternoon  of  your  day  is  before  you,  (for  ye  know  not 
when  your  sun  will  turn,  and  eternity  shall  benight  you,)  let  your 
worldly  glory,  honor,  and  might  be  for  our  Lord  Jesus.  And  to 
his  rich  grace  and  tender  mercy,  and  to  the  never-dying  comforts 
of  his  gracious  Spirit,  I  recommend  your  Lordship  and  your  noble 
House. 

Your  Lordship's,  at  all  obediencej  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  9, 1637. 


LETTER  CCLVH. 

TO    THE     LADY     LARGIRIE 


Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  hope  ye 
know  what  conditions  passed  betwixt  Christ  and  you,  at  your  first 
meeting.  Ye  remember  that  he  said,  your  summer  days  would 
have  clouds,  and  your  rose  a  prickly  thorn  beside  it.  Christ  is  un- 
mixed in  Heaven,  all  sweetness  and  honey.  Here  we  have  him 
with  his  thorny  and  rough  cross  :  yet  I  know  no  tree  that  beareth 
sweeter  fruit  than  Christ's  cross,  except  I  would  raise  a  lying  re- 
port on  it.  It  is  your  part  to  take  Christ,  as  he  is  to  be  had  in 
this  life.  Suiferings  are  like  a  wood  planted  round  about  his 
house,  over  door  and  window.  If  we  could  hold  fast  our  grips  ^  of 
him,  the  field  were  won.  Yet  a  little  while,  and  Christ  shall  tri- 
umph. Give  Christ  his  own  short  time,  to  spin  out  these  two 
long  threads  of  Heaven  and  Hell  to  all  mankind — for  certainly 
the  thread  will  not  break — and  when  he  hath  accomplished  his 
work  in  Mount  Zion,  and  hath  refined  his  silver,  he  will  bring  new 
'  Auctioning.  2  Appearance.  3  Gripe,  hold. 


Rutherford's  letters.  409 

yessels  out  of  the  furnace,  and  plenish  *  his  house,  and  take  up  his 
house  ^  again. 

I  counsel  you  to  free  yourself  of  clogging  temptations,  by  over- 
coming some,  and  contemning  others,  and  watching  over  all. 
Abide  true  and  loyal  to  Christ,  for  few  now  are  fast  to  him.  They 
give  Christ  blank  paper,  for  a  bond  of  service  and  attendance,  now 
when  Christ  hath  most  ado.  To  waste  a  little  blood  with  Christ, 
and  to  put  our  part  of  this  drossy  world  in  pawn  over  in  his  hand, 
as  willing  to  quit  it  for  him,  is  the  safest  cabinet  to  keep  the  world 
in.  But  those  who  would  take  the  world  and  all  their  flitting  ^ 
on  their  back,  and  run  away  from  Christ,  shall  fall  by  the  way, 
and  leave  their  burden  behind  them,  and  be  taken  captives  them- 
selves. Well  were  my  sold,  to  have  put  all  1  have,  life  and  soul, 
over  into  Christ's  hands.     Let  him  be  forthcoming  ^  for  all. 

If  any  ask  how  I  do  ?  I  answer,  None  can  be  but  well  that  are 
in  Christ :  and  if  I  were  not  so,  ray  sufferings  had  melted  me  away 
in  ashes  and  smoke. — I  thank  my  Lord,  that  he  hath  something 
in  me  that  this  fire  cannot  consume. 

Remember  my  love  to  your  husband  ;  and  show  him  from  me, 
that  I  desire  that  he  may  set  aside  all  things,  and  make  sure  work 
of  salvation,  that  it  be  not  a-seeking,  when  the  sand-glass  is  run 
out,  and  time  and  eternity  shall  tryste  *  together.  There  is  no 
errand  so  weighty  as  this.  Oh,  that  he  would  take  it  to  heart. 
Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  Christ  Jesus  his  Lord.  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CCLVIIL 

TO    THE     LADY     DUNGUEIGH. 

Mistress, — I  long  to  hear  from  you,  and  how  you  go  on  with 
Christ.  I  am  sure  that  Christ  and  you  once  met.  I  pray  you  to 
fasten  your  grips  ;*  there  is  holding  and  drawing,  and  much  sea- 
way to  Heaven,  and  we  are  often  sea-sick,  but  the  voyage  is  so 
needful,  that  we  must  on  any  terms  take  shipping  with  Christ.  I 
believe  it  is  a  good  country  which  we  are  going  to,  and  there  is 
ill  lodging  in  this  smoky  house  of  the  world,  in  which  we  are  yet 
living.  Oh,  that  we  should  love  smoke  so  well,  and  clay  that 
holdeth  our  feet  fast !  It  were  our  happiness  to  follow  after  Christ, 
and  to  anchor  ourselves  upon  the  Rock,  in  the  upper  side  of  the 
veil.  Christ  and  Satan  are  now  drawing  to  parties  ;  and  they  are 
blind  who  see  not  Scotland  divided  into  two  camps,  and  Christ 
coming  out  with  his  white  banner  of  love,  and  he  hangeth  that 
over  the  heads  of  his  soldiers  ;  and  the  other  captain,  the  Dragon, 
is  coming  out  with  a  great  black  flag,  and  crieth,  "  The  world, 

1  Furnish.  2  To  take  up  house,  to  enter  on  house-keeping. 

3  Goods  removable  from  one  residence  to  another.  ^  Answerable. 

5  Meet.  6  Gripe,  hold. 


410  Rutherford's  letters. 

the  world,  ease,  honor,  and  a  whole  skin,  and  a  soft  couch  ;"  and 
there  lie  they,  and  leave  Christ  to  fend  for  »  himself. 

My  counsel  is,  that  ye  come  out  and  leave  the  multitude,  and 
let  Christ  have  your  company.  Let  them  take  clay  and  this  pres- 
ent world,  who  love  it.  Christ  is  a  more  worthy  and  noble  por- 
tion ;  blessed  are  those  who  get  him.  It  is  good,  ere  the  storm  rise, 
to  make  ready  all,  and  to  be  prepared  to  go  to  the  camp  with  , 
Christ,  seeing  he  will  not  keep  the  house,  nor  sit  at  the  fire-side  "' 
with  couchers.2  ^  shower  for  Christ  is  little  enough.  Oh,  I  find 
all  too  little  for  him  !  Wo,  wo,  wo  is  me,  that  I  have  no  propine  ^ 
for  my  Lord  Jesus.  My  love  is  so  feckless,*  that  it  is  a  shame  to 
offer  it  to  him.  Oh,  if  it  were  as  broad  as  Heaven,  as  deep  as  the 
sea,  I  would  gladly  bestow  it  upon  him  !  I  persuade  you,  that 
God  is  wringing  grapes  of  red  wine  for  Scotland ;  and  that  this 
land  shall  drink,  and  spue,  and  fall.  His  enemies  shall  drink  the 
thick  of  it,  and  the  grounds  of  it.  But  Scotland's  withered  tree 
shall  blossom  again  ;  and  Christ  shall  make  a  second  marriage 
with  her,  and  take  home  his  wife  out  of  the  furnace.  But,  if  our 
eyes  shall  see  it,  He  knoweth  who  hath  created  time.  Grace  be 
with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CCLIX. 

TO     JONET      MACCULLOCH. 

Loving  Sister, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — Hold 
on  your  course,  for,  it  may  be,  that  I  shall  not  soon  see  you  :  ven- 
ture through  the  thick  of  all  things  after  Christ,  and  lose  not  your 
Master,  Christ,  in  the  throng  of  this  great  market.  Let  Christ 
know  how  heavy,  and  how  many  a  stone-weight  you,  and  your 
cares,  burdens,  crosses,  and  sins  are.  Let  him  bear  all.  Make 
the  heritage  sure  to  yourself:  get  charters  and  writs  passed  and 
through;  and  put  on  arms  for  the  battle,  and  keep  you  fast  by 
Christ,  and  then,  let  the  wind  blow  out  of  what  airth^  it  will,  your 
soul  shall  not  be  blown  into  the  sea. 

I  find  Christ  the  most  steadable^  friend  and  companion  in  the 
world  to  me  now : — the  need  and  usefulness  of  Christ  are  seen 
best  in  trials.  Oh,  if  he  be  not  well  worthy  of  his  room  !  Lodge 
him  in  house  and  heart;  and  stir  up  your  husband  to  seek  the 
Lord.  I  wonder  that  he  hath  never  written  to  me :  I  do  not  forget 
hira. 

I  taught  you  the  whole  counsel  of  God,  and  delivered  it  to  you : 
it  will  be  inquired  for  at  your  hands  ;  have  it  in  readiness  against 
the  time  that  the  Lord  ask  for  it.     Make  you  ready  to  meet  the 

1  Shift  for.  2  Cowards.  3  Present.  ♦   Faithless,  feeble. 

5  Direction,  point  of  the  compass.  *  Available. 


Rutherford's  letters.  411 

Lord ;  and  rest  and  sleep  in  the  love  of  that  Fairest  among  the 
sons  of  men.  Desire  Christ's  beauty.  Give  out  all  your  love  to 
him,  and  let  none  fall  by.     Learn  in  prayer  to  speak  to  him. 

Help  your  mother's  soul ;  and  desire  her,  from  me,  to  seek  the 
Lord  and  his  salvation.  It  is  not  soon  found  :  many  miss  it. 
Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  loving  pastor,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER   CCLX. 

1 

TO  HIS  REVEREND,  AND  VERY  DEAR  BROTHER,  MR.  GEORGE 

GILLESPIE. 

My  VERY  DEAR  BROTHER, — I  received  yours.— I  am  still  with 
the  Lord.  His  cross  hath  done  that  which  I  thought  impossible 
once;  Christ  keepeth  tryste'  in  the  fire  and  water  with  his  own, 
and  cometh  ere  our  breath  go  out,  and  ere  our  blood  grow  cold. 

Blessed  are  they  whose  feet  escape  the  great,  golden  net  that  is 
now  spread.  It  is  happiness  to  take  the  crabbed,  rough,  and  poor 
side  of  Christ's  world,  which  is  a  lease  of  crosses  and  losses  for 
him ;  for  Christ's  incomes  and  casualties  that  follow  him  are 
many ;  and  it  is  not  a  little  one.  that  a  good  conscience  may  be 
had  in  following  him.  This  is  true  gain,  and  must  be  labored  for, 
and  loved. 

Many  give  Christ  for  a  shadow,  because  Christ  was  rather 
beside  their  conscience,  in  a  dead  and  reprobate  light,  than  in 
their  conscience.  Let  us,  therefore,  be  ballasted  with  grace,  that 
we  be  not  blown  over,  and  that  we  stagger  not.  Yet  a  little 
while,  and  Christ  and  his  redeemed  ones  shall  fill  the  field,  and 
come  out  victorious :  Christ's  glory  of  triumphing  in  Scotland  is 
yet  in  the  bud,  and  in  the  birth ;  but  the  birth  cannot  prove  an 
abortion.  He  shall  not  faint  nor  be  discouraged,  till  he  hath 
brought  forth  judgment  unto  victory.  Let  us  still  mind  our 
Covenant :  and  the  very  God  of  peace  be  with  you. 

Your  brother  in  Christ,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  9,  1637. 


LETTER  CCLXI. 


TO    HIS    REVEREND,  AND    DEAR    BROTHER,    MR.    ROBERT    BLAIR. 

Reverend,  and  dear  Brother, — The  reason  ye  gave  for 
not  writing  to  me,  aflfecteth  me  much,  and  giveth  me  a  dash, 
when  such  an  one  as  ye  conceive  an  opinion  of  me,  or  of  any- 
thing in  me.  The  truth  is,  when  I  come  home  to  myself,  oh, 
what  penury  do  I  find,  and  how  feckless  ^  is  my  supposed  stock, 

1  Keep  tryste,  obtemperate  an  appointment.  2  Worthless. 


412  .       Rutherford's  letters. 

and  how  little  have  I !  He  to  whom  I  am  as  crystal,  and  who 
seeth  through  me,  and  perceiveth  the  least  mote  that  is  in  me, 
knoweth  that  I  speak  what  I  think  and  am  convinced  of:  but 
men  cast  me  through  a  gross  and  wide  sieve.  My  very  dear 
brother,  the  room  of  the  least  of  all  saints  is  too  great  for  the  like 
of  me ;  but,  lest  this  should  seem  art,  to  fetch  home  reputation,  I 
speak  no  more  of  it.  It  is  my  worth  to  be  Christ's  ransomed 
sinner  and  sick  one ;  his  relation  to  me  is,  that  I  am  sick,  and  he 
is  the  Physician  of  whom  I  stand  in  need.  Alas,  how  often  play 
I  fast  and  loose  with  Christ !  He  bindeth,  I  loose  ;  he  buildeth,  I 
cast  down  ;  he  trimmeth  up  a  salvation  for  me,  and  I  mar  it ;  I 
cast  outi  with  Christ,  and  he  agreeth  with  me  again,  twenty 
times  a-day ;  I  forfeit  my  kingdom  and  heritage ;  I  lose  what  I 
had;  but  Christ  is  at  my  back,  and  following  on,  to  stoop  and 
take  up  what  falleth  from  me.  Were  I  in  Heaven,  and  had  the 
crown  on  my  head,  if  Free-will  were  my  tutor,  I  should  lose 
Heaven :  seeing  I  lose  myself,  what  wonder  I  should  let  go,  and 
lose  Jesus,  my  Lord  ?  Oh,  well  to  me  for  evermore,  that  I  have 
cracked  my  credit  with  Christ,  and  cannot  by  law  at  all  borrow 
from  him,  upon  my  feckless*^  and  worthless  bond  and  faith  !  For 
my  faith  and  reputation  with  Christ,  is,  that  I  am  a  creature  that 
God  will  not  put  any  trust  into.  I  was,  and  am  bewildered  with 
temptations,  and  wanted  a  guide  to  Heaven : — oh,  what  have  I  to 
say  of  that  excellent,  surpassing,  and  super-eminent  thing,  they 
call.  The  grace  of  God,  the  way  of  free  redemption  in  Christ ! 
And  when  poor,  poor  I,  dead  in  law,  was  sold,  fettered,  and 
imprisoned,  in  justice's  closest  ward,  which  is  hell  and  damnation  ; 
when  I,  a  wretched  one,  lighted  upon  noble  Jesus,  eternally  kind 
Jesus,  tender-hearted  Jesus ;  nay,  when  he  lighted  upon  me  first, 
and  knew  me ;  I  found  that  he  scorned  to  take  a  price,  or  any- 
thing like  hire,  of  angels  or  seraphim,  or  any  of  his  creatures ; 
and,  therefore,  I  would  praise  him  for  this,  that  the  whole  army 
of  the  redeemed  ones  sit  rent-free  in  Heaven.  Our  holding  is 
better  than  blench  :^  we  are  all  freeholders.  And  seeing  tliat  our 
eternal  feu-duty*  is  but  thanks,  oh,  woful  me!  that  1  have  but 
spilled 5  thanks,  lame,  and  broken,  and  miscarried  praises  to  give 
him,  and  so  my  silver^  is  not  good  and  current  with  Christ,  were 
it  not  that  free  merits  have  stamped  it,  and  washen^  it  and  me 
both !  And  for  my  silence  I  see  somewhat  better  through  it  now. 
If  my  high  and  lofty  One,  my  princely  and  royal  Master,  say, 
"Hold,  hold  thy  peace,  I  lay  bonds  on  thee,  thou  must  speak 
none,"  I  would  fain  be  content,  and  let  my  fire  be  smothered 
under  ashes,  without  light  or  tiame  !  I  cannot  help  it.  I  take 
laws  from  my  Lord,  but  I  give  none. 

As  for  your  journey  to  F.,  ye  do  well  to  follow  it.     The  camp 
is  Christ's  ordinary  bed.     A  carried  bed  is  kindly  to  the  Beloved, 

1  Fall  out.  2  Feeble. 

3  Blcnch-holding,  is  a  holding  by  the  payment,  if  demanded,  of  some  nominal  quit- 
rent,  as  a  rose,  an  arrow,  etc.  *  Yearly  rent  for  a  fief. 
5  Spoiled.                               s  Money,  '  Washed. 


Rutherford's  letters.  413 

down  in  this  lower  house.  It  may  be,  and  who  knoweth  but  our 
Lord  has  some  centurions,  whom  ye  are  sent  to,  seeing  your 
angry  Mother  denielh  you  lodging  and  house-room  with  her. 
Christ's  call  to  unknown  faces  must  be  your  second  wind,  seeing 
ye  cannot  have  a  first.  Oh,  that  our  Lord  would  water  again 
with  a  new  visit,  this  piece  withered  and  dry  hill  of  our  Widow — 
Mount  Zion  ! 

My  dear  brother,  I  shall  think  it  comfort,  if  ye  speak  my  name 
to  our  Well-beloved.  Wherever  ye  are,  I  am  mindful  of  you. 
Oh,  that  the  Lord  would  yet  make  the  light  of  the  moon  in 
Scotland  as  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  the  light  of  the  sun  seven- 
fold brighter.  For  myself,  as  yet  I  have  received  no  answer 
whither  to  go.  I  wait  on.  Oh,  that  Jesus  had  my  love  !  Let 
matters  frame  as  they  list,  I  have  some  more  to  do  with  Christ ; 
yet  I  would  fain  we  were  nearer. 

Now  the  great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  the  very  God  of  peace, 
establish  and  confirm  you,  till  the  day  of  his  coming. 

Yours,  in  his  lovely  and  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
Aberdeen,  Sept.  9,  1637. 


LETTER  CCLXIL 

TO     THE      LADY     CARLTON. 

Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — My  soul 
longeth  once  again  to  be  amongst  you,  and  to  behold  that  beauty 
of  the  Lord,  that  I  would  see  in  his  house  ;  but  I  know  not  if  He 
in  whose  hands  are  all  our  ways,  seeth  it  expedient  for  his  glory. 
I  owe  m)'^  Lord,  I  know,  submission  of  spirit,  suppose  he  should 
turn  me  into  a  stone,  or  pillar  of  salt.  Oh.  that  I  were  he  in 
whom  my  Lord  could  be  glorified  !  suppose  my  little  heaven  were 
forfeited,  to  buy  glory  to  him  before  men  and  angels  ;  suppose  my 
want  of  his  presence,  and  separation  from  Christ  were  a  pillar  as 
high  as  ten  heavens  for  Christ's  glory  to  stand  upon,  above  all  the 
world.  What  am  I  to  him  ?  How  little  am  I,  (though  my  feathers 
stood  out  as  broad  as  the  morning  light,)  to  such  a  high,  to  such 
a  lofty,  to  such  a  never-enough  admired  and  glorious  Lord  !  My 
trials  are  heavy,  because  of  my  sad  Sabbaths  ;  but  I  know  that 
they  are  less  than  my  high  provocations.  I  seek  no  more  than 
that  Christ  may  be  the  gainer,  and  I  the  loser  ;  that  he  may  be 
raised  and  heightened,  and  I  cried  down,  and  my  worth  made 
dust  before  his  glory.  Oh,  that  Scotland,  all  with  one  shout, 
would  cry  up  Christ,  and  that  his  name  were  high  in  this  land  ! 
I  find  the  very  utmost  borders  of  Christ's  high  excellency  and 
deep  sweetness.  Heaven's  and  earth's  wonder.  Oh,  what  is  he  ? 
if  I  could  but  win  in  ^  to  see  his  inner  side  !  Oh,  I  am  run  dry 
of  loving,  and  wondering,  and  adoring  of  that  greatest  and  most 

1  Get  in. 


414  Rutherford's  letters. 

admirable  One  !  Wo,  wo  is  me,  I  have  not.  half  love  for  him  ! 
Alas,  what  can  my  drop  do  to  his  great  sea  !  what  gain  is  it  to 
Christ,  that  I  have  casten  my  little  sparkle  into  his  great  fire  ! 
What  can  I  give  to  him  !  Oh,  that  I  had  love  to  fill  a  thousand 
worlds,  that  I  might  empty  my  soul  of  it  all  upon  Christ !  I 
think  I  have  just  reason  to  quit  my  part  of  any  hope  or  love  that 
I  have  to  this  scum,  and  the  refuse  of  the  dross  of  God's  work- 
manship, this  vain  earth.  I  owe  to  this  stormy  world,  (whose 
kindness  and  heart  to  me  have  been  made  of  iron,  or  a  piece  of  a 
wild  sea-island,  that  never  a  creature  of  God  lodged  in,)  not  a 
look :  I  owe  it  no  love,  no  hope ;  and,  therefore,  oh,  if  '  my  love 
were  dead  to  it,  and  my  soul  dead  to  it !  What  am  I  obliged  to 
this  house  of  my  pilgrimage  ?  A  straw  for  all  that  God  hath 
made,  to  my  soul's  liking,  except  God,  and  that  lovely  One,  Jesus 
Christ.  Seeing  I  am  not  this  world's  debtor,  I  desire  that  I  may 
be  stripped  of  all  confidence  in  anything  but  my  Lord,  that  he 
may  be  for  me,  and  I  for  my  only,  only,  only  Lord  ;  that  he  may 
be  the  morning  and  evening  tide,  the  top  and  the  root  of  my 
joys,  and  the  heart  and  flower  and  yolk  of  all  my  soul's  delights. 
Oh,  let  me  never  lodge  any  creature  in  my  heart  and  confidence ! 
Let  the  house  be  for  him,  I  rejoice,  that  sad  days  cut  oft'  a  piece 
of  the  lease  of  my  short  life ;  and  that  my  shadow,  even  while  I 
suffer,  weareth  long,  and  my  evening  hasteneth  on.  I  have  cause 
to  love  home  with  all  my  heart ;  and  to  take  the  opportunity  of 
the  day  to  hasten  to  the  end  of  my  journey,  before  the  night  come 
on,  wherein  a  man  cannot  see  to  walk  or  work  ;  that  once,^  after 
my  falls,  I  may  at  night  fall  in,  weary  and  tired  as  I  am,  into 
Christ's  bosom,  and  betwixt  his  breasts.  Our  prison  cannot  be 
our  best  country.  This  world  looketh  not  like  Heaven  and  the 
happiness  that  our  tired  souls  would  be  at ;  and,  therefore,  it  were 
good  to  seek  about  for  the  wind,  and  hoist  up  our  sails  towards 
our  New  Jerusalem,  for  that  is  our  best. 

Remember  a  prisoner  to  Christ.     Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 
Yours,  in  his  only  Lord  and  Master,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CCLXin. 

TO     WILLIAM      RIGGE,     OF     ATHERNIE. 

Much  honored,  and  worthy  Sir, — Your  letter,  full  of  com- 
plaints, bemoaning  your  guiltiness,  hath  humbled  me.  But  give 
me  leave  to  say  that  ye  seem  to  be  too  far  upon  the  Law's  side ; 
ye  will  not  gain  much  to  be  the  law's  advocate.  I  thought  ye 
had  not  been  the  law's,  but  Grace's  man  ;  nevertheless,  I  am  sure 
that  ye  desire  to  take  God's  part  against  yourself.  Whatever 
your  guiltiness  be,  yet  when  it  falleth  into  the  sea  of  God's  mercy, 

1  Oh,  that.  *  At  last. 


Rutherford's  letters.  415 

it  is  but  like  a  drop  of  blood  fallen  into  the  great  ocean.  There 
is  nothing  here  to  be  done,  but  to  let  Christ's  doom  light  on  the 
Old  Man,  and  let  him  bear  his  condemnation,  seeing  in  Christ  he 
was  condemned  ;  for  the  law  hath  but  power  over  your  worst 
half  Let  the  blame,  therefore,  lie  where  the  blame  should  be ; 
and  let  the  New  Man  be  sure  to  say,  "  I  am  comely  as  the  tents 
of  Kedar,  howbeit  I  be  black  and  sun-burnt,  by  sitting  neighbor 
beside  a  body  of  sin."  I  seek  no  more  here  than  room  for  Grace's 
defence,  and  Christ's  white  throne,  whereto  a  sinner,  condemned 
by  the  law,  may  appeal.  But  the  use  that  I  make  of  it,  is,  I  am 
sorry  that  I  am  not  so  tender  and  thin-skinned,  though  I  am  sure 
that  Christ  may  find  employment  for  his  calling  in  me,  if  in  any 
living,  seeing,  from  my  youth  upward,  I  have  been  making  up 
the  blackest  process  that  any  minister  in  the  world,  or  any  other 
can  answer  to. 

And,  when  I  had  done  this,  I  painted  a  providence  of  my  own, 
and  wrote  ease  for  myself,  and  a  peaceable  ministry,  and  the  sun 
shining  on  me,  till  I  should  be  in  at  Heaven's  gates : — such  green 
and  raw  thoughts  had  I  of  God  !  I  thought  also  of  a  sleeping 
devil,  that  would  pass  by  the  like  of  me,  lying  in  muirs'  and  out- 
fields ;  ^  so  I  bigged  ^  the  gowk's  nest,*  and  dreamed  of  dying  at 
ease,  and  living  in  a  fool's  paradise :  but  since  I  came  hither,  I 
am  often  so,  as  they  would  have  much  rhetoric  that  could  per- 
suade me,  that  Christ  hath  not  written  wrath  on  my  dumb  and 
silent  Sabbaths  ;  (wliich  is  a  persecution  of  the  latest  edition,  being 
used  against  none  in  this  land,  that  I  can  learn  of,  besides  me ;) 
and  often  I  lie  under  a  non-entry,  and  would  gladly  sell  all  my 
joys  to  be  confirmed  free  tenant  of  the  King  Jesus,  and  to  have 
sealed  assurances — but  I  see  often  blank  papers.  And  my  great- 
est desires  are  these  two  : — 1.  That  Christ  would  take  me  in  hand 
to  cure  me,  and  undertake  for  a  sick  man.  I  know  that  I  should 
not  die  under  his  hand  ;  and  yet  in  this,  while  I  still  doubt,  I  be- 
lieve through  a  cloud,  tliat  sorrow,  which  hath  no  eyes,  hath  but 
put  a  veil  on  Christ's  love. — 2.  It  pleaseth  him  often,  since  I  came 
hither,  to  come  with  some  short  blinks^  of  his  sweet  love;  and 
then,  because  I  have  none  to  help  me  to  praise  his  love,  and  can 
do  him  no  service  in  my  own  person,  (as  I  once  thought  I  did  in 
his  temple,)  I  die  with  wishes  and  desires  to  take  up  house,  and 
dwell  at  the  Well-side,  and  to  have  him  praised  and  set  on  high. 
But  alas  !  what  can  the  like  of  me  do,  to  get  a  good  name  raised 
upon  my  Well-beloved  Lord  Jesus,  suppose  I  could  desire  to  be 
suspended  forever,  of  my  part  of  heaven,  for  his  glory?  I  am 
sure,  if  I  could  get  my  will  of  Christ's  love,  and  could  once  be  over 
head  and  ears,  in  the  believed,  apprehended,  and  seen  love  of  the 
Son  of  God,  it  were  the  fulfilling  of  the  desires  of  the  only  happi- 

•  Extensive  tracts  of  waste  land,  covered  with  heath. 

2  Wild,  unfrequented  places.  3  Builded. 

<  Cuckoo's  nest.  The  cuckoo  is  understood  not  to  build  a  nest  of  her  own,  but  to 
lay  her  eggs  in  that  of  another  bird ;  hence,  to  big,  or  build  the  gowk's,  or  cuckoo's 
nest,  to  rest  on  unfounded  hopes.  5  Ghmpses. 


416  RUTHERFORD  S    LETTERS. 

ness  I  would  be  at.  But  the  truth  is,  I  hinder  my  communion 
with  him,  because  of  the  want  of  both  faith  and  repentance,  and 
because  I  will  make  an  idol  of  Christ's  kisses.  1  will  neither  lead 
nor  drive,  except  I  see  Christ's  love  run  in  my  channel ;  and  when 
I  wait  and  look  for  him  the  upper  way,  I  see  his  wisdom  is  pleased 
to  play  me  a  slip,  and  come  the  lower  way  :  so  that  1  have  not  the 
right  art  of  guiding  Christ;  for  there  is  art  and  wisdom  required 
in  guiding  of  Christ's  love  aright  when  we  have  gotten  it.  Oh, 
how  far  are  his  ways  above  mine !  Oh,  how  little  of  him  do  I 
see !  And  when  I  am  as  dry  as  a  burnt  heath,  in  a  drouthy ' 
summer,  and  when  my  root  is  withered,  howbeit  I  think  then, 
that  I  would  drink  a  sea-full  of  Christ's  love,  ere  ever  I  would  let 
the  cup  go  from  my  head  ;  yet  I  get  nothing  but  delays,  as  if  he 
would  make  hunger  my  daily  food.  I  think  myself  also  hungered 
of  hunger ; — the  rich  Lord  Jesus  satisfy  a  famished  man. 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  own,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept,  10,  1637. 


LETTER  CCLXIV. 

TO     THE     LADY     CRAIGHALL. 

Honorable,  and  Christian  Lady, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace 
be  to  you. — I  cannot  but  write  to  your  Ladyship,  of  the  sweet  and 
glorious  terms  I  am  in  with  the  most  joyful  Kmg  that  ever  was, 
under  this  well-thriving  and  prosperous  cross.  It  is  my  Lord's 
salvation,  wrought  by  his  own  right  hand,  that  the  water  doth  not 
suffocate  the  breath  of  hope,  and  joyful  courage  in  the  Lord  Jesus  ; 
for  his  own  person  is  still  in  the  camp  with  his  poor  soldier.  I  see 
that  the  cross  is  tied,  with  Christ's  hand,  to  the  end  of  an  honest 
profession.  We  are  but  fools  to  endeavor  to  loose  Christ's  knot. 
When  I  consider  the  comforts  of  God,  I  durst  not  consent  to  sell 
or  wadset^  my  short  life-rent  of  the  cross  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  I 
know  that  Christ  bought  with  his  own  blood  a  right  to  sanctified 
and  blessed  crosses,  in  as  far  as  they  blow  me  over  the  water  to 
my  long  desired  home :  and  it  were  not  good  that  Christ  should 
be  the  buyer  and  I  the  seller.  I  know  that  time  and  death  shall 
take  sufferings  fairly  off  my  hand.  I  hope  we  shall  have  an  hon- 
est parting  at  night,  when  this  cold  and  frosty  afternoon-tide  of 
my  evil  and  rough  day  shall  be  over.  Weil  is  my  soul  of  either 
sweet  or  sour,  that  Christ  hath  any  part  or  portion  in  :  if  he  be  at 
the  one  end  of  it,  it  shall  be  well  with  me.  I  shall  die  ere  I  libel 
faults  against  Christ's  cross.  It  shall  have  my  testimonial^  under 
my  hand,  as  an  honest  and  saving  mean  of  Christ  for  mortifica- 
tion and  faith's  growth.  I  have  a  stronger  assurance,  since  I  came 
over  the  Forth,  of  the  excellency  of  Jesus,  than  I  had  before.     I 

>  Droughty.  2  Alienate.  3  Certificate. 


Rutherford's  letters.  417 

am  rather  aooiit  mm  than  in  him,  while  I  am  absent  from  him  in 
this  house  of  clay.  But  I  would  be  in  Heaven  for  no  other  cause 
than  to  essay  and  try  what  boundless  jo)'^  it  must  be  to  be  over 
head  and  ears  in  my  Well-beloved  Christ's  love.  Oh,  that  fair 
One  hath  my  heart  for  evermore  !  But  alas,  it  is  over  little  for 
him  !  Oh,  if  it  were  better  and  more  worthy  for  his  sake  !  Oh, 
if  ^  I  might  meet  with  him,  face  to  face,  on  this  side  of  eternity, 
and  might  have  leave  to  plead  with  him,  that  I  am  so  hungered 
and  famished  here,  with  the  niggardly  portion  of  his  love  that  he 
giveth  me  !  Oh,  that  I  might  be  carver  and  steward  myself,  at 
mine  own  will,  of  Christ's  love  !  (if  1  may  lawfully  wish  this,)  then 
would  I  enlarge  my  vessel,  (alas  !  a  narrow  and  ebb'^  soul,)  and 
take  in  a  sea  of  his  love.  My  hunger  for  it,  is  hungry  and  lean, 
in  believing  that  ever  I  shall  be  satisfied  with  that  love :  so  fain 
would  I  have  what  I  know  I  cannot  hold.  O  Lord  Jesus,  delight- 
est  thou,  delightest  thou,  to  pine  and  torment  poor  souls  with  the 
want  of  thy  incomparable  love  !  Oh,  if  ^  I  durst  call  thy  dispensa- 
tion cruel !  I  know  that  thou  thyself  art  mercy,  without  either 
brim  or  bottom :  I  know  that  thou  art  a  God  bank-full'  of  mercy 
and  love  ;  but,  oh,  alas  !  little  of  it  cometh  my  way.  I  die  to  look 
afar  off  to  that  love,  because  I  can  get  but  little  of  it.  But  hope 
saith,  "  This  providence  shall  ere  long  look  more  favorably  upon 
poor  bodies,"  and  on  me  also.  Grace  be  with  your  Ladyship's 
spirit. 

Your  Ladyship's,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 
Aberdeen,  Sept.  10, 1637. 


LETTER  CCLXV. 

TO   THE    RIGHT    HONORABLE,    MY    LORD    LOUDON. 

Right  Honorable, —  Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  your 
Lordsliip. — I  rejoice  exceedingly,  to  hear  that  your  Lordship  hath 
a  good  mind  to  Christ,  and  his  now  borne-down  truth.  My  very 
dear  Lord,  go  on,  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord,  to  carry  your  honors 
and  worldly  glory  to  the  New  Jerusalem  :  for  this  cause  your 
Lordship  received  these  of  the  Lord.  This  is  a  sure  way  for  the 
establishment  of  your  House,  if  ye  be  of  those  who  are  willing,  in 
your  place,  to  build  Zion's  old  waste  places  in  Scotland.  Your 
Lordship  wanteth  not  God's  and  man's  law  both,  now  to  come  to 
the  streets  for  Christ:  and  suppose  the  bastard  laws  of  man  were 
against  you,  it  is  an  honest  and  zealous  error,  if  here  ye  slip 
against  a  point  or  punctilio  of  standing  policy.  When  your  foot 
slippeth  in  such  known  ground,  as  is  the  royal  prerogative  of  our 
high  and  most  truly  dread  Sovereign,  (who  hath  many  crowns  on 
his  head.)  and  the  liberties  of  his  house,  he  will  hold  you  up. 
Blessed  shall  they  be,  who  take  Babel's  little  ones,  and  dash  their 

1  Oh,  that.  2  Shallow.  3  pull  to  the  bank. 

27 


418  Rutherford's  letters. 

heads  against,  the  stones  :  I  wish  your  Lordship  may  have  a  share 
of  that  blessing-,  with  other  worthy  nobles  in  our  land. 

It  is  trne  that  it  is  now  accounted  wisdom  for  men  to  be  part- 
ners in  pulhng  up  the  stakes,  and  loosing  the  cords  of  the  tent  of 
Christ :  but  I  am  persuaded,  that  that  wisdom  is  cried  down  in 
Heaven,  and  shall  never  pass  for  true  wisdom  with  the  Lord, 
whose  word  crieth  shame  upon  wit  against  Christ  and  truth  :  and, 
accordingly,  it  shall  prove  shame  and  confusion  of  face  in  the  end. 
Our  Lord  hath  given  your  Lordship  light  of  a  better  stamp,  and 
learning  also,  wherein  ye  are  not  behind  the  disputer  and  the 
scribe.  Oh,  what  a  blessed  thing  is  it,  to  see  nobility,  learning, 
and  sanctification,  all  concur  in  one  !  For  these  ye  owe  yourself 
to  Christ  and  his  kingdom.  God  hath  bewildered  and  bemisted^ 
the  wit  and  the  learning  of  the  scribes  and  disputers  of  this  time ; 
they  look  asquint  to  the  Bible  ;  this  blinding  and  bemisting^  world 
blindfoldeth  men's  light,  that  they  are  afraid  to  see  straight  out 
before  them  :  nay,  their  very  light  playeth  the  knave,  or  worse,  to 
truth.  Your  Lordship  knoweth  that  within  a  little  while,  policy 
against  truth  shall  blush,  and  the  works  of  men  shall  be  burned 
up,  even  their  spider's-web,  who  spin  out  many  hundred  ells  and 
webs  of  indifferences  in  the  Lord's  worship,  moe  than  ever  Moses, 
who  would  have  a  hoof  material,  and  Daniel,  who  would  have  a 
look  out  at  a  window,  a  matter  of  life  and  death — than  ever,  I  say, 
these  men  of  God  dreamed  of  Alas,  that  men  dare  to  shape,  carve, 
cut,  and  clip  our  King's  princely  testament  in  length  and  breadth, 
and  in  all  dhnensions,  answerable  to  the  conception  of  such  policy 
as  a  head-of-wit^  thinketh  a  safe  and  trim  way  of  serving  God! 
How  have  men  forgotten  the  Lord,  that  they  dare  to  go  against 
even  that  truth,  which  once  they  preached  themselves,  howbeit 
their  sermons  now  be  as  thin  sown  as  strawberries  in  a  wood  or 
wilderness?  Certainly  the  sweetest  and  safest  course  is,  for  this 
short  time  of  the  afternoon  of  this  old  and  declining  world,  to 
stand  for  Jesus ;  he  hath  said  it,  and  it  is  our  part  to  believe  it, 
that  ere  it  be  long,  "Time  shall  be  no  more,  and  the  Heaven 
shall  wax  old  as  a  garment."  Do  we  not  see  it  already  an  old, 
and  thread-bare  garment,  full  of  holes?  Doth  not  cripple^  and 
lame  nature  tell  us,  that  the  Lord  will  fold  up  the  old  garment, 
and  lay  it  aside :  and  that  the  heavens  shall  be  folded  together  as 
a  scroll,  and  this  pest-house  shall  be  burnt  with  lire,  and  that  both 
plenishing*  and  walls  shall  melt  with  fervent  heat?  for  at  the 
Lord's  coming,  he  will  do  with  this  earth,  as  men  do  with  a  leper- 
house  ;*  he  will  burn  the  walls  with  fire,  and  the  plenishing*  of 
the  house  also  ;  (2  Peter  iii.  10,  12.)  My  dear  Lord,  how  will  ye 
rejoice  in  that  day,  to  have  Christ,  angels,  Heaven,  and  your  own 
conscience  to  smile  upon  you?  I  am  persuaded  that  one  sick 
night,  through  the  terrors  of  the  Almighty,  would  make  men, 
(whose  conscience  has  such  a  wide  tiiroat  that  an  image  like  a 
cathedral  church  would  go  down  it,)  have  other  thoughts  of  Christ 

'  To  beviisty  to  envelop  in  mist.  2  a  wiseacre. 

3  Halting,  <  Furniture  s  Lazaretto. 


Rutherford's  letters.  419 

and  his  worship,  than  now  they  please  themselves  with.  The 
scarcity  of  faitli  in  the  earth  saitli,  "  We  are  hard  upon  the  last 
nick'  of  time :"  blessed  are  those  who  keep  their  garments  clean 
against  the  Bridegroom's  coming.  There  shall  be  spotted  clothes, 
and  many  defiled  garments,  at  his  last  coming ;  and,  therefore, 
few  found  worthy  to  walk  with  him  in  white. 

I  am  persuaded,  my  Lord,  that  this  poor  travailing  Woman,  our 
pained  Church,  is  with  child  of  victory,  and  shall  bring  forth  a 
Man-child  all  lovely  and  glorious,  that  shall  be  caught  up  to  God 
and  to  his  throne,  howbeit  the  Dragon,  in  his  followers,  be  attend- 
ing the  child-birth  pain,  as  an  Egyptian  midwife,  to  receive  the 
birth  and  strangle  it.  But  they  shall  be  disappointed  who  thirst 
for  the  destruction  of  Zion  :  (Isa,  xxix.  8,)  "  They  shall  be  as  when 
a  hungry  man  dreameth  that  he  eateth;  but,  behold,  he  awaketh, 
and  his  soul  is  empty :  or  when  a  thirsty  man  dreameth  that  he 
drinketh  ;  but,  behold,  he  awaketh,  and  is  faint,  and  his  soul  is  not 
satisfied :  so  shall  it  be,"  I  say,  "  with  the  multitude  of  all  the  na- 
tions that  fight  against  Mount  Zion."  Therefore,  the  weak  and 
feeble,  those  that  are  "as  signs  and  wonders  in  Israel,"  have 
chosen  the  best  side,  even  the  side  that  victory  is  upon  ;  and  I 
think  this  is  no  evil  policy. 

Verily,  for  myself,  I  am  so  well  pleased  with  Christ,  and  his  no- 
ble and  honest-born  cross,  this  cross  that  is  come  of  Christ's  house, 
and  is  of  kin  '^  to  himself,  that  I  should  weep  if  it  should  come  to 
niffering^  and  bartering  of  lots  and  condition  with  those  that  are 
"  at  ease  in  Zion."  I  hold  still  my  choice,  and  bless  myself  in  it. 
I  see  and  I  believe,  that  there  is  salvation  in  this  way,  which  is 
everywhere  spoken  against.  I  hope  to  go  to  eternity,  and  to  ven- 
ture on  the  last  evil  to  the  saints,  even  upon  death,  fully  persuaded 
that  this  only,  even  this,  is  tiie  saving  way  for  racked  consciences, 
and  for  weary  and  laden  sinners,  to  find  ease  and  peace  for  ever- 
more in.  And,  indeed,  it  is  not  for  any  worldly  respect  that  I 
speak  so  of  it.  The  weather  is  not  so  hot,  that  I  have  great  cause 
to  startle^  in  my  prison,  or  to  boast  of  that  entertainment  that  my 
good  friends,  the  prelates,  intend  for  me,  which  is  banishment,  if 
they  shall  obtain  their  desire,  and  effectuate  what  they  design. 
But  let  it  come,  I  rue  not  that  I  made  Christ  my  wale  and  my 
choice  ;5  I  think  him  aye  the  longer  the  better. 

My  Lord,  it  shall  be  good  service  to  God,  to  hold  your  noble 
friend  and  chiefs  upon  a  good  course  for  the  truth  of  Christ. 
Now  the  very  God  of  peace  establish  your  Lordship  in  Christ 
Jesus  unto  the  end. 

Your  Lordship's,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  10,  1G37. 

1  Moment.  ^  Related.  3  Exchanging. 

i  To  run  wildly  about  in  an  excited  state,  as  cattle  do  in  very  hot  weather, 
s  The  very  best  that  could  be  chosen.  «  Argyll 


420  Rutherford's  letters. 


LETTER  CCLXVI. 

to    mr.    david    dickson. 

Reverend  and  well-beloved  Brother  in  the  Lord, — 
I  bless  the  Lord,  who  hath  so  wonderfully  stopped  the  on-going 
of  that  lawless  process  against  you.  The  Lord  reigneth,  and  hath 
a  saving  eye  upon  you  and  your  ministry  ;  and,  therefore,  fear  not 
what  men  can  do.  I  bless  the  Lord,  that  the  Irish  ministers  find 
employment,  and  the  professors  comfort  of  their  ministry.  Believe 
me,  I  durst  not,  as  I  am  now  disposed,  hold  an  honest  brother  out 
of  the  pulpit.  [  trust  that  the  Lord  will  guard  you,  and  hide  you 
in  the  shadow  of  his  hand ;  I  am  not  pleased  with  any  that  are 
against  you  in  that. 

I  see  this,  that  in  prosperity  men's  conscience  will  not  start  at 
small  sins  ;  but  if  some  had  been  where  I  have  been  since  I  came 
from  you,  a  little  more  would  have  caused  their  eyes  to  water,  and 
trouble  their  peace.  Oh,  how  ready  are  we  to  incline  to  the  world's 
hand!  Our  arguments,  being  well  examined,  are  often  drawn 
from  our  skin ;  the  whole  skin,  and  a  peaceable  tabernacle,  is  a 
topic-maxim  in  great  request  in  our  logic. 

I  find  a  little  brairding'  of  God's  seed  in  this  town,  for  the  which 
the  doctors  have  told  me  their  mind,  that  they  cannot  bear  with 
it,  and  have  examined  and  threatened  the  people  that  haunt  my 
company.  I  fear  1  get  not  leave  to  winter  here ;  and  whither  I 
go  I  know  not;  1  am  ready  at  the  Lord's  call.  I  would,  I  could 
make  acquaintance  with  Christ's  cross,  for  I  find  comforts  lie  to 
and  follow  upon  the  cross.  I  suffer,  in  my  name,  by  them ;  but 
I  take  it  as  a  part  of  the  crucifying  of  the  Old  Man.  Let  them 
cut  the  throat  of  my  credit,  and  do  as  they  like  best  with  it. 
When  the  wind  of  their  calumnies  hath  blown  away  my  good 
name  from  me,  in  the  way  to  Heaven,  I  know  that  Christ  will 
take  my  name  out  of  the  mire,  and  wash  it,  and  restore  it  to  me 
again.  I  would  have  a  mind,  (if  the  Lord  would  be  pleased  to  give 
me  it,)  to  be  a  fool  for  Christ's  sake.  Sometimes,  while  I  have  Christ 
in  my  arms,  I  fall  asleep  in  the  sweetness  of  his  presence,  and  he, 
in  my  sleep,  stealeth  away  out  of  my  arms ;  and  when  I  awake, 
I  miss  him. 

I  am  much  comforted  with  my  Lady  Pitshgo,  a  good  woman, 
and  acquainted  with  God's  ways. 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  11, 1637. 

1  Sprouting  and  appearing  of  seed  above  the  ground. 


Rutherford's  letters.  421 

LETTER  CCLXVII. 

TO      ALEXANDER     GORDON,     OF      EARLSTON. 

Much  honored  Sir, — Howbeit  I  should  have  been  glad  to 
have  seen  you  ;  yet,  seeing  that  our  Lord  hath  been  pleased  to 
break  the  snare  of  your  adversaries,  I  heartily  bless  our  Lord  on 
your  behalf.  Our  crosses  for  Christ  are  not  made  of  iron  ;  they 
are  softer  and  of  more  gentle  metal :  it  is  easy  for  God  to  make  a 
fool  of  the  Devil,  the  father  of  all  fools  : — as  for  me,  I  but  breathe 
out  what  my  Lord  breathed  in.  The  scum  and  froth  of  my  let- 
ters I  father  upon  my  unbelieving  heart.  I  know  that  your  Lord 
hath  something  to  do  with  you,  because  Satan  and  malice  have 
shot  sore  at  you  ;  but  your  bow  abideth  in  its  strength.  Ye  shall 
not,  by  my  advice,  be  a  halver  with  Christ,  to  divide  the  glory  of 
your  deliverance  betwixt  yourself  and  him,  or  any  other  second 
mean  whatsoever.  Let  Christ,  (as  it  setteth^  him  well,)  have  all 
the  glory  and  triumph  his  lone.^  The  Lord  set  himself  on  high 
in  you. 

I  see  that  Christ  can  borrow  a  cross  for  some  hours,  and  set  his 
servants  beside  it,  rather  than  under  it,  and  win  the  plea  too,  yea, 
and  make  glory  to  himself,  and  shame  to  his  enemies,  and  com- 
fort to  his  children,  out  of  it  :■ — but  whether  Christ  buy  or  borrow 
crosses,  he  is  King  of  crosses,  and  King  of  devils,  and  King  over 
Hell,  and  King  over  malice.  When  he  was  in  the  grave,  he 
came  out,  and  brought  the  keys  with  him.  He  is  Lord  Jailer : 
nay,  what  say  II  he  is  Captain  of  the  castle,  and  he  hath  the 
keys  of  death  and  Hell :  and  what  are  our  troubles  but  little 
deaths :  and  He  who  commandeth  the  great  castle  commandeth 
the  little  also. 

2.  I  see  that  a  hardened  face,  and  two  skins  upon  our  brows, 
against  the  winter  hail  and  stormy  wind,  is  meetest  for  a  poor 
traveller  in  a  winter  journey  to  Heaven.  Oh,  what  art  is  it  to  learn 
to  endure  hardness,  and  to  learn  to  go  barefooted  either  through 
the  Devil's  fiery  coals  or  his  frozen  waters. 

3.  I  am  persuaded  that  a  sea-venture  with  Christ  maketh  great 
riches :  is  not  the  ship  of  our  King  Jesus  coming  home,  and  shall 
not  we  get  part  of  the  gold  1  Alas !  we  fools  miscount  our  gain 
when  we  seem  losers.  Believe  me,  I  have  no  challenges '  against 
this  well-born  cross  :  for  it  is  come  of  Christ's  house,  and  is  hon- 
orable, and  is  propine,*  "  To  you  it  is  given  to  suffer." — Oh,  what 
fools  are  we,  to  undervalue  his  gifts,  and  to  lightly  ^  that  which  is 
true  honor!  For  if  we  could  be  faithful,  our  tackling  shall  not 
loose,  or  our  mast  break,  or  our  sails  blow  into  the  sea.  The  bas- 
tard crosses,  the  kinless  and  base-born  crosses  of  worldlings  for 
evil-doing,  must  be  heavy  and  grievous ;  but  our  afflictions  are 
light  and  momentary. 

1  Becomes.  2  To  himself  alone.  3  Accusations. 

*  Present,  gift.  5  Make  light  of. 


422  Rutherford's  letters. 

4.  I  think  myself  happy  that  I  have  lost  credit  with  Christ,  and 
that  in  this  bargain,  1  am  Christ's  sworn  dyvour,'  to  whom  he 
will  lippen  ^  nothing,  no,  not  one  pin  in  the  work  of  my  salvation. 
Let  me  stand  in  black  and  white  in  the  dyvour-book^  before 
Christ.  I  am  happy  that  my  salvation  is  concredited^  to  Christ's 
mediation.  Christ  oweth  no  faith  to  me,  to  lippen^  anything  to 
me  ;  but  oh,  what  faith  and  credit  I  owe  to  him  !  Let  my  name 
fall,  and  let  Christ's  name  stand  in  honor  with  men  and  angels. 
Alas  !  I  have  no  room  to  spread  out  my  affection  before  God's 
people :  and  I  see  not  how  I  can  shout  out  and  cry  out  the  love- 
liness, the  high  honor,  and  the  glory  of  my  fairest  Lord  Jesus. 
Oh,  that  he  would  let  me  have  a  bed  to  lie  on,  to  be  delivered  of 
my  birth,  that  I  might  paint  him  out  in  his  beauty  to  men,  as  I 
dow.s 

5.  I  wondered  once  at  providence,  and  called  white  providence 
black  and  unjust,  that  I  should  be  smothered  in  a  town  where  no 
soul  will  take  Christ  off  my  hand ;  but  providence  hath  another 
lustre  with  God  than  with  my  bleared  eyes.  I  proclaim  m3^self  a 
blind  body,  who  knoweth  not  black  and  white,  in  the  unco"  course 
of  God's  providence.  Suppose  that  Christ  should  set  Hell  where 
Heaven  is,  and  devils  up  in  glory  beside  the  elect  angeli^,  (which 
yet  cannot  be,)  I  would  I  had  a  heart  to  acquiesce  in  his  way, 
without  further  dispute.  I  see  that  infinite  wisdom  is  the  mother 
of  his  judgments,  and  that  his  ways  are  past  finding  out. 

6.  I  cannot  learn  ;  but  I  desire  to  learn  to  bring  my  thoughts, 
will,  and  lusts,  in-under'^  Christ's  feet,  that  he  may  trample  upon 
them.     But,  alas  !  I  am  still  upon  Christ's  wrong  side. 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  13,  1637. 


LETTER  CCLXVm. 

TO      THE     LADY     K  I  L  C  O  N  a  U  H  A  I  R  . 

Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  received 
your  letter.  I  am  heartily  content,  that  ye  love  and  own  this  op- 
pressed and  wronged  cause  of  Christ;  and  that  now,  when  so 
many  have  miscarried,  ye  are  in  any  measure  taken  with  the 
love  of  Jesus.  Weary  not,  but  come  in,  and  see  if  there  be  not 
more  in  Christ  than  the  tongue  of  men  and  angels  can  express. 
If  ye  seek  a  gate^  to  Heaven,  the  way  is  in  him,  or,  he  is  it. 
What  ye  want  is  treasured  up  in  Jesus,  and  he  saith,  all  his  are 
yours ;  even  his  Kingdom,  he  is  content  to  divide  it  betwixt  him 
and  you :  yea,  his  throne  and  his  glory,  (Luke  xxii.  29,  30,  John 
xvii.  24,  and  Rev.  iii.  2L)     And,  therefore,  take  pains  to  climb  up 

1  Bankrupt.  2  Entrust.  3  Bankrupt-roll.  *  Accredited. 

8  Am  able.  «  Strange.  7  Under.  ^  Way. 


Rutherford's  letters.  423 

to  that  besieged  house  to  Christ :  for  devils,  men,  and  armies  of 
temptations  are  lying  about  the  house,  to  hold  out  all  that  are  out. 
and  it  is  taken  with  violence.  It  is  not  a  smooth  and  easy  way, 
neither  will  your  weather  be  fair  and  pleasant  ;  but  whosoever 
hath  seen  the  invisible  God,  and  the  fair  City,  make  no  reckoning 
of  losses  or  crosses.  In  ye  must  be,  cost  you  what  it  will.  Stand 
not  for  a  price,  and  for  all  that  ye  have,  to  win  the  castle ;  the 
rights  to  it  are  won  to  you,  and  it  is  disponed'  to  you  in  the  Tes- 
tament of  your  Lord  Jesus  ;  and  see  what  a  fair  legacy  your  dying 
Friend,  Christ,  hath  left  you : — and  there  wanteth  nothing  but 
possession.  Then  get  up  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord ;  get  over 
the  water  to  possess  that  good  land.  It  is  better  than  a  land  of 
olives  and  wine-trees  ;  for  the  Tree  of  life,  that  beareth  twelve 
manner  of  fruits  every  month,  is  there  before  you ;  and  a  pure 
River  of  life,  clear  as  crystal,  proceeding  out  of  the  throne  of  God, 
and  of  the  Lamb,  is  there.  Your  time  is  short,  therefore,  lose  no 
time.  Gracious  and  faithful  is  He  who  hath  called  you  to  his 
Kingdom  and  glory.  The  city  is  yours  by  free  conquest ^  and  by 
promise,  and,  therefore,  let  no  uiico^  lord-idol  put  you  from  your 
own.  The  Devil  hath  cheated  the  simple  heir  of  his  paradise, 
and,  by  enticing  us  to  taste  of  the  Forbidden  Fruit,  hath,  as  it 
were,  bought  us  out  of  our  kindly  heritage.^  But  our  Lord,  Christ 
Jesus,  hath  done  more  than  bought  the  Devil  by,^  for  he  hath  re- 
deemed the  wadset,^  and  made  the  poor  heir  free  to  the  inherit- 
ance. If  we  knew  the  glory  of  our  Elder  Brother  in  Heaven,  we 
would  long  to  be  there  to  see  him,  and  to  get  our  liU  of  Heaven. 
We  children  think  the  earth  a  fair  garden,  but  it  is  but  God's  out- 
field,^ and  wild,  cold,  barren  ground.  All  things  are  fading  that 
are  here.     It  is  our  happiness  to  make  sure  of  Christ  to  ourselves. 

Thus  remembering  my  love  to  your  husband,   and  wishing  to 
him  what  I  write  to  you,  I  commit  you  to  God's  tender  mercy. 
Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  13,  1637. 


LETTER  CCLXIX. 

TO     ROBERT     LENNOX,     OF     DISDOVE. 

Worthy  and  dear  Brother,  —  I  forgot  you  not  in  my 
bonds.  I  know  that  ye  are  looking  to  Christ ;  and  I  beseech  you 
to  follow  your  look.  I  can  say  more  of  Christ  now  by  experience, 
(though  he  be  infinitely  above,  and  beyond  all  that  can  be  said  of 
him,)  than  when  I  saw  you  :  I  am  drowned  over  head  and  ears 

1  Bequeathed.  2  Acquisition  by  purchase.  3  Strange. 

4  Heritage  to  which  we  could  chiiin  a  species  of  right  in  consequence  of  our  origin. 

5  Out.  ^  AUenated  property. 

7  A  term  appHed  to  the  worst  of  the  arable  parts  of  a  farm,  which,  according  to  the 
ancient  method  of  Scottish  husbandry,  used  to  be  cropped  without  having  been  ma- 
nured till  they  were  worn  out,  or,  as  it  was  called,  scourg-erf,  and  thus  rendered  unfit  for 
bearing  corn  for  some  year^. 


424  Rutherford's  letters. 

in  his  love.  Sell,  sell,  sell  all  things  for  Christ.  If  this  whole 
world  were  the  balk  '  of  a  balance,  it  would  not  be  able  to  bear 
the  weight  of  Christ's  love  ;  men  and  angels  have  short  arms  to 
fathom  it.  Set  j^our  feet  upon  this  piece  blue  and  base  clay  of  an 
over-gilded  and  fair-plastered  world  : — an  hour's  kissing  of  Christ's 
is  worth  a  world  of  worlds. 

Sir,  make  sure  work  of  your  salvation:  build  not  upon  sand; 
lay  the  foundation  upon  the  Rock  in  Zion.  Strive  to  be  dead  to 
this  world,  and  to  your  will  and  lusts.  Let  Christ  have  a  com- 
manding power  and  a  king's  throne  in  you.  Walk  with  Christ, 
howbeit  the  world  should  take  the  skin  off  your  face : — ^I  promise 
you  that  Christ  will  win  the  field.  Your  pastors  cause  you  to  err. 
Except  you  see  Christ's  word,  go  not  one  foot  with  them.  Coun- 
tenance not  the  reading  of  that  Romish  service-book.^  Keep 
your  garments  clean,  as  ye  would  walk  with  the  Lamb  clothed  in 
white.  The  wrongs  which  I  suffer  are  recorded  in  Heaven  ;  our 
great  Master  and  Judge  will  be  upon  us  all,  and  bring  us  before 
the  sun  in  our  blacks  and  whites :  blessed  are  they  who  watch 
and  keep  themselves  in  God's  love.  Learn  to  discern  the  Bride- 
groom's tongue,  and  to  give  yourself  to  prayer  and  reading.  Ye 
were  often  a  hearer  of  me.  I  would  put  my  heart's  blood  on  the 
doctrine  which  I  taught,  as  the  only  way  to  salvation  : — go  not 
from  it,  my  dear  brother.  What  I  write  to  you  I  write  to  your 
wife  also.  Mind  Heaven  and  Christ,  and  keep  the  spark  of  the 
love  of  Christ  which  you  have  gotten.  Christ  will  blow  on  it  if 
ye  entertain  it,  and  your  end  shall  be  peace.  There  is  a  fire  in  our 
Zion,  but  our  Lord  is  but  seeking  a  new  bride  refined  and  purified 
out  of  the  furnace,  I  assure  you,  howbeit  we  be  nicknamed 
Puritans,  that  all  the  powers  of  the  world  shall  not  prevail  against 
us.  Remember,  though  a  sinful  man  write  to  you,  that  those 
people  shall  be  in  Scotland  as  a  green  olive-tree,  and  a  field 
blessed  of  the  Lord  ;  and  that  it  shall  be  proclaimed — "Up,  up 
with  Christ,  and  down,  down  with  all  contrary  powers." 

Sir,  pray  for  me — I  name  you  to  the  Lord, — for  further  evil  is 
determined  against  me. 

Remember  my  love  to  Christian  Murray,  and  her  daughter.  I 
desire  her,  in  the  edge'*  of  her  evening,  to  wait  a  little,  the  King 
is  coming,  and  he  hath  something,  that  she  never  saw  with  him. 
Heaven  is  no  dream ;  "  Come  and  see"  will  teach  her  best. 
Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  13,  1G37. 
1  Beam.  2  Book  of  Common  Prayer.  3  Twilight. 


Rutherford's  letters.  425 


LETTER  CCLXX. 

TO     MARION     MACKNAUGHT. 

Dearest  in  our  Lord  Jesus, — Count  it  your  honor,  that 
Christ  hatii  begun  at  you,  to  refine  you  first.  "  Fear  not,"  saith 
The  Amen,  The  True  and  Faithful  Witness.  I  write  to  you  as 
my  Master  hveth,  upon  the  word  of  my  royal  King,  continue  in 
prayer  and  in  watching,  and  your  glorious  deliverance  is  coming. 
Christ  is  not  far  off.  A  fig,  a  straw,  for  all  the  bits  of  clay  that 
are  risen  against  us.  Ye  shall  thresh  the  mountains,  and  fan 
them  like  chaff,  (Isa.  xli.)  If  ye  slack  your  hands  at  your  meet- 
ings, and  your  watching  to  prayer,  then  it  would  seem  that  our 
Rock  hath  sold  us ;  but  be  diligent,  and  be  not  discouraged.  I 
charge  you  in  Christ,  to  rejoice,  give  thanks,  believe,  be  strong  in 
the  Lord.  That  burning  bush  in  Galloway  and  Kirkcudbright 
shall  not  be  burnt  to  ashes,  for  the  Lord  is  in  the  bush.  Be  not 
discouraged,  that  banishment  is  to  be  procured  by  the  King's 
warrant  to  the  Council,  against  me :  the  earth  is  my  Lord's  ;  I 
am  filled  with  his  sweet  love  and  running  over.  I  rejoice  to  hear 
that  ye  are  on  your  journey.  Such  news  as  I  hear,  of  all  your 
faith  and  love,  rejoice  my  sad  heart. 

Pray  for  me,  for  they  seek  my  hurt ;  but  I  give  myself  to 
prayer.  The  blessing  of  my  Lord,  and  the  blessing  of  a  prisoner 
of  Christ  be  with  you.  O  chosen  and  greatly  beloved  Woman, 
faint  not.  Fy,  fy,  if  ye  faint  now,  ye  lose  a  good  cause.  Double 
your  meetings  ;  cease  not  for  Zion's  sake,  and  hold  not  your  peace 
till  he  make  Jerusalem  a  praise  in  the  earth. 

Yours,  in  Christ  Jesus  his  Lord,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CCLXXL 

TO     THOMAS     CORBET, 


Dear  Friend,— I  forget  you  not.  It  will  be  my  joy  that  ye 
follow  after  Christ  till  ye  find  him.  My  conscience  is  a  feast  of 
joy  to  me,  that  I  sought  in  singleness  of  heart,  for  Christ's  love, 
to  put  you  upon  the  King's  highway  to  our  Bridegroom,  and  our 
Father's  house.  Thrice  blessed  are  ye,  my  dear  brother,  if  ye 
hold  the  way. 

I  believe  that  ye  and  Christ  once  met,  I  hope  ye  will  not  sun- 
der' with  him.  Follow  the  counsel  of  the  man  of  God,  Mr.  Wil- 
liam Dalgleish.  If  ye  depart  from  what  I  taught  you  in  a  hair- 
breadth, for  fear  or  favor  of  men,  or  desire  of  ease  in  this  world,  I 
take  Heaven  and  earth  to  witness,  that  ill  shall  come  upon  you 

*  Part  from. 


Rutherford's  letters. 

in  the  end.  Build  not  your  nest  here  :  this  world  is  a  hard,  ill- 
made  bed ;  no  rest  is  in  it  for  your  soul.  Awake,  awake,  and 
make  haste  to  seek  that  Pearl,  Christ,  that  this  world  seeth  not. 
Your  night,  and  your  Master  Christ,  will  be  upon  you  within  a 
clap  ;  your  hand-breadth  of  time  will  not  bide  you.  Take  Christ, 
hovvbeit  a  storm  follow  him  ;  howbeit  this  day  be  not  yours  and 
Christ's,  the  morrow  will  be  yours  and  his.  I  would  not  exchange  . 
the  joy  of  my  bonds  and  imprisonment  for  Christ,  with  all  the 
joy  of  this  dirty  and  foul-skinned  world.  I  have  a  love-bed  with 
Christ,  and  am  filled  with  his  love. 

I  desire  your  wife  to  do  what  I  write  to  you.  Let  her  remem- 
ber how  dear  Christ  will  be  to  her,  when  her  breath  turneth  cold, 
and  the  eye-strings  shall  break.  Oh,  how  joyful  should  my  soul 
be,  to  know  that  I  had  brought  on  a  marriage  betwixt  Christ  and 
that  people,  few  or  many ;  if  it  be  not  so,  I  shall  be  woe  ^  to  be  a 
witness  against  them.  Use  prayer :  love  not  the  world  :  be  hum- 
ble, and  esteem  little  of  yourself:  love  your  enemies,  and  pray 
for  them  :  make  conscience  of  speaking  truth,  when  none  knoweth 
but  God.  I  never  eat,  but  I  pray  for  you  all.  Pray  for  me.  Ye 
and  1  shall  see  one  another  up  in  our  Father's  house.  I  rejoice 
to  hear  that  your  eye  is  upon  Christ.  Follow  on,  hing  ^  on,  and 
quit  him  not.     The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 

Your  affectionate  brother,  in  our  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CCLXXIL 

TO     MR.     GEORGE     DUNBAR. 

Reverend,  and  dearly  beloved  in  the  Lord, — Grace, 
mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — Because  your  words  have  strength- 
ened many,  I  was  silent,  expecting  some  lines  from  you  in  my 
bonds ;  and  this  is  the  cause  why  I  wrote  not  to  you,  but  now  I 
am  forced  to  break  off  and  speak.  I  never  believed  till  now  that 
there  was  so  much  to  be  found  in  Christ,  on  this  side  of  death 
and  of  Heaven.  Oh,  the  ravishments  of  heavenly  joy  that  may 
be  had  here,  in  the  small  gleanings  and  comforts  that  fall  from 
Christ !  What  fools  are  we  who  know  not,  and  consider  not  the 
weight  and  the  telling  that  is  in  the  very  earnest-penny,  and  the 
first-fruits  of  our  hoped-for  harvest !  How  sweet,  how  sweet  is 
our  infeftment !  oh,  what  then  must  personal  possession  be  !  I 
find  that  my  Lord  Jesus  hath  not  miscooked  or  spilled'  this  sweet 
cross — he  hath  an  eye  on  the  fire  and  the  melting  gold,  to  sepa- 
rate the  metal  and  the  dross.  Oh,  how  much  time  would  it  take 
me  to  read  my  obligations  to  Jesus  my  Lord,  who  will  neither 
have  the  faith  of  his  own  to  be  burnt  to  ashes,  nor  yet  will  have  a 
poor  believer  in  the  fire  to  be  half-raw,  like  Ephraim's  unturned 

1  Grieved.  2  Hang.  ^  Spoiled. 


Rutherford's  letters.  427 

cake !  This  is  the  wisdom  of  Him  who  hath  his  fire  in  Zion,  and 
furnace  in  Jerusalem.  I  need  not  either  bud '  or  flatter  tempta- 
tions and  crosses,  nor  strive  to  buy  the  Devil,  or  this  mah'cious 
world  by,^  or  redeem  their  kindness  with  half  a  hair-breadth  of 
truth.  He  who  is  surety  for  his  servant  for  good,  doth  powerfully 
overrule  all  that.  I  see  my  prison  hath  neither  lock  nor  door :  I 
am  free  in  my  bonds,  and  my  chains  are  made  of  rotten  straw, 
they  shall  not  bide  one  pull  of  faith.  I  am  sure  that  they  who 
are  in  Hell,  would  exchange  their  torments  with  our  crosses,  sup- 
pose they  should  never  be  delivered,  and  give  twenty  thousand 
years'  torment  to  boot,  to  be  in  our  bonds  forever ;  and,  therefore, 
we  wrong  Christ,  who  sigh,  and  fear,  and  doubt,  and  despond  in 
them.  Our  sufferings  are  washen  ^  in  Christ's  blood,  as  well  as 
our  souls ;  for  Christ's  merits  brought  a  blessing  to  the  crosses  of 
the  sons  of  God ;  and  Jesus  hath  a  back-bond  *  of  all  our  temp- 
tations, that  the  free-warders^  shall  come  out  by  law  and  justice, 
in  respect  of  the  infinite  and  great  sum  that  the  Redeemer  paid. 
Our  troubles  owe  us  a  free  passage  through  them.  Devils  and 
men,  and  crosses  are  our  debtors,  death  and  all  storms  are  our 
debtors,  to  blow  our  poor  tossed  bark  over  the  water  fraught-free,* 
and  to  set  the  travellers  on  their  own  known  ground — therefore 
we  shall  die,  and  yet  live.  We  are  over  the  water,  someway, 
already:  we  are  married,  and  our  tocher-good '^  is  paid:  we  are 
already  more  than  conquerors.  If  the  Devil  and  the  world  knew 
how  the  court  with  our  Lord  shall  go,  I  am  sure  they  would  hire 
death  to  take  us  off  their  hand.  Our  sufferings  are  the  only 
wreck  and  ruin  of  the  Black  Kingdom ;  and  yet  a  little,  and  the 
Antichrist  must  play  himself  with  bones  and  slain  bodies  of  the 
Lamb's  followers;  but  withal  we  stand  with  the  hundred  forty 
and  four  thousand,  who  are  with  the  Lamb,  upon  the  top  of 
Mount  Zion.  Antichrist  and  his  followers  are  down  in  the  valley 
ground :  we  have  the  advantage  of  the  hill ;  our  temptations  are 
always  beneath,  our  waters  are  beneath  our  breath — "  as  dying, 
and  behold  we  live."  I  never  heard  before  of  a  living  death,  or  a 
quick  death  but  ours:  our  death  is  not  like  the  common  death  ; 
Christ's  skill,  his  handy-work,  and  a  new  cast  of  Christ's  admi- 
rable art,  may  be  seen  in  our  quick  death.  I  bless  the  Lord,  that 
all  our  troubles  come  through  Christ's  fingers,  and  that  he  casteth 
sugar  among  them,  and  casteth  in  some  ounce- weights  of  Heaven, 
and  of  the  Spirit  of  glory,  that  resteth  on  suffering  believers,  into 
our  cup,  in  which  there  is  no  taste  of  Hell.  My  dear  brother,  ye 
know  all  these  better  than  L  I  send  water  to  the  sea,  to  speak 
of  these  things  to  you  ;  but  it  easeth  me,  to  desire  you  to  help  me 
to  pay   my  tribute  of  praise  to  Jesus.     Oh,  what  praises  I  owe 

1  Bribe.  2  Off.  3  Washed. 

<  A  bond  given  by  one  to  the  person  from  whom  he  has  received  a  previous  bond, 
engaging  that  the  person  who  gave  the  previous  bond  shall  not,  in  consequence  of  it, 
come  to  any  loss.  5  Prisoners  who  have  acquired  a  right  to  be  set  at  hberty. 

6  Freight- free.  '  Marriage-portion. 


428  Rutherford's  letters. 

him  !     I  would,  I  were  in  my  free  heritage,  that  I  might  begin  to 
pay  my  debts  to  Jesus. 

I  entreat  for  your  prayers  and  praises.     I  forget  not  you. 
Your  brother  and  fellow-sufferer, 

In  and  for  Christ,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  17,  1637. 


LETTER  CCLXXm. 

TO     JOHN     FLEMING,     BAILLIE     OF     LEITH. 

Worthy  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — The 
Lord  hath  brought  me  safe  to  this  strange  town.  Blessed  be  his 
holy  name,  I  find  his  cross  easy  and  light,  and  I  hope  that  he  will 
be  with  his  poor  sold  Joseph,  who  is  separated  from  his  brethren. 
His  comforts  have  abounded  towards  rne,  as  if  Christ  thought 
shame,'  (if  I  may  speak  so,)  to  be  in  the  common  of '^  such  a  poor 
man  as  1  am,  and  would  not  have  me  lose  anything  in  his  errands. 
My  enemies  have,  contrary  to  their  intention,  made  me  more  bless- 
ed, and  have  put  me  in  a  sweeter  possession  of  Christ  than  ever  I 
had  before:  only  the  memory  of  the  fair  days  I  had  with  my 
Well-beloved,  amongst  the  flock  intrusted  to  me,  keepeth  me  low, 
and  soureth  my  unseen  joy  ;  but  it  must  be  so,  and  He  is  wise 
who  tutoreth  me  in  this  way  :  for  that  which  my  brethren  have, 
and  I  want,  and  others  of  this  world  have,  I  am  content;  my 
faith  will  frist  ^  God  my  happiness.  No  son  is  offended  that  his 
father  give  him  not  hire  twice  a-year ;  for  he  is  to  abide  in  the 
house,  when  the  inheritance  is  to  be  divided  : — it  is  better  that 
God's  children  live  upon  hope,  than  upon  hire. 

Thus  remembering  my  love  to  your  worthy  and  kind  wife ;  I 
bless  you  and  her,  and  all  yours,  in  the  Lord's  name. 

Yours,  in  his  only,  only  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  20,  1637. 


LETTER  CCLXXIV. 

TO    WILLIAM    GLENDINNING,    BAILLIE    OF    KIRKCUDBRIGHT. 

Worthy  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  am 
well,  honor  be  to  God !  and  as  well  as  a  rejoicing  prisoner  of 
Christ  can  be,  hoping  that  one  day  He,  for  whom  I  now  suffer, 
will  enlarge  me,  and  put  me  above  the  threatenings  of  men. 

I  am  sometimes  sad,  heavy,  and  casten  down,  at  the  memory 
of  the  fair  days  I  had  with  Christ,  in  Anwoth,  Kirkcudbright,  etc. 
The  remembrance  of  a  feast  increaseth  hunger  in  a  hungry  man  ; 

1  Were  ashamed.  2  Under  obligation  to.  3  Grant  delay  in  paying. 


Rutherford's  letters.  429 

but  who  knovveth,  but  our  Lord  will  yet  cover  a  table  in  the  wil- 
derness to  his  hungry  bairns,  and  build  the  old  waste  places  in 
Scotland,  and  bring  home  Zion's  captives  ?  I  desire  to  see  no 
more  glorious  sight,  till  I  see  the  Lamb  on  his  throne,  than  to  see 
Mount  Zion  all  green  with  grass,  and  the  dew  lying  upon  the 
tops  of  the  grass,  and  the  crown  put  upon  Christ's  head  in  Scot- 
land again  :  and  1  believe  it  shall  be  so,  and  that  Christ  will  mow 
down  his  enemies,  and  fill  the  pits  with  their  dead  bodies. 

I  find  people  here  dry  and  unco.  A  man  pointed  at  for  suffer- 
ing dare  not  be  countenanced  ;  so  that  I  am  like  to  sit  my  lone* 
upon  the  ground :  but  my  Lord  payeth  me  well  home  again  ;  for 
I  have  neither  tongue,  nor  pen,  nor  heart  to  express  the  sweetness 
and  excellency  of  the  love  of  Christ.  Christ's  honeycombs  drop 
honey  and  floods  of  consolation  upon  my  soul :  my  chains  are 
gold;  Christ's  cross  is  all  over-gilded  and  perfumed:  his  prison  is 
the  garden  and  orchard  of  my  dehghts :  I  would  go  through 
burning  quick  to  my  lovely  Christ :  I  sleep  in  his  arms  all  the 
night,  and  my  head  betwixt  his  breasts:  my  Well-beloved  is  alto- 
gether lovely  :  this  is  all  nothing,  to  that  which  my  soul  hath  felt. 
Let  no  man,  for  my  cause,  scaur  ^  at  Christ's  cross.  If  my  stipend, 
place,  country,  credit,  had  been  an  earldom,  a  kingdom,  ten  king- 
doms, and  a  whole  earth ;  all  were  too  little  for  the  crown  and 
sceptre  of  ray  royal  King.  Mine  enemies,  mine  enemies  have 
made  me  blessed.  They  have  sent  me  to  the  Bridegroom's  cham- 
ber. Love  is  his  banner  over  me.  I  live  a  king's  life.  I  want 
nothing  but  Heaven,  and  possession  of  the  crown  :  my  earnest  is 
great ;  Christ  is  no  niggard  to  me.  Dear  brother,  be  for  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  his  heart-broken  Bride. 

I  need  not,  I  hope,  remember  my  distressed  brother  to  your 
care.  Remember  my  love  to  your  wife.  Let  Christ  want  noth- 
ing of  us  ;  his  garments  shall  be  rolled  in  the  blood  of  the  slain 
of  Scotland. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you.     Pray  for  Christ's  prisoner. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  21,  1637. 


LETTER    CCLXXV. 

TO     EARLSTON,     YOUNGER 


Much  honored  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I 
am  well ;  Christ  triumpheth  in  me,  blessed  be  his  name.  I  have 
all  things.  I  burden  no  man.  I  see  that  this  earth  and  the 
fulness  thereof  is  my  Father's.  Sweet,  sweet  is  the  cross  of  my 
Lord.  The  blessing  of  God  upon  the  cross  of  my  Lord  Jesus  ! 
My  enemies  have  contributed  (beside  their  design),  to  make  me 
blessed.     This  is  my  palace,  not  my  prison  ;  especially,  when  my 

'  Strange.  2  By  myself  alone.  3  Boggle. 


430  Rutherford's  letters. 

Lord  shinetb  and  smiletb  upon  his  poor  afflicted  and  sold  Joseph 
who  is  separated  from  his  brethren.  But  often  he  hideth  himself, 
and  there  is  a  day  of  law,  and  a  court  of  challenges  ^  within  me 
—I  know  not  if  fenced ^  in  God's  name — but,  oh,  my  neglects! 
oh,  my  unseen  guiltiness !  I  imagined  that  a  sufferer  for  Christ 
kept  the  keys  of  Christ's  treasure,  and  might  take  out  his  heart- 
full  of  comforts  when  he  pleased  ;  but  I  see,  a  sufferer  and  a 
witness  shall  be  holden  at  the  door,  as  well  as  another  poor  sinner, 
and  glad  to  eat  with  the  bairns,  and  to  take  the  by-board.^ 

This  cross  hath  let  me  see,  that  Heaven  is  not  at  the  next  door, 
and  that  it  is  a  castle  not  soon  taken.  I  see,  also,  that  it  is 
neither  pain  nor  art  to  play  the  hypocrite.  We  have  all  learned 
to  sell  ourselves  for  double  price ;  and  to  make  the  people,  who 
call  ten  twenty,  and  twenty  an  hundred,  esteem  us  half  gods,  or 
men  fallen  out  of  the  clouds ;  but,  oh,  sincerity,  sincerity,  if  I 
knew  what  sincerity  meaneth  ! 

Sir,  lay  the  foundation  thus,  and  ye  shall  not  soon  shrink,  nor 
be  shaken.  Make  tight  work  at  the  bottom,  and  your  ship  shall 
ride  against  all  storms,  if  withal  your  anchor  be  fastened  upon 
good  ground,  I  mean  within  the  veil.  And  verily  I  think  this  is 
all,  to  gain  Christ :  all  other  things  are  shadows,  dreams,  fancies, 
and  nothing. 

Sir,  remember  my  love  to  your  mother.  I  pray  for  mercy  and 
grace  to  her ;  I  wish  her  on-going  toward  Heaven  :  as  I  promised 
to  write,  so  show  her  that  I  want  nothing  in  my  Lord's  service — 
Christ  will  not  be  in  such  a  poor  man's  common  as  mine. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,         S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  22,  1637. 


LETTER    CCLXXVL 

TO      JOHN      GORDON, 


Worthy,  and  dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be 
to  you. — I  have  been  too  long  in  writing  to  you,  but  multitude  of 
letters  taketh  much  time  from  me. 

I  bless  His  great  name  whom  I  serve  in  the  Spirit,  that  if  it 
come  to  voting  amongst  angels  and  men,  how  excellent  and  sweet 
Christ  is,  even  in  his  reproaches  and  in  his  cross,  I  cannot  but 
vote  with  the  first,  that  all  that  is  in  him,  both  cross  and  crown, 
kisses  and  glooms,^  embracements  and  frownings  and  strokes,  are 
sweet  and  glorious.  God  send  me  no  more  happiness  in  Heaven, 
or  out  of  Heaven,  than  Christ :  for  I  find  this  world,  when  I  have 
looked  upon  it  on  both  sides,  within  and  without,  and  when  I  have 
seen  even  the  laughing  and  lovel}'  side  of  it,  to  be  but  a  fool's 
idol,  a  clay  prison  ; — Lord,  let  it  not   be  the  nest  that  my  hope 

1  Accusations.  2  Constituted.  3  Side-table.  <  Forbidding  looks. 


Rutherford's  letters.  431 

buildeth  in.  I  have  now  cause  to  judge  my  part  of  this  earth  not 
worth  a  blast  of  smoke,  or  a  mouthful  of  brown  bread.  I  wish 
that  my  hope  may  take  a  running--leap,  and  skip  over  time's 
pleasure,  sin's  plastering  and  gold-foil, •  this  vain  earth,  and  rest 
upon  my  Lord.  Oh,  how  great  is  our  night-darkness  in  this  wil- 
derness !  To  have  any  conceit  at  all  of  this  world,  is,  as  if  a  man 
should  close  his  handful  of  water,  and,  holding  his  hand  in  the 
river,  say  that  all  the  water  of  the  flood  is  his,  as  if  it  were, 
indeed,  all  within  the  compass  of  his  hand : — who  would  not 
laugh  at  thoughts  of  such  a  crack-brain  ?  Verily,  they  have  but 
an  handful  of  water,  and  are  but  like  a  child  claspino-  his  two 
hands  about  a  night-shadow,  who  idolize  any  created  hope,  but 
God.  I  now  lightly,'^  and  put  the  price  of  a  dream,  or  fable,  or 
black 3  nothing,  upon  all  things,  but  God,  and  that  desirable  and 
love-worthy  One,  my  Lord  Jesus.  Let  all  the  world  be  nothing, 
(for  nothing  was  their  seed  and  mother,)  and  let  God  be  all 
things. 

My  very  dear  brother,  know  that  ye  are  as  near  Heaven  as  ye 
are  far  from  yourself,  and  far  from  the  love  of  a  bewitching  and 
whorish  world : — for  this  world,  in  its  gain  and  glory,  is  but  the 
great  and  notable  common  whore,  that  all  the  sons  of  men  have 
been  in  fancy  and  lust  withal  these  5000  years.  The  children, 
that  they  have  begotten  with  this  uncouth  and  lustful  lover,  are 
but  vanity,  dreams,  gold-imaginations,  and  night  thoughts.  There 
is  no  good  ground  here,  under  the  covering  of  Heaven,  for  men 
and  poor  wearied  souls  to  set  down  their  foot  upon.  Oh,  He  who  is 
called  God,  that  One  whom  they  term  Jesus  Christ,  is  worth  the 
having  indeed,  even  if  I  had  given  away  all  without  my  eye-holes, 
my  soul,  and  myself  for  sweet  Jesus  my  Lord  !  Oh,  let  the  claim 
be  cancelled,  that  the  creatures  have  to  mo,  except  that  claim  my 
Lord  Jesus  hath  to  me  !  Oh,  that  he  would  claim  poor  me,  my 
silly,  light,  and  worthless  soul !  Oh,  that  he  would  pursue  his 
claim  to  the  utmost  point,  and  not  want  me  !  for  it  is  my  pain, 
and  remediless  sorrow  to  want  him.  I  see  nothing  in  this  life,  but 
sinks,  and  mires,  and  dreams,  and  beguiling  ditches,  and  ill  ground 
for  us  to  build  upon. 

I  am  fully  persuaded  of  Christ's  victory  in  Scotland,  but  I  fear 
that  this  land  be  not  yet  ripe  and  white  for  mercy.  Yet  I  dare 
be  halver,  (upon  my  salvation,)  with  the  losses  of  the  Church  of 
Scotland,  that  her  foes,  after  noon,  shall  sing  dool^  and  sorrow  for 
evermore,  and  that  her  joy  shall  once  again  be  cried  up,  and  her 
sky  shall  clear : — but  vengeance  and  burning  shall  be  to  her  ad- 
versaries, and  the  sinners  of  this  land.  Oh,  that  we  could  be 
awakened  to  prayers  and  humiliation  !  Then  should  our  sun 
shine  like  seven  suns  in  the  Heaven  ;  then  should  the  temple  of 
Christ  be  builded  upon  the  mountain  tops,  and  the  land,  from 
coast  to  coast,  should  be  filled  with  the  glory  of  the  Lord. 

Brother,  your  day-task  is  wearing  short ;  your  hour-glass  of  this 

»  Gold-leaf.  2  Lightly  esteem.  3  Utter.  <  Wail, 


432  Rutherford's  letters. 

span-length  and  hand-breadth  of  Hfe  will  quickly  pass ;  and, 
therefore,  take  order  and  course  with  matters  betwixt  you  and 
Christ,  before  it  come  to  open  pleading : — there  are  no  quarters  to 
be  had  of  Christ,  in  open  judgment.  I  know,  that  ye  see  your 
thread  wearing  short,  and  that  there  are  not  many  inches  to  the 
thread's  end  ;  and,  therefore,  lose  not  time. 

Remember  me,  his  prisoner,  that  it  would  please  the  Lord  to 
bring  me  again  amongst  you  with  abundance  of  the  Gospel. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER   CCLXXVIL 

TO     WILLIAM     RIGGE,     OF     ATHERNIE. 

Worthy,  and  much  honored  Sir, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
peace  be  to  you. — How  sad  a  prisoner  should  I  be,  if  I  knew  not 
that  my  Lord  Jesus  had  the  keys  of  the  prison  himself,  and  that 
his  death  and  blood  have  bought  a  blessing  to  our  crosses,  as  well 
as  to  ourselves  1  I  am  sure  that  troubles  have  no  prevailing  right 
over  us,  if  they  be  but  our  Lord's  Serjeants,  to  keep  us  in  ward, 
while  we  are  in  this  side  of  Heaven.  I  am  persuaded  also,  that 
they  shall  not  go  over  the  bound-road,'  nor  enter  into  Heaven 
with  us ;  for  they  find  no  welcome  there,  where  "  there  is  no 
more  death,  neither  sorrow,  nor  crying,  neither  any  more  pain  ;" 
and,  therefore,  we  shall  leave  them  behind  us.  Oh,  if  ^  I  could 
get  as  good  a  gate^  of  sin,  even  this  woful  and  wretched  body  of 
sin,  as  I  get  of  Christ's  cross  !  Nay,  indeed,  I  think  the  cross 
beareth  both  me  and  itself,  rather  than  I  it,  in  comparison  of  the 
tyranny  of  the  lawless  flesh,  and  wicked  neighbor,  that  dwelleth 
beside  Christ's  new  creature.  But,, oh,  this  is  that  which  presseth 
me  down,  and  paineth  me.  Jesus  Christ  in  his  saints  sitteth 
neighbor  with  an  ill  second,  corruption,  deadness,  coldness,  pride, 
lust,  worldliness,  self-love,  security,  falsehood,  and  a  world  of  moe 
the  like,  whicli  I  find  in  me,  that  are  daily  doing  violence  to  the 
New  Man.  Oh,  but  we  have  cause  to  carry  low  sails,  and  to 
cleave  fast  to  free  grace,  free,  free  grace  !  Blessed  be  our  Lord 
that  ever  that  way  was  found  out.  If  my  one  foot  were  in  Heaven, 
and  my  soul  half  in,  if  free-will  and  corruption  were  absolute 
lords  of  me,  I  should  never  win*  wholly  in.  Oh,  but  the  sweet, 
new,  and  living  way,  that  Christ  hath  struck  up  to  our  home,  is  a 
safe  way  !  I  find  now,  presence  and  access  a  greater  dainty  than 
before ;  but  yet  the  Bridegroom  looketh  through  the  lattice,  and 
througli  the  hole  of  the  door.  Oh,  if  ^  he  and  I  were  on  fair  dry 
land  together,  on  the  other  side  of  the  water. 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Sept.  30,  1637. 

1  Boundary-line.  2  Oh,  that.  3  Way.  *  Get. 


Rutherford's  letters.  433 

LETTER  CCLXXVIII. 

TO      JAMES      MURRAY. 

Dear  Brother, — I  received  your  letter. — I  am  in  good  health 
of  body,  but  far  better  in  my  soul.  I  find  my  Lord  no  worse  than 
his  word.  "  I  will  be  with  him  in  trouble,"  is  made  good  to  me 
now.  He  heareth  the  sighing  of  the  prisoner.  Brother,  I  am 
comforted  in  my  royal  Prince  and  King.  The  world  knoweth 
not  our  life,  it  is  a  mystery  to  them.  We  have  the  sunny  side  of 
the  world,  and  our  paradise  is  far  above  theirs  ; — yea,  our  weeping 
is  above  their  laughing,  which  is  but  like  the  crackling  of  thorns 
under  a  pot ;  and,  therefore,  we  have  good  cause  to  fight  it  out, 
for  the  day  of  our  laureation  ^  is  approaching.  I  find  my  prison 
the  sweetest  place  that  ever  I  was  in.  My  Lord  Jesus  is  kind  to 
me,  and  hath  taken  the  mask  off  his  face,  and  is  content  to  quit 
me  all  by-gones.'^  I  dare  not  complain  of  him.  And  for  my  si- 
lence, I  lay  it  before  Christ.  I  hope  it  will  be  a  speaking  silence. 
He  who  knoweth  what  I  would,  knoweth  that  my  soul  desireth 
no  more,  than  that  King  Jesus  may  be  great  in  the  north  of  Scot- 
land, in  the  south,  and  in  the  east  and  west,  through  my  suffer- 
ings for  the  freedom  of  my  Loid's  house  and  kingdom.  If  I  could 
keep  good  quarters,  in  time  to  come,  with  Christ,  I  would  fear 
nothing.  But,  oh,  oh,  I  complain  of  my  woful  outbreakings  !  I 
tremble  at  the  remembrance  of  a  new  out-cast^  betwixt  him  and 
me  ;  and  I  have  cause,  when  I  consider  what  sickness  and  sad 
days  I  have  had  for  His  absence  who  is  now  come.  I  find  that 
Christ  cannot  be  long  unkind :  our  Joseph's  bowels  yearn  within 
him,  he  cannot  smother  love  long,  it  must  break  out  at  length. 
Praise,  praise  with  me,  brother,  and  desire  my  acquaintance  to 
help  me.  I  dare  not  conceal  his  love  to  my  soul ;  I  wish  you  all 
a  part  of  my  feast,  that  my  Lord  Jesus  may  be  honored.  I  allow 
you  not  to  hide  Christ's  bounty  to  me,  when  ye  meet  with  such  as 
know  Christ. 

Ye  write  nothing  to  me.  What  are  the  cruel  mercies  of  the 
prelates  toward  me  ?  The  ministers  of  this  town,  as  I  hear,  intend 
that  I  shall  be  more  strictly  confined,  or  else  transported,  because 
they  find  some  people  affect  me.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  the  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Nov.  21,  1637. 


LETTER  CCLXXIX. 

TO     MR.     JOHN     FERGUSHILL. 

Reverend,  and  well-beloved  in  our  Lord  Jesus, — I  must 
still  provoke  you  to  write  by  my  lines,  whereat  ye  need  not  won- 

1  The  act  or  state  of  having  academic  degrees  conferred, 

2  Matters  by-past.  3  Q,uarrel 

28 


434  Rutherford's  letters. 

der ;  for  the  cross  is  full  of  talk,  and  speak  it  must,  either  good  or 
bad  :  neither  can  grief  be  silent. 

I  have  no  dittay '  nor  indictment  to  bring  against  Christ's  cross, 
seeino-  he  hath  made  a  friendly  agreement  betwixt  me  and  it,  and 
we  are  in  terms  of  love  together.  If  my  former  miscarriages,  and 
my  now  silent  Sabbaths,  seem  to  me  to  speak  wrath  from  the 
Lord,  I  dare  say,  it  is  but  Satan  borrowing  the  use  and  loan  of 
my  cowardly  and  feeble  apprehensions,  which  start  at  straws.  I 
know  that  faith  is  not  so  faint  and  foolish  as  to  tremble  at  every 
false  alarm  ;  yet  I  gather  this  out  of  it.  Blessed  are  they  who  are 
graced  of  God  to  guide  a  cross  well,  and  that  there  is  some  art  re- 
quired therein.  I  pray  God  that  I  may  not  be  so  ill  friendstead,'^ 
as  that  Christ  my  Lord  should  leave  me  to  be  my  own  tutor,  and 
my  own  physician.  Shall  I  not  think  that  my  Lord  Jesus,  who 
deserveth  his  own  place  very  well,  will  take  his  own  place  upon 
him  as  it  becometh  him,  and  that  he  will  fill  his  own  chair?  for 
in  this  is  his  office  to  comfort  us,  and  those  that  are  casten  down, 
in  all  their  tribulations,  (2  Cor.  i.  4.)  Alas  !  I  know  that  I  am  a 
fool,  to  seek  a  hole  or  defect  in  Christ's  way  with  my  soul.  If  I 
have  not  a  stock  to  present  to  Christ,  at  his  appearance,  yet  I 
pray  God,  that  I  may  be  able,  with  joy,  and  faith,  and  constancy, 
to  show  the  Captain  of  my  salvation,  in  that  day,  a  bloody  head, 
which  I  received  in  his  service.  Howbeit  my  faith  hang  by  a 
small  tack  ^  and  thread,  I  hope  that  the  tack  shall  not  break  ;  and, 
howbeit  my  Lord  get  no  service  of  me  but  broken  wishes,  yet  I 
trust  that  those  will  be  accepted  upon  Christ's  account.  I  have 
nothing  to  comfort  me,  but  that  I  say,  "  Oh  !  will  the  Lord  disap- 
point an  hungry  on-waiter?"  The  smell  of  Christ's  wine  and 
apples,  which  surpass  the  up-taking  of  dull  sense,  bloweth  upon 
my  soul,  and  I  get  no  more  for  the  meantime.  I  am  sure,  that  to 
let  a  famishing  body  see  meat,  and  give  him  none  of  it,  is  a  double 
pain ;  our  Lord's  love  is  not  so  cruel,  as  to  let  a  poor  man  see 
Christ  and  Heaven,  and  never  give  him  more  for  want  of  money 
to  buy :  nay,  I  rather  think  Christ  such  fair  market  wares,  as 
buyers  may  have  without  money  and  without  price.  And  thus  I 
know,  that  it  shall  not  stand  upon  my  w^ant  of  money  :  for  Christ 
upon  his  own  charges  must  buy  my  wedding  garment,  and  redeem 
the  inheritance  which  I  have  forfeited,  and  give  his  word  for  one 
the  like  of  me,  who  am  not  law-biding^  of  myself  Poor  folks 
must  either  borrow  or  beg  from  the  rich  ;  and  the  only  thing  that 
commendeth  sinners  to  Christ,  is  extreme  necessity  and  want. 
Christ's  love  is  ready  to  make  and  provide  a  ransom  and  money 
for  a  poor  body,  who  hath  lost  his  purse  : — "  Ho,  ye  that  have 
no  money,  come,  and  buy,"  (Isa.  Iv.  1,) — that  is  the  poor  man's 
market. 

Now,  brother,  I  see  that  old  crosses  would  have  done  nothing 
to  me  ;  and,  therefore,  Christ  hath  taken  a  new,  fresh  rod  to  me, 
that  seemeth  to  talk  with  my  soul  and  make  me  tremble.     I  have 

I  Charge.  2  Befriended.  3  Stitch.  *  Able  to  stand  law. 


Rutherford's  letters.  435 

often  more  ado  now  with  faith,  when  I  lose  my  compass,  and  am 
blown  on  a  rock,  than  those  who  are  my  beholders,  standing  upon 
the  shore,  are  aware  of.  A  counsel  to  a  sick  man  is  sooner  given 
than  taken.  "  Lord,  send  the  wearied  man  a  borrowed  bed  from 
Christ."  I  think  often  that  it  is  after-supper  with  me,  and  I  am 
heavy.  Oh,  but  I  would  sleep  soundly,  with  Christ's  left  hand 
under  my  head,  and  his  right  hand  embracing  me.  The  Devil 
could  not  spill '  that  bed.  When  I  consider  how  tenderly  Christ 
hath  cared  for  me  in  this  prison,  I  think  that  he  hath  handled 
me  as  the  bairn  that  is  pitied  and  bemoaned.  I  desire  no  more 
till  I  be  in  Heaven,  but  such  a  feast  and  fill  of  Christ's  love  as  I 
would  have ;  this  love  would  be  fair  and  adorning  passments,^ 
which  would  beautify  and  set  forth  my  black,  unpleasant  cross. 
I  cannot  tell,  my  dear  brother,  what  a  great  load  I  would  bear,  if 
1  had  a  hearty  fill  of  the  love  of  that  lovely  One,  Christ  Jesus. 
Oh,  if  ^  ye  would  seek  and  pray  for  that  to  me  !  I  would  give 
Christ  all  his  love-styles  and  titles  of  honor,  if  he  would  give  me 
but  this ;  nay,  I  would  sell  myself,  if  I  could,  for  that  love. 

I  have  been  waiting  to  see  what  friends  of  place  and  power 
would  do  for  us ;  but  when  the  Lord  looseneth  the  pins  of  his 
own  tabernacle,  he  will  have  himself  to  be  acknowledged  as  the 
only  builder  up  thereof;  and,  therefore,  I  would  take  back  again 
my  hope,  that  I  lent  and  laid  in  pawn  in  men's  hands,  and  gave 
it  wholly  to  Christ.  It  is  no  time  for  me  now  to  set  up  idols  of 
my  own.  It  were  a  pity  to  give  an  ounce-weight  of  hope  to  any 
besides  Christ.  I  think  him  well  worthy  of  all  my  hope,  though 
it  were  as  weighty  as  both  Heaven  and  earth.  Happ}'^  were  I  if 
I  had  anything  that  Christ  would  seek  or  accept  of;  but  now, 
alas !  I  see  not  what  service  I  can  do  to  him,  except  it  be  to  talk 
a  little,  and  babble  upon  a  piece  of  paper,  concerning  the  love  of 
Christ.  I  am  often  as  if  my  faith  were  wadset,*  so  that  I  cannot 
command  it ;  and  then,  when  he  hideth  himself,  I  run  to  the 
other  extreme,  in  making  each  wing  and  toe  of  my  case  as  big 
as  a  mountain  of  iron ;  and  then  misbeliefs  can  spin  out  an  hell 
of  heavy  and  desponding  thoughts ;  then  Christ  seeketh  law- 
borrows  ^  of  my  unbelieving  apprehensions,  and  chargeth  me  to 
believe  his  day-light  at  midnight.  But  I  make  pleas  ">  with  Christ, 
though  it  be  ill  my  common  ^  so  to  do.  It  were  my  happiness, 
when  I  am  in  this  house-of-wine,  and  when  I  find  a  feast-day,  if 
1  could  "  hearken,  and  hear  for  the  time  to  come,"  (Isa.  xlii.  23.) 
But  I  see  that  we  must  be  off  our  feet  in  wading  a  deep  water ; 
and  then  Christ's  love  findeth  timous^  employment,  at  such  a  dead 
lift  as  that ;  and,  besides,  after  broken  brows,  bairns  learn  to  walk 
more  circumspectly.  If  I  come  to  Heaven  any  way,  howbeit  like 
a  tired  traveller,  upon  my  Guide's  shoulder,  it  is  good  enough  for 
those  who  have  no  legs  of  their  own  for  such  a  journey.     I  never 

1  Spoil.  '  Stripes  of  lace  sewed  on  clothes,  ornaments. 

3  Oh,  that.  <  Alienated.  s  Erroneous  faith. 

6  Legal  security  from  injury,  obtained  from  one  against  whom  the  peace  is  sworn. 

1  Controversies.  ^  111  becomes  me.  "  Timely. 


436  Rutherford's  letters. 

thought  there  had  been  need  of  so  much  w\esthng  to  win  to  the 
top  of  that  steep  mountain,  as  now  I  find. 

Wo  is  me  for  this  broken  and  back-sliding-  Church  ;  it  is  hke 
an  old  bowing  wall,  leaning  to  the  one  side,  and  there  are  none 
of  all  her  sons  who  will  set  a  prop  under  her.  I  know  that  I  need 
not  bemoan  Christ ;  for  he  careth  for  his  own  honor  more  than  I 
can  do;  but  who  can  blame  me  to  be  wo,'  (if  I  had  grace  so  to 
be,)  to  see  my  Well-beloved's  fair  face  spitted  upon,  and  his  own 
crown  plucked  off  his  head,  and  the  ark  of  God  taken  and  car- 
ried in  the  Philistines'  cart,  and  the  kine  put  to  carry  it  which 
will  let  it  fall  to  the  ground  7  The  Lord  put-to  his  own  helping 
hand !  I  would  desire  you  to  prepare  yourself  for  a  fight  with 
beasts  :  ye  will  not  get  leave  to  steal  quietly  to  Heaven,  in  Christ's 
company,  without  a  conflict  and  a  cross. 

Remember  my  bonds,  and  praise  my  Second,  and  Fellow-pris- 
oner, Christ.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  Christ  Jesus  his  Lord,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 


LETTER  CCLXXX. 

TO     WILLIAM     GLENDINNING. 

Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — Your 
case  is  unknown  to  me,  whether  ye  be  yet  our  Lord's  prisoner  at 
Wigton,  or  not :  however  it  be,  I  know  that  our  Lord  Jesus  hath 
been  inquiring  for  you  ;  and  that  he  hath  honored  you  to  bear  his 
chains,  which  is  the  golden  end  of  his  cross  ;  and  so  hath  waled  * 
out  a  chosen  and  honorable  cross  for  you.  I  wish  you  much  joy 
and  comfort  of  it ;  for  I  have  nothing  to  say  of  Christ's  cross  but 
mucli  good  ;  I  hope  that  my  ill  word  shall  never  meet  either  Christ 
or  his  sweet  and  easy  cross.  I  know  that  he  seeketh  of  us  an 
out-cast^  with  this  house  of  clay,  this  mother  prison,  this  earth, 
that  we  love  full  well ;  and,  verily,  when  Christ  snuffeth  ray  can- 
dle, and  causeth  my  light  to  shine  upward,  it  is  one  of  my  greatest 
wonders,  that  dirt  and  clay  hath  so  much  court*  with  a  soul  not 
made  of  clay ;  and  that  our  soul  goeth  out  of  kind  so  far  as  to 
make  an  idol  of  this  earth,  such  a  deformed  harlot,  as  that  it 
should  wrong  Christ  of  our  love.  How  fast,  how  fast  doth  our 
ship  sail !  And  how  fair  a  wind  hath  time,  to  blow  us  off  these 
coasts,  and  this  land  of  dying  and  perishing  things  !  and,  alas  ! 
our  ship  saileth  one  way,  and  fleeth  ^  many  miles  in  one  hour,  to 
hasten  us  upon  eternity  ;  and  our  love  and  hearts  are  sailing  close 
backover,^  and  swimming  towards  ease,  lawless  pleasure,  vain 
honor,  perishing  riches,  and  to  build  a  fool's  nest,  I  know  not 
where,  and  to  lay  our  eggs  within  the  sea-mark,  and  fasten  our 

1  Grieved.  2  Selected.  3  Q,uarrel. 

*  Influence.  s  Flieth.  «  Backwards. 


Rutherford's  letters.  437 

bits  of  broken  anchors  upon  the  worst  ground  in  the  world,  this 
fleeting  and  perishing  hfe ;  and  in  the  mean  while,  time  and  tide 
carry  us  upon  another  life,  and  there  is  daily  less  and  less  oil  in 
our  lamps,  and  less  and  less  sand  in  our  watch-glass.'  Oh,  what 
a  wise  course  were  it  for  us  to  look  away  from  the  false  beauty  of 
our  borrowed  prison,  and  to  mind,  and  eye,  and  lust  for  our  coun- 
try !     Lord,  Lord,  take  us  home  ! 

And  for  myself: — I  think,  if  a  poor,  weak,  dying  sheep  seek  for 
an  old  dyke,'^  and  the  lee  side  of  a  hill,  in  a  storm,  I  have  cause 
to  long  for  a  covert  from  this  storm,  in  Heaven  ;  I  know  none 
will  take  my  room  over  my  head  there.  But,  certainly,  sleepy 
bodies  would  be  at  rest  and  a  well-made  bed,  and  an  old  crazed 
bark  at  a  shore,  and  a  weary  traveller  at  home,  and  a  breathless 
horse  at  the  rink's^  end.  I  see  nothing  in  tliis  life  but  sin.  and 
the  sour  fruits  of  sin  :  and,  oh,  what  a  burden  is  sin  !  And  what 
a  slavery  and  miserable  bondage  is  it,  to  be  at  the  nod,  and  yeas 
and  nays,  of  such  a  lord-master  as  a  body  of  sin  !  Truly,  when 
I  think  of  it,  it  is  a  wonder  that  Christ  maketh  not  fire  and  ashes 
of  such  a  dry  branch  as  I  am.  I  would  often  lie  down  under 
Christ's  feet,  and  bid  him  trample  upon  me,  when  I  consider  my 
guiltiness.  But  seeing  he  hath  sworn  that  sin  shall  not  loose  his 
unchangeable  covenant,  I  keep  house-room  amongst  the  rest  of 
the  ill-learned ■«  bairns,  and  must  cumber  the  Lord  of  the  House, 
with  the  rest,  till  my  Lord  take  the  fetters  off  legs  and  arms, 
and  destroy  this  body  of  sin,  and  make  a  hole  or  breach  in  this 
cage  of  earth,  that  the  bird  may  flee  ^  out,  and  the  imprisoned 
soul  be  at  liberty.  In  the  mean  time,  the  least  imitation  of  Christ's 
love  is  sweet,  and  the  hope  of  marriage  with  the  Bridegroom 
holdeth  me  in  some  joyful  on-waiting,  that  when  Christ's  summer- 
birds  shall  sing  upon  the  branches  of  the  tree  of  life,  I  shall  be 
tuned  by  God  himself,  to  help  them  to  sing  the  home-coming  of 
our  Well-beloved  and  his  bride  to  their  house  together.  When  I 
think  of  this,  I  think  winters  and  summers,  and  years  and  days, 
and  time,  do  me  a  pleasure,  that  they  shorten  this  untwisted  and 
weak  thread  of  my  life,  and  that  they  put  sin  and  miseries  by- 
hand,^  and  that  they  shall  carry  me  to  my  Bridegroom  in  a  clap. 

Dear  brother,  pray  for  me,  that  it  would  please  the  Lord  of  the 
vineyard  to  give  me  room  to  preach  his  righteousness  again  to  the 
great  congregation. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you.     Remember  me  to  your  wife. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  1637. 

'  Hour-glass.  2  Wall.  3  Course's.  *  Ill-bred. 

5  Fly.  6  "Po  put  by-hand,  quickly  to  despatch,  as  work,  etc. 


438  Rutherford's  letters. 

LETTER   CCLXXXI. 

for  MARION  MACK NAUGHT. 

My  dear,  and  well-beloved  Sister, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
peace  be  to  you. — I  am  well,  honor  to  God.  I  have  been  before 
a  court  set  up  within  rae  of  terrors  and  challenges  ;'  but  my  sweet 
Lord  Jesus  hath  taken  the  mask  otT  his  face,  and  said,  "  Kiss  thy 
fill ;"  and  I  will  not  smother  nor  conceal  the  kindness  of  my  King, 
Jesus.  He  hath  broken  in  upon  the  poor  prisoner's  soul  like  the 
swelling  of  Jordan.  I  am  bank  and  brim-full;  a  great,  high 
spring-tide  of  the  consolations  of  Christ  hath  overflowed  me.  I 
would  not  give  my  weeping  for  the  Fourteen  Prelates'  laughter. 
They  have  sent  me  here  to  feast  with  my  King.  His  spikenard 
casteth  a  sweet  smell.  The  Bridegroom's  love  hath  run  away 
with  my  heart;  Oh,  love,  love,  love!  Oh,  sweet  are  my  royal 
King's  chains  !  I  care  not  for  fire  nor  torture.  How  sweet  were 
it  to  me  to  swim  the  salt  sea  for  my  new  lover,  my  second  hus- 
band, my  first  Lord  !  I  charge  you  in  the  name  of  God,  not  to 
fear  the  wild  beasts  that  entered  into  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord  of 
hosts ;  the  false  prophet  is  the  tail :  God  shall  cut  the  tail  from 
Scotland.     Take  your  comfort  and  droop  not,  despond  not. 

Pray  for  my  poor  flock :  I  would  take  a  penance  on  my  soul  for 
their  salvation.  I  fear  that  the  entering  of  a  hireling  upon  ray 
labors  there,  will  cut  off  my  life  with  sorrow.  There  I  wrestled 
with  the  Angel,  and  prevailed.  Wood,  trees,  meadows,  and  hills, 
are  my  witnesses,  that  1  drew  on  a  fair  meeting  betwixt  Christ 
and  Anwoth. 

My  love  to  your  husband,  to  dear  Carlton,  to  my  beloved  brother 
Knockbrex.  Forget  not  Christ's  prisoner.  I  long  for  a  letter  un- 
der your  own  hand. 

Your  friend,  and  Christ's  Prisoner,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Nov.  22. 


LETTER  CCLXXXH. 

TO      THE      LADY      ROBERTLAND. 

Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  shall  be 
glad  to  hear  that  your  soul  prospereth,  and  that  fruit  groweth 
upon  you  after  the  Lord's  husbandry  and  pains  in  his  rod,  that 
hath  not  been  a  stranger  to  you  from  your  youth.  It  is  the  Lord's 
kindness  that  he  will  take  the  scum  off  us  in  the  fire  :  who  know- 
eth  how  needful  winnowing  is  to  us,  and  what  dross  must  betaken 
away,  ere  we  enter  into  the  Kingdom  of  God  ?  So  narrow  is  the 
entry  to  Heaven,  that  our  knots,  our  bunches,  and  lumps  of  pride, 

'  Self-accusations. 


Rutherford's  letters.  439 

and  self-love,  and  idol  love,  and  world  love,  must  be  hammered  off 
us,  that  we  may  thring  in,^  stooping  low,  and  creeping  through 
that  narrow  and  thorny  entry. 

And  now,  for  myself: — I  find  it  the  most  sweet  and  heavenly 
life,  to  take  up  house  and  dwelling  at  Christ's  fireside,  and  set 
down  my  tent  upon  Christ,  that  Foundation-stone,  which  is  sure 
and  faithful  ground,  and  hard  under  foot.  Oh,  if^  I  could  win  to' 
it,  and  proclaim  myself  not  the  world's  debtor,  nor  a  lover  obliged 
to  it ;  and  that  I  mind  not  to  hire  or  bud^  this  world's  love  any 
longer ;  but  defy  both  the  kindness  and  feud  of  God's  whole  crea- 
tion whatsoever ;  especially  the  lower  vault  and  clay-part  of  God's 
creatures,  this  vain  earth  !  For  what  hold  1  of  his  world  ?  A 
borrowed  lodging,  and  some  years'  house-room,  and  bread,  and 
water,  and  fire,  and  bed,  and  candle,  etc.,  are  all  a  part  of  the 
pension  of  my  King  and  Lord,  to  whom  I  owe  thanks,  and  not  to 
a  creature. 

I  thank  God,  that  God  is  God,  and  Christ  is  Christ,  and  the 
earth  the  earth,  and  the  Devil  the  Devil,  and  the  world  the  world, 
and  that  sin  is  sin,  and  that  everything  is  what  it  is  :  because  he 
hath  taught  me  in  my  wilderness  not  to  shuffle  my  Lord  Jesus, 
nor  to  intermix  him  with  creature-vanities ;  nor  to  spin  or  twine 
Christ  or  his  sweet  love  into  one  web,  or  into  one  thread  with  the 
world,  and  the  things  thereof.  Oh,  if^  I  could  hold  and  keep 
Christ  all  alone,  and  mix  him  with  nothing !  Oh,  if  ^  I  could  cry 
down  the  price  and  weight  of  my  cursed  self,  and  cry  up  the  price 
of  Christ,  and  double,  and  triple,  and  augment  and  heighten  to 
millions  the  price  and  worth  of  Christ !  I  am,  if  I  durst  speak  so, 
and  might  lawfully  complain,  so  hungeredly  tutored  by  Christ  Je- 
sus, my  liberal  Lord,  that  his  nice  love,  which  my  soul  would  be 
in  hands  with,  flieth  me ;  and  yet  I  am  trained  on  to  love  Him, 
and  lust,  and  long,  and  die  for  his  love  whom  I  cannot  see.  It  is 
a  w^onder  to  pine  away  with  love  for  a  covered  and  hid  lover,  and 
to  be  hungered  with  his  love,  so  as  a  poor  soul  cannot  get  his  fill 
of  hunger  for  Christ.  It  is  hard  to  be  hungered  of  hunger,  whereof 
such  abundance  for  other  things  is  in  the  world.  But  sure  if  we 
were  tutors,  and  stewards,  and  masters,  and  lord-carvers  of  Christ's 
love,  we  should  be  more  lean,  and  worse  fed  than  we  are.  Our 
meat  doeth  us  the  more  good  that  Christ  keepeth  the  keys,  and 
that  tlie  wind  and  the  air  of  Christ's  sweet  breathing,  and  of  the 
influence  of  his  Spirit  is  locked  up  in  the  hands  of  the  good  pleas- 
ure of  Him  who  bloweth  where  he  listeth. 

I  see  that  there  is  a  sort  of  impatient  patience  required  in  the 
want  of  Christ,  as  to  his  manifestations  and  waiting  on.  They 
thrive  who  wait  on  his  love,  and  the  blowing  of  it,  and  the  turn- 
ing of  his  gracious  wind ;  and  they  thrive  who  in  that  on-waiting 
make  haste  and  din,  and  much  ado,  for  their  lost  and  hidden  Lord 
Jesus.  However  it  be,  God  feed  me  with  him  any  way.  If  he 
would  come  in,  I  should  not  dispute  the  matter  where  he  got  a 

»  Press  or  squeeze  in.  2  oh,  that.  '  Attain  to.  *  Bribe. 


440  Rutherford's  letters. 

hole,  or  how  he  opened  the  lock.  I  should  be  content  that  Christ 
and  I  met,  sujjpose  he  should  stand  on  the  other  side  of  Hell's  lake, 
and  cry  to  me,  "  Either  put  in  your  foot  and  come  through,  else  ye 
shall  not  have  me  at  all."  But  what  fools  are  we,  in  the  taking  up 
of  him  and  of  his  deahng !  He  hath  a  gate '  of  his  own,  beyond 
the  thoughts  of  men,  that  no  foot  hath  skill  to  follow  him.  But 
we  are  still  ill  scholars,  and  will  go  in  at  Heaven's  gate,  wanting  the 
half  of  our  lesson,  and  shall  still  be  bairns  so  long  as  we  are  under 
time's  hands,  and  till  eternity  cause  a  sun  to  arise  in  our  souls  that 
shall  give  us  wit.  We  may  see  how  we  spill  ^  and  mar  our  own 
fair  heaven  and  our  salvation,  and  how  Christ  is  every  day  putting 
in  one  bone  or  other  in  those  fallen  souls  of  ours,  into  the  right 
place  again ;  and  that,  on  this  side  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  we 
shall  still  have  need  of  forgiving  and  healing.  I  find  crosses  to  be 
Christ's  carved  Avork,  that  he  marketh  out  for  us ;  and  that  with 
crosses  he  figureth  and  portrayeth  us  to  his  own  image,  cutting 
away  pieces  of  our  ill  and  corruption.  "Lord,  cut;  Lord,  carve; 
Lord,  wound;  Lord,  do  anything  that  may  perfect  the  Father's 
image  in  us,  and  make  us  meet  for  glory." 

Pray  for  me, — I  forget  not  you, — that  our  Lord  would  be  pleased 
to  lend  me  house-room,  to  preach  his  righteousness,  and  tell  what 
I  have  heard  and  seen  of  him.  Forget  not  Zion  that  is  now  in 
Christ's  caums^  and  in  his  forge.  God  bring  her  out  new  work. 
Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Jan.  4,  1638. 


LETTER  CCLXXXHL 

TO      MY      LORD      LOUDON. 

Right  honorable,  and  my  very  worthy  Lord, — Grace, 
mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — Hearing  of  your  Lordship's  zeal  and 
courage  for  Christ  our  Lord,  in  owning  his  honorable  cause,  I  am 
bold,  (and  I  plead  pardon  for  it,)  to  speak  on  paper,  by  a  line  or 
two,  to  your  Lordship,  (since  I  have  not  access  in  any  other  way,) 
beseeching  your  Lordship,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  and  by  the  ever- 
lasting peace  of  your  soul,  and  by  the  tears  and  prayers  of  our 
Mother-church,  to  go  on  as  ye  have  so  worthily  begun,  in  purging 
the  Lord's  house  in  this  land,  and  pulling  down  the  sticks  of  An- 
tichrist's filthy  nest,  this  wretched  prelacy,  and  that  black  king- 
dom, whose  wicked  aims  have  ever  been,  and  still  are,  to  make  this 
fat  world  the  only  compass  they  would  have  Christ  and  religion  to 
sail  by;  and  to  mount  up  the  Man  of  Sin,  their  godfather  the 
Pope  of  Rome,  upon  the  highest  stair  of  Christ's  throne,  and  to 
make  a  velvet  church,  (in  regard  of  parliament  grandeur  and 
worldly  pomp,  whereof  always  their  stinking  breath  smelleth,)  and 

^  Way.  2  Spoil.  3  Moulds. 


Rutherford's  letters.  441 

put  Christ  and  truth  in  sackcloth  and  prison  to  eat  the  bread  of 
adversity,  and  drink  the  water  of  affliction.  Half  an  eye  of  any, 
not  misted  with  the  darkness  of  Antichristian  smoke,  may  see  it 
thus  in  this  land ;  and  now  our  Lord  hath  begun  to  awaken  the 
nobles  and  others,  to  plead  for  borne-down  Christ  and  his  weeping 
Gospel. 

My  dear  and  noble  Lord,  the  eye  of  Christ  is  upon  you ;  the 
eyes  of  many  noble,  many  holy,  many  learned  and  worthy  ones, 
in  our  neighbor  churches  about,  are  upon  you.  This  poor  Church, 
your  Mother  and  Christ's  spouse,  is  holding  up  her  hands  and 
heart  to  God  for  you,  and  doth  beseech  you  Avith  tears,  to  plead 
for  her  Husband,  his  kingly  sceptre,  and  for  the  liberties  that  her 
Lord  and  King  hath  given  to  her  as  to  a  free  Kingdom,  that  oweth 
spiritual  tribute  to  none  on  earth,  as  being  the  free-born  Princess 
and  Daughter  to  the  King  of  kings.  This  is  a  cause  that,  before 
God,  his  angels,  the  world,  before  sun  and  moon,  needeth  not  to 
blush.  Oh,  what  glory  and  true  honor  is  it,  to  lend  Christ  your 
hand  and  service,  and  to  be  amongst  the  repairers  of  the  breaches 
of  Zion's  walls,  and  to  help  to  build  the  old  waste  places,  and 
stretch  forth  the  curtains,  and  strengthen  the  stakes  of  Christ's 
tent  in  this  land  ! 

Oh,  blessed  are  they,  who,  when  Christ  is  driven  away,  will 
bring  him  back  again,  and  lend  him  lodging !  And  blessed  are 
ye  of  the  Lord  !  Your  name  and  honor  shall  never  rot  nor  wither 
in  Heaven,  (at  least,)  if  ye  deliver  the  Lord's  sheep,  that  have  been 
scattered  in  the  dark  and  cloudy  day,  out  of  the  hands  of  strange 
lords  and  hirelings,  who  with  rigor  and  cruelty  have  caused 
them  to  eat  the  pastures  trodden  upon  with  their  foul  feet,  and  to 
drink  muddy  water  ;  and  who  have  spun  out  such  a  world  of 
yards  of  indifferencies  in  God's  worship,  to  make  and  weave  a 
web  for  the  Antichrist,  (which  shall  not  keep  any  from  the  cold,) 
as  they  mind  nothing  else,  but  that,  by  the  bringing  in  of  the 
Pope's  foul  tail  first  upon  us,  (their  wretched  and  beggarly  cere- 
monies,) they  may  thrust  in  after  them  the  Antichrist's  legs  and 
thighs,  and  his  bell}'^,  head,  and  shoulders  ;  and  then  cry  down 
Christ  and  the  Gospel,  and  up  the  merchandise  and  wares  of  the 
Great  Whore.  Fear  not,  my  worthy  Lord,  to  give  yourself,  and 
all  ye  have,  out  for  Christ  and  his  Gospel.  No  man  dare  say, 
who  did  ever  thus  hazard  for  Christ,  that  Christ  paid  him  not  his 
hundred-fold  in  this  life  duly,  and,  in  the  life  to  come,  life  everlast- 
ing. This  is  his  own  truth  that  ye  now  plead  for;  for  God  and 
man  cannot  but  commend  you,  to  beg  justice  from  a  just  prince 
for  oppressed  Christ ;  and  to  plead  that  Christ,  who  is  the  King's 
Lord,  may  be  heard  in  a  free  court  to  speak  for  himself,  when  the 
standing  and  established  laws  of  our  nation  can  strongly  plead 
for  Christ's  crown  in  the  pulpits,  and  his  chair  as  Lawgiver  in  the 
free  government  of  his  own  house.  But  Christ  will  never  be  con- 
tent and  pleased  with  this  land,  neither  shall  his  hot,  fiery  indig- 
nation be  turned  away,  so  long  as  the  Prelate  (the  man  that  lay 
in  Antichrist's  foul  womb,  and  the  Antichrist's  lord-bailiff,)  shall 


442  Rutherford's  letters. 

sit  lord-carver  in  the  courts  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  The  Prelate  is 
both  the  egg  and  the  nest  to  deck'  and  bring  forth  Popery. 
Plead,  therefore,  in  Christ's  behalf,  for  the  plucking  down  of  the 
nest,  and  the  crushing  of  the  egg ;  and  let  Christ's  kingly  office 
suffer  no  more  unworthy  indignities.  Be  valiant  for  your  royal 
King,  Jesus ;  contend  for  him  ;  your  adversaries  shall  be  moth- 
eaten  worms,  and  die  as  men.  Christ  and  his  honor  now  lie  on 
your  shoulders,  let  him  not  fall  to  the  gronnd.  Cast  your  eye- 
upon  Him  who  is  quickly  coming  to  decide  all  the  controversies  in 
Zion.  And  remember  that  the  sand  in  your  night-glass  ^  will  run 
out ;  time  with  wings  will  flee  away,  eternity  is  hard  upon  you ; 
and  what  will  Christ's  love-smiles,  and  the  light  of  his  lovely  and 
soul-delighting  countenance  be  to  you  in  that  day,  when  God 
shall  take  up  in  his  right  hand  this  little  lodge  of  heaven,  (like 
as  a  shepherd  lifteth  up  his  little  tent,)  and  fold  together  the  two 
leaves  of  this  tent,  and  put  the  earth  and  all  the  plenishing'  of  it 
into  a  fire,  and  turn  this  clay-idol,  the  god  of  Adam's  sons,  into 
smoke  and  white  ashes  !  Oh,  what  hire,  and  how  many  worlds 
would  many  then  give  to  have  a  favorable  decreet^  of  the  Judge? 
or  what  moneys  would  they  not  give,  to  buy  a  mountain,  to  be  a 
grave  above  both  soul  and  body,  to  hide  them  from  the  awesome^ 
looks  of  an  angry  Lord  and  Judge?  I  hope  that  your  Lordship 
thinketh  upon  this,  and  that  ye  mind  loyalty  to  Christ,  and  to  the 
King  both. 

Now  the  very  God  of  peace, — the  only  wise  God, — establish  and 
strengthen  you  upon  the  Rock  laid  in  Zion. 

Your  Lordship's,  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Jan.  4,  1638. 


LETTER  CCLXXXIV. 

TO  THE  HONORABLE,  REVEREND,  AND  WELL-BELOVED  PRO- 
FESSORS OF  CHRIST  AND  HIS  TRUTH  IN  SINCERITY,  IN 
IRELAND. 

Dearly  beloved  in  our  Lord,  and  Partakers  of  the 
HEAVENLY  Calling, — -Gracc,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you,  from 
God  our  Father,  and  from  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

I  always,  but  most  of  all  now  in  my  bonds,  (most  sweet  bonds 
for  Christ  my  Lord,)  rejoice  to  hear  of  your  faith  and  love,  and  to 
hear  that  our  King,  our  Well-beloved,  our  Bridegroom,  wulhout 
tiring,  stayeth  still  to  woo  you,  as  his  wife ;  and  that  persecutions, 
and  mockings  of  sinners  have  not  chased  away  the  Wooer  from 
the  house. 

I  persuade  you  in  the  Lord,  that  the  men  of  God,  now  scattered 
and  driven  from  you,  put  you  upon  the  right  scent  and  pursuit  of 

1  Hatch.  2  Hour-glass.  s  Furniture.  *  Sentence.  s  Awful. 


Rutherford's  letters.  443 

Christ ;  and,  my  salvation  on  it,  (if  ten  heavens  were  mine,)  if 
this  way,  this  way  that  I  now  suffer  for,  this  way  that  the  world 
nicknameth  and  reproacheth,  and  no  other  way,  be  not  the  King's 
gate '  to  Heaven  ;  and  I  shall  never  see  God's  face,  (and,  alas,  I 
were  a  beguiled  wretch  if  it  were  so !)  if  this  be  not  the  only  sav- 
ing way  to  Heaven.  Oh,  that  you  would  take  the  word  of  a 
prisoner  of  Christ  for  it,  nay  I  know  you  have  the  greatest  King's 
word  for  it,  that  it  shall  not  be  your  wisdom  to  speer"  out  another 
Christ,  or  another  way  of  worshipping  him,  than  is  now  savingly 
revealed  to  you.  Therefore,  though  I  never  saw  your  faces,  let 
me  be  pardoned  to  write  to  you,  ye  honorable  persons,  ye  faith- 
ful pastors,  yet  amongst  the  flocks,  and  ye  sincere  professors  of 
Christ's  truth,  or  any  weak,  tired  strayers,  who  cast  but  half  an 
eye  after  the  Bridegroom,  if  possibly  I  could,  by  any  weak  experi- 
ence, confirm  and  strengthen  you  in  this  good  way,  everywhere 
spoken  against.  I  can  with  the  greatest  assurance,  (to  the  honor 
of  our  highest  and  greatest,  and  dearest  liOrd,  let  it  be  spoken.) 
assert,  (though  I  be  but  a  child  in  Christ,  and  scarce  able  to  walk 
but  by  a  hold,  and  the  meanest,  and  less  than  the  least  of  saints,) 
that  we  do  not  come  nigh,  by  twenty  degrees,  to  the  due  love  and 
estimation  of  that  Fairest  amongst  the  sons  of  men.  For  if  it 
were  possible  that  Heaven,  yea,  ten  heavens,  were  laid  in  the  bal- 
ance with  Christ,  I  would  think  the  smell  of  his  breath  above 
them  all.  Sure  I  am  that  he  is  the  far  best  half  of  Heaven  ; 
yea,  he  is  all  Heaven,  and  more  than  all  Heaven ;  and  my  testi- 
mony of  him  is,  that  ten  lives  of  black  sorrow,  ten  deaths,  ten 
hells  of  pain,  ten  furnaces  of  brimstone,  and  all  exquisite  torments, 
were  all  too  little  for  Christ,  if  our  suffering  could  be  a  hire  to  buy 
him  ;  and,  therefore,  faint  not  in  your  sufferings  and  hazards  for 
him.  I  proclaim  and  cry.  Hell,  sorrow,  and  shame  upon  all  lusts, 
upon  all  by-lovers  ^  that  would  take  Christ's  room  over  his  head,* 
in  this  little  inch  of  love,  of  these  narrow  souls  of  ours,  that  is  due 
to  sweetest  Jesus.  O  highest,  O  fairest,  O  dearest  Lord  Jesus, 
take  thine  own  from  all  bastard  lovers.  Oh,  that  we  could  wad- 
set^ and  sell  all  our  part  of  time's  glory,  and  time's  good  things, 
for  a  lease  and  tack^  of  Christ  for  all  eternity  !  Oh,  how  are  we 
misted '^  and  mired  with  the  love  of  things  that  are  on  this  side  of 
time,  and  on  this  side  of  death's  water !  Where  can  we  find  a 
match  to  Christ,  or  an  equal,  or  a  better  than  he,  among  created 
things?  Ob,  this  world  is  out  of  all  conceit,  and  all  love  with  our 
Well-beloved  !  Oh,  that  I  could  sell  my  laughter,  joy,  ease,  and 
all  for  him  ;  and  be  content  with  a  straw  bed,  and  bread  by 
weight,  and  water  by  measure,  in  the  camp  of  our  weeping 
Christ!  I  know  that  his  sackcloth  and  ashes  are  better  than  the 
fool's  laughter,  which  is  like  the  crackling  of  thorns  under  a  pot. 

I  Way.  2  7\)  speer  out,  to  find  out  by  diligent  inquiry.  3  Paramours. 

*  To  take  a  house,  farm,  etc.,  over  a  tenants  head,  to  offer  more  for  it  than  the  ade- 
quate rent  which  the  tenant  gives,  and  thus  to  put  liim  out. 

5  To  wadset,  to  alienate,  under  a  right  of  reversion,  applied  to  heritable  property. 

*  A  lease.  "^  Bewildered. 


444  Rutherford's  letters. 

But,  alas !  we  do  not  harden  our  faces  against  the  cold  north 
storms  which  blow  upon  Christ's  fair  face.  We  love  well  summer 
religion,  and  to  be  that  which  sin  has  made  us,  even  as  thin  skin- 
ned as  if  we  were  made  of  white  paper ;  and  would  fain  be  car- 
ried to  Heaven  in  a  close-covered  chariot,  wishing  from  our  hearts 
that  Christ  would  give  us  surety,  and  his  hand-write^  and  his  seal 
for  nothing  but  a  fair  summer,  until  we  be  landed  in  at  Heaven's 
gates. 

How  many  of  us  have  been  here  deceived,  and  have  fainted  in 
the  day  of  trial !  Amongst  you  there  are  some  of  this  stamp.  I 
shall  be  sorry  if  my  acquaintance  A.  T.  hath  left  you :  I  will  not 
believe  that  he  dare  to  stay  from  Christ's  side.  I  desire  that  ye  show 
him  this  from  me  ;  for  I  loved  him  once  in  Christ,  neither  can  I 
change  my  mind  suddenly  of  him. 

But  the  truth  is,  that  many  of  you,  and  too  many,  also,  of  your 
neighbor  Church  of  Scotland,  have  been  like  a  tenant  that  sitteth 
mail-free 2  and  knoweth  not  his  holding^  whill  his  rights^  be 
questioned.  And  now  I  am  persuaded,  that  it  will  be  asked  at 
every  one  of  us,  on  what  terms  we  brook^  Christ;  for  wehavesit- 
ten  long  mail-free.  We  found  Christ  without  a  wet  foot ;  and  he, 
and  his  Gospel,  came  upon  small  charges  to  our  doors :  but  now 
we  must  wet  our  feet  to  seek  him.  Our  evil  manners,  and  the 
bad  fashions  of  a  people  at  ease,  from  your  youth,  and  like  Moab, 
not  casten  from  vessel  to  vessel,  (Jer.  xlviii.  11.)  have  made  us, 
like  standing  waters,  to  gather  a  foul  scum,  and  when  we  are 
jumbled  our  dregs  come  up,  and  are  seen.  Many  take  but  half 
a  grip«  of  Christ,  and  the  wind  bloweth  them  and  Christ  asunder. 
Indeed,  when  the  mast  is  broken  and  blown  into  the  sea,  it  is  an 
art  "<  then  to  swim  upon  Christ  to  dry  land.  It  is  even  possible 
that  the  children  of  God,  in  a  hard  trial,  lay  themselves  down  as 
hidden  in  the  lee  side  of  a  bush  whill  Christ  their  Master  be 
taken,  as  Peter  did ;  and  lurk  there,  whill  the  storm  be  overpast. 
All  of  us  know  the  way  to  a  whole  skin ;  and  the  singlest  heart 
that  is,  hath  a  by-purse  that  will  contain  the  denial  of  Christ,  and 
a  fearful  backsliding.  Oh,  how  rare  a  thing  it  is  to  be  loyal  and 
honest  to  Christ,  when  he  hath  a  controversy  with  the  shields  of  the 
earth  !  I  wish  all  of  you  would  consider,  that  this  trial  is  from 
Christ,  it  is  come  upon  you  unbought ;  (indeed  when  we  buy  a 
temptation  with  our  own  money,  no  marvel  that  we  be  not  easily 
free  of  it,  and  that  God  be  not  at  our  elbow  to  take  it  off'  our  hand  ;) 
this  is  Christ's  ordinary  house-fire*  that  he  maketh  use  of,  to  try 
all  the  vessels  of  his  house  withal.  And  Christ  now  is  about  to 
bring  his  treasure  out  before  sun  and  moon,  and  to  tell  his  money, 
and  in  the  telling  to  try  what  weight  of  gold,  and  what  weight 
of  watered  °  copper  is  in  his  house.    Do  not  now  jouk,'"  or  bow,  or 

'  Assurance  under  one's  hand.         2  Rent-free.         3  Tenure.  <  Title-deeds. 

6  Possess,  enjoy.  6  Gripe,  firm  hold.  i  Requires  skill. 

8  Fire  that  ordinarily  burns  in  the  house.  9  Plated  with  silver. 

>"  To  jouk,  to  incline  the  body  forward  with  a  quick  motion,  in  order  to  avoid  a 
stroke  or  an  injury  ;  hence,  to  shift,  to  yield  up  principle  to  escape  present  evil. 


Rutherford's  letters.  445 

yield  to  your  adversaries  in  a  hair-breadth.  Christ  and  his  truth 
will  not  divide  ;  and  his  truth  hath  not  latitude  and  breadth,  that 
ye  may  take  some  of  it,  and  leave  other  some  of  it.  Nay,  the 
Gospel  is  like  a  small '  hair,  that  hath  no  breadth,  and  will  not 
cleave  in  two.  It  is  not  possible  to  twist  and  compound  a  matter 
betwixt  Christ  and  Anticlirist  ;2  and,  therefore,  ye  must  either  be 
for  Christ,  or  ye  must  be  against  him.  It  was  but  man's  wit, 
and  the  wit  of  prelates  and  their  godfather,  the  Pope,  (that  man 
without  law,)  to  put  Christ  and  his  prerogatives  royal,  and  his 
truth,  or  the  smallest  nail-breadth  of  his  latter-will,  in  the  new 
Calendar  of  Indifferencies ;  and  to  make  a  blank  of  uninked 
paper  in  Christ's  testament,  that  men  may  fill  up ;  and  to  shuffle 
the  truth,  and  matters  which  they  call  indifferent,  through  other;' 
and  spin  both  together,  that  Antichrist's  wares  may  sell  the  better. 
This  is  but  the  device  and  forged  dream  of  men,  whose  consciences 
are  made  of  stoutness,  and  have  a  throat,  that  a  graven  image, 
greater  than  the  bounds  of  the  Kirk  door,  would  get  free  passage 
into.  I  am  sure  that  when  Christ  shall  bring  us  all  out  in  our 
blacks  and  whites,^  at  that  day,  when  he  shall  cry  down  time, 
and  the  world,  and  when  the  glory  of  it  shall  lie  in  white  ashes, 
like  a  May-flower  cut  down,  and  which  hath  lost  the  blossom, 
there  shall  be  few,  yea  none,  that  dare  make  any  point  which 
toucheth  the  worship  and  honor  of  our  King  and  Lawgiver,  to  be 
indifferent.  Oh,  that  this  misled  and  blindfolded  world  would  see 
that  Christ  doth  not  rise  and  fall,  stand  or  lie,  by  men's  appre- 
hensions !  What  is  Christ  the  lighter,  that  men  do  with  him,  by 
open  proclamation,  as  men  do  with  clipped  and  light  money? 
They  are  now  crying  down  Christ  some  grain-weights,  and  some 
pounds  or  shillings ;  and  they  will  have  him  lie  *  for  a  penny  or 
a  pound,  for  one  or  for  a  hundred,  according  as  the  wind  bloweth 
from  the  east  or  from  the  west ;  but  the  Lord  hath  weighed  him, 
and  balanced  him  already ;  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I 
am  well  pleased  ;  hear  ye  him  :"  his  worth  and  his  weight  stand 
still.  It  is  our  part  to  cry,  "Up,  up  with  Christ,  and  down,  down 
with  all  created  glory  before  him."  Oh,  that  I  could  heighten 
him,  and  heighten  his  name,  and  heighten  his  throne  !  I  know, 
and  am  persuaded,  that  Christ  shall  again  be  high  and  great  in 
this  poor,  withered,  and  sun-burnt  Kirk  of  Scotland ;  and  that 
the  sparks  of  our  fire  shall  fly  over  sea,  and  round  about,  to  warm 
you  and  other  sister  churches  ;  and  that  this  tabernacle  of  David's 
house,  that  is  fallen,  even  the  Son  of  David's  waste  places  shall 
be  built  again.  And  I  know  the  prison,  crosses,  persecutions,  and 
trials  of  the  two  slain  witnesses,  that  are  now  dead  and  buried, 
(Rev.  xi.)  and  of  the  faithful  professors  that  have  a  back-door  and 
back-entry  of  escape  ;  and  that  death  and  Hell,  and  the  world, 
and  tortures,  shall  all  cleave  and  split  in  twain,  and  give  us  free 

1  Slender. 

2  That  is,  to  twist  it  round  them  both  so  as  to  bind  them  together,  or  to  compound 
them  together  so  as  to  make  them  unite.  3  Promiscuously. 

*  Evil  and  good  deeds.  s  Be  reckoned,  stand  for. 


446  Rutherford's  letters. 

passage  and  liberty  to  go  through  toll-free:  and  we  shall  bring 
all  God's  good  metal  out  of  the  furnace  again,  and  leave  behind 
us  but  our  dross  and  our  scum  :  we  may  then  beforehand  pro- 
claim Christ  to  be  victorious.  He  is  crowned  King  in  Mount 
Zion  :  God  did  put  the  crown  upon  his  head,  (Psal.  ii.,)  and  who 
dare  take  it  off  again  ?  Out  of  question,  he  hath  sore  and  grievous 
quarrels  against  his  Church  :  and,  therefore,  he  is  called,  (Isa. 
xxxi.  9,)  "  He  whose  fire  is  in  Zion,  and  whose  furnace  is  in 
Jerusalem."  But  when  he  hath  performed  his  work  on  Mount 
Zion,  all  Zion's  haters  shall  be  as  the  hungry  and  thirsty  man, 
that  dreameth  he  is  eating  and  drinking,  and  behold  when  he 
awakeneth,  he  is  faint,  and  his  soul  empty.  And  this  advantage 
we  have  also,  that  he  will  not  bring  before  sun  and  moon  all  the 
infirmities  of  his  wife  ;  it  is  the  modesty  of  marriage-anger  or 
husband-wrath,  that  our  sweet  Lord  Jesus  will  not  come  with 
chiding  to  the  streets,  to  let  all  the  world  hear  what  is  betwixt 
him  and  us :  his  sweet  glooms  ^  stay  under  roof,  and  that  because 
he  is  God. 

Two  special  things  ye  are  to  mind  :  1.  Try  and  make^  sure 
your  profession  :  that  ye  carry  not  empty  lamps.  Alas  !  security, 
security  is  the  bane  and  the  wrack  °  of  the  most  part  of  the  world. 
Oh,  how  many  professors  go  with  a  golden  lustre,  and  are  gold- 
like before  men,  (who  are  but  witnesses  to  our  white  skin.)  and 
yet  are  but  bastard  and  base  metal !  Consider  how  fair  before  the 
wind  some  do  ply  with  up-sails  and  white,  even  to  the  nick^  of 
illumination,  (Heb.  vi.  4,  5,)  "  And  tasting  of  the  heavenly  gift ; 
and  a  share  and  part  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  the  tasting  of  the 
good  word  of  God,  and  the  powers  of  the  world  to  come ;"  and 
yet  this  is  but  a  false  nick  of  renovation,  and,  in  a  short  time, 
such  are  quickly  broken  upon  the  rocks,  and  never  fetch  the  har- 
bor, but  are  sanded^  in  the  bottom  of  Hell.  Oh,  make  your  haven 
sure,  and  try  how  ye  come  by  conversion  ;  that  it  be  not  stolen 
goods,  in  a  white  and  well-lustered  profession  !  A  white  skin  over 
old  wounds  maketh  an  under-coating  conscience;''  false  under- 
water,' not  seen,  is  dangerous,  and  that  is  a  leek  ^  and  rift  in  the 
bottom  of  an  enlightened  conscience,  often  falling,  and  sinning 
against  light.  Woe,  woe  is  me  that  the  holy  profession  of  Christ 
is  made  a  stage  garment  by  many,  to  bring  home  a  vain  fame ; 
and  Christ  is  made  to  serve  men's  ends ;  this  is,  as  it  were,  to  stop 
an  oven  with  a  king's  robes. 

Know^ — 2.  Except  men  martyr  and  slay  the  body  of  sin  in 
sanctified  self-denial,  they  shall  never  be  Christ's  martyrs,  and 
faithful  witnesses.  Oh,  if  I  could  be  master  of  that  house-idol, 
myself,  my  own,  mine,  my  own  will,  wit,  credit,  and  ease,  how 
blessed  were  1 !     Oh,  but  we  have  need  to  be  redeemed  from  our- 

'  Frowns. 

2  Try  to  make  sure.  Atid,  in  the  Scottish  dialect,  is  often  placed  between  a  govern- 
ing verb  and  its  infinitive,  instead  oito,  in  English.  3  Destruction. 

*  Marli,  degree.  s  Stranded. 

s  Festering  under  the  coat  or  skin  which  has  been  brought  over  the  wound  by  its 
having  been  too  hastily  healed. — (Jer.  vi.  14.)  ">  Bilge-water.  ^  Leak. 


Rutherford's  letters,  447 

selves,  rather  than  from  the  Devil  and  the  world  !  Learn  to  put 
out  yourselves,  and  to  put  in  Christ  for  yourselves;  it  would  make 
a  sweet  bartering  and  niffering,'  and  give  old  for  new,  if  I  could 
shuffle  out  self,  and  substitute  Christ  my  Lord,  in  place  of  myself; 
to  say,  "Not  I,  but  Christ;  not  my  will,  but  Christ's;  not  my 
ease,  not  my  lust,  not  my  feckless^  credit,  but  Christ,  Christ." 
But,  alas  !  in  leaving  ourselves,  in  setting  Christ  before  our  idol, 
self,  we  have  yet  a  glaiked'  back-look  to  our  old  idol.  O  wretched 
idol,  myself!  when  shall  I  see  thee  wholly  decourted,*  and  Christ 
wholly  put  in  thy  room  ?  Oh,  if  ^  Christ,  Christ  had  the  full  place 
and  room  of  myself!  that  all  my  aims,  purposes,  thoughts,  and  de- 
sires would  coast  and  land  upon  Christ,  and  not  upon  myself!  and, 
howbeit  we  cannot  attain  to  this  denial  of  me  and  mine,  that  we  can 
say,  "I  am  not  myself,  myself  is  not  myself,  mine  own  is  no  longer 
mine  own,"  yet  our  aiming  at  this  in  all  we  do  shall  be  accepted  ; 
for,  alas  !  I  think  I  shall  die,  but  minting^  and  aiming  to  be  a  Chris- 
tian. Is  it  not  our  comfort,  that  Christ,  the  Mediator  of  the  New 
Covenant,  is  come  betwixt  us  and  God  in  the  business,  so  that  green 
and  young  heirs,  the  like  of  sinners,  have  now  a  Tutor  that  is  God  ? — 
And  now,  God  be  thanked,  our  salvation  is  bottomed  on  Christ ; 
sure  I  am,  the  bottom  shall  never  fall  out  of  Heaven  and  happiness 
to  us  ;  I  would  give  you  over  the  bargain  a  thousand  times,  were  it 
not  that  Christ's  free  grace  hath  taken  our  salvation  in  hand. 

Pray,  pray  and  contend  with  the  Lord,  for  your  Sister-church ; 
for  it  would  appear  that  the  Lord  is  about  to  speer  for''  his  scat- 
tered sheep,  in  the  dark  and  cloudy  day.  Oh,  that  it  would 
please  our  Lord  to  set  up  again  David's  old  wasted  and  fallen  tab- 
ernacle in  Scotland,  that  we  might  see  the  glory  of  the  Second 
Temple  in  this  land.  Oh,  that  my  little  heaven  were  wadset,^  to 
redeem  the  honor  of  my  Lord  Jesus  among  the  Jews  and  Gentiles. 
Let  never  dew  lie  upon  my  branches,  and  let  my  poor  flower 
wither  at  the  root,  so  that  Christ  were  enthroned,  and  his  glory 
advanced  in  all  the  world,  and  especially  in  these  Three  King- 
doms. But  I  know  that  he  hath  no  need  of  me ;  what  can  I  add 
to  him?  but  oh,  that  he  would  cause  his  high  and  pure  glory  to 
run  through  such  a  foul  channel  as  I  am  !  and,  howbeit  he  hath 
caused  the  blossom  to  fall  off  my  one  poor  joy,  that  was  on  this 
side  of  Heaven,  even  my  liberty  to  preach  Christ  to  his  people, 
yet  I  am  dead  to  that  now,  so  that  he  would  hew  and  carve  glory, 
glory  for  evermore,  to  my  royal  King,  out  of  my  silence  and 
sufferings.  Oh,  that  I  had  my  fill  of  his  love  ;  but  I  know  ill 
manners  make  an  unco*  and  strange  Bridegroom. 

I  entreat  you  earnestly  for  the  aid  of  your  prayers,  for  I  forget 
not  you  ;  and  I  salute  with  my  soul  in  Christ,  the  faithful  pastors, 
and  honorable  and  worthy  professors  in  that  land.  Now  the  God 
of  peace,  that  brought  again  our  Lord  Jesus  from  the  dead,  the 
great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep,   by  the  blood  of  the  Everlasting 

1  Exchanging.  2  Weak,  worthless.  3  Giddy,  foolish.  <  Discarded. 

5  That.  *  Indicating,  by  signs,  an  intention  to  attempt.  7  Inquire  after. 

8  Alienated  under  a  right  of  reversion.  9  Distant,  reserved,  cold. 


448  Rutherford's  letters. 

Covenant,  make  you  perfect  in  every  good  work,  to  do  his  will ; 
working  in  you  that  which  is  well-pleasing  in  his  sight. 
Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweetest  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  Feb.  4, 1638. 


LETTER   CCLXXXV. 

TO  ROBERT  GORDON,  OF  KNOCKBREX 


My  very  dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  unto 
you. — I  thought  to  have  answered  your  two  letters  on  this  occa- 
sion, though  I  cannot  say  all  that  I  would.  Your  tinious  ^  word, 
"  not  to  delight  in  the  cross,  but  in  him  who  sweeteneth  it,"  came 
to  me  in  due  time.  I  find  the  consolations  and  off-fallings  that 
follow  the  cross  of  Christ  so  sweet,  that  I  almost  forget  myself. 
My  desire  and  purpose  is,  when  Christ's  honeycombs  drop,  neither 
to  refuse  to  receive  and  feed  upon  his  comforts,  nor  yet  to  make 
joy  my  bastard-god,  or  my  new-found  heaven.  But  what  shall  I 
say?  Christ  very  often,  in  his  sweet  comforts,  cometh  unsent  for, 
and  it  were  a  sin  to  close  the  door  upon  him  ;  it  is  not  unlawful  to 
love  and  delight  in  Christ's  apples,  when  I  am  not  dotingly  wooing, 
nor  eagerly  begging  kisses  ;  but  when  they  come  clean  from  the 
timber,  (like  kindness  itself,  that  cometh  of  its  own  accord,)  then 
I  cannot  but  laugh  upon  Him  who  laugheth  upon  me.  If  joy 
and  comforts  come  single  and  alone,  without  Christ  himself,  I 
think  I  would  send  them  back  again  the  gate^  they  came,  and 
not  make  them  welcome  ;  but,  when  the  King's  train  cometh,  and 
the  King  in  the  midst  of  the  company,  oh  how  I  am  overjoyed 
with  floods  of  love!  I  fear  not,  that  too  great  spaits^  of  love 
wash  away  the  growing  corn,  and  loose  my  plants  at  the  roots. 
Christ  doeth  no  skaith^  where  he  cometh  ;  but  certainly,  I  would 
wish  such  spiritual  wisdom,  as  to  love  the  Bridegroom  better  than 
his  gifts,  his  propines,^  or  drink-money.  I  would  be  further  in 
upon  Christ,  thau  at  his  joys.  They  but  stand  in  the  outer  side 
of  Christ;  I  would  wish  to  be  in,  as  a  seal  upon  his  heart;  in, 
where  his  love  and  mercy  lodgeth  beside  his  heart.  My  Well- 
beloved  hath  ravished  me ;  but  it  is  done  with  consent  of  both 
parties,  and  it  is  allowable  enough.  But,  ray  dear  brother,  ere  I 
part  with  this  subject,  I  must  tell  you,  that  ye  may  lift  up  my 
King  in  praises  with  me,  Christ  hath  been  keeping  something 
these  fourteen  years  for  me,  that  I  have  now  gotten  in  ray  heavy 
days  that  I  ara  in  for  his  name's  sake ;  even  an  opened  coffer  of 
perfumed  comforts,  and  fresh  joys,  coming  new,  and  green,  and 
powerful,  from  the  fairest,  fairest  face  of  Christ  my  Lord.  Let  the 
sour  law,  let  crosses,  let  Hell  be  cried  down :  love,  love  hath 
shamed  me  from  my  old  ways.     Whether  I  have  a  race  to  run,  or 

»  Seasonable.  «  Way.  3  Deluges.  <  Harm.  5  Presents. 


Rutherford's  letters.  449 

some  work  to  do,  I  see  not ;  but  I  think  Christ  seemeth  to  leave 
Heaven  (to  say  so,)  and  his  court,  and  come  down  to  laugh,  and 
play,  and  sport  with  a  daft  bairn.' 

I  am  not  thus  plain  with  many  I  write  to ;  it  is  possible  I  be 
misconstructed,^  and  deemed  to  seek  a  name ;  but  my  Witness 
above  knoweth  that  I  seek  to  have  a  good  name  raised  upon 
Christ.  I  observe  it  to  be  our  folly,  to  seek  little  from  Christ, 
because  our  four-hours^  may  not  be  our  supper ;  nor  our  propines* 
sent  by  the  Bridegroom  our  tocher-good  ;5  nor  our  earnest  our 
principal  sum.  But  I  trow  that  few  of  us  know  how  much  may 
be  had  of  Christ  for  a  four-hours, ^  and  a  propine,*  and  an 
earnest.  We  are  like  the  young  heir,  who  knoweth  not  the  whole 
bounds  of  his  own  lordship.  Certainly,  it  is  more  than  my  part 
to  say,  "  O  sweetest  Lord  Jesus,  what,  howbeit  I  were  split  and 
broken  into  five  thousand  shreds  or  bits  of  clay,  so  being  that 
every  shred  had  a  heart  to  love  thee,  and  every  one  as  many 
tongues  as  there  are  in  Heaven,  to  sing  praises  to  thee,  before  men 
and  angels  for  evermore  !"  Therefore,  if  my  sufferings  cry  good- 
ness, and  praise,  and  honor  upon  Christ,  my  stipend  is  well  paid. 
Each  one  knoweth  not  what  a  life  Christ's  love  is.  Scaur  ^  not 
at  suffering  for  Christ ;  for  Christ  hath  a  chair,  and  a  cushion, 
and  sweet  peace  for  a  sufferer :  Christ's  trencher  from  the  first 
mess  of  the  high  table  is  for  a  sinful  witness.  Oh,  then,  brother, 
who  but  Christ !  who  but  Christ !  Hold  your  tongue  of  lovers, 
where  he  cometh  out.  O  all  flesh,  O  dust  and  ashes,  O  angels,  O 
glorified  spirits,  O  all  the  shields  of  the  world,  be  silent  before 
him,  come  hither,  and  behold  our  Bridegroom,  stand  still  and 
wonder  for  evermore  at  him  !  Why  cease  we  to  love  and  wonder, 
to  kiss  and  adore  him?  It  is  a  hard  matter,  that  days  lie  betwixt 
him  and  me,  and  hold  us  asunder.  Oh,  how  long,  how  long ! 
Ob,  how  many  miles  are  there  to  my  Bridegroom's  dwelling-house  ! 
it  is  a  pain  to  frisf^  Christ's  love  any  longer.  But,  it  may  be,  that 
a  drunken  man  lose  his  feet,  and  miss  a  step.  Ye  write  to  me, 
"hall-binks^  are  slippery."  I  do  not  think  my  dawting^  world 
will  still  last,  and  that  feasts  will  be  my  ordinary  food :  I  would 
have  humility,  patience,  and  faith  to  set  down  both  my  feet,  when 
I  come  to  the  north  side  of  the  cold  and  thorny  hill.  It  is  ill  my 
common'"  to  be  sweer  "  to  go  an  errand  for  Christ,  and  to  take  the 
wind  upon  my  face  for  him.  Lord,  let  me  never  be  a  false  witness, 
to  deny  that  I  saw  Christ  take  the  pen  in  his  hand,  and  subscribe 
my  writes.''^ 

My  dear  brother,  ye  complain  to  me  that  ye  cannot  hold  sight 
of  me :  but  were  I  a  footman,  I  would  go  at  leisure ;  but  some- 
times the  King  taketh  me  into  his  coach,  and  draweth  me  ^  and 
then  I  outrun  myself;  but,  alas,  I  am  still  a  forlorn  transgressor ! 
Oh,  how  unthankful !     I  will  not  put  you  off  your  sense  of  dark- 

'  Foolish  child.  2  Misconstrued.  3  Slight  afternoon  repast. 

4  Present.  5  Marriage-portion.  6  Boggle. 

'  Postpone  enjoyment  of.  ^  Seats  in  the  hall,  elevated  places  of  dignity. 

9  Fondling.  "  It  ill  becomes  me.  "  Reluctant.        12  Charters. 


450  Rutherford's  letters. 

ness ;  but  let  me  say  this,  "  Who  gave  you  proctor-fee,  to  speak 
for  the  law,  which  can  speak  for  itself,  better  than  ye  can  do?"  I 
would  not  have  you  to  bring  your  dittay'  in  your  own  bosom 
with  you  to  Christ. 

Let  the  Old  Man  and  the  New  Man  be  summoned  before 
Christ's  white  throne,  and  let  them  be  confronted  before  Christ, 
and  let  each  of  them  speak  for  themselves.  I  hope,  howbeit  the 
New  Man  complain  of  his  lying  among  pots,  which  maketh  the 
believer  look  black,  yet  he  can  also  say,  "  I  am  comely  as  the 
tents  of  Kedar."  Ye  shall  not  have  my  advice  not  to  bemoan 
your  deadness ;  but  I  find  by  some  experience,  which  ye  knew 
before  I  knew  Christ,  that  it  suiteth  not  a  ransomed  man  of 
Christ's  buying,  to  go  and  plea  "^  for  the  sour  law,  our  old  forcasten  ^ 
husband  ;  for  we  are  now  not  under  the  law,  (as  a  covenant,)  but 
under  grace.  Ye  are  in  no  man's  common,*  but  Christ's  !  I 
know  that  he  bemoaneth  you  more  than  you  do  yourself;  I  say 
this,  because  I  am  wearied  of  complaining.  I  thought  it  had 
been  humility  to  imagine  that  Christ  was  angry  with  me,  both 
because  of  my  dumb  Sabbaths,  and  my  hard  heart :  but  I  feel 
now  nothing  but  aching  wounds  :  my  grief,  whether  I  will  or  not, 
swelleth  upon  me ;  but  let  us  die  in  grace's  hall-floor,  pleading 
before  Christ.  1  deny  nothing  that  the  Mediator  will  challenge  ^ 
me  of;  but  I  turn  it  all  back  upon  himself  Let  him  look  his  own 
old  accounts,  if  he  be  angry,  for  he  will  get  no  more  of  me. 
When  Christ  saith,  "  I  want  repentance,"  I  meet  him  with  this, 
"  True  Lord ;  but  thou  art  made  a  King  and  a  Prince  to  give  me 
repentance,"  (Acts  v.  3L)  When  Christ  bindeth  a  challenge* 
upon  us,  we  must  bind  a  promise  back  upon  him.  Be  wo ''  and 
lay  yourself  in  the  dust  before  God,  (which  is  suitable ;)  but  with- 
al let  Christ  take  the  payment  in  his  own  hand,  and  pay  him- 
self off  the  first  end  of  his  own  merits,  else  he  will  come  behind 
for  anything  that  we  can  do.  I  am  every  way  in  your  case,  as 
hard-hearted  and  dead  as  any  man  ;  but  yet  I  speak  to  Christ 
through  my  sleep.  Let  us  then  proclaim  a  free  market  for  Christ, 
and  swear  ourselves  bare,^  and  cry  on  him,  to  come  without  money 
and  buy  us,  and  take  us  home  to  our  Ransom-payer's  fire-side, 
and  let  us  be  Christ's  free-boarders  :  because  we  dow^  not  pay  the 
old,  we  may  not  refuse  to  take  on  Christ's  new  debt  of  mercy: 
let  us  do  our  best,  Christ  will  still  be  behind  ^^  with  us.  and  many 
terms  will  run  together.  For  my  part,  let  me  stand  for  evermore 
in  his  book,  as  a  forlorn  dyvour."  I  most  desire  to  be  thus  far  in 
his  common  '^  of  new,  as  to  kiss  his  feet :  I  know  not  how  to  win  ^^ 
to  a  heartsome  '*  fill  and  feast  of  Christ's  love  ;  for  I  dow  '^  neither 
buy,  nor  beg,  nor  borrow,  and  yet  I  cannot  want  it — I  dow  '^  not 

*  Indictment.  2  Sue  at  law.  3  Abandoned. 

*  Under  obligation  to  no  man.  s  Accuse.  6  Accusation. 
'  Grieved.  8  Take  the  bankrupt's  oath,  that  we  are  not  worth  anything. 
9  Are  not  able  to.                            '"  Not  have  received  all  his  due. 

11  A  bankrupt.  12  Under  obligation  to  him.  "  Attain. 

M  Hearty.  is  Am  not  able  to. 


Rutherford's  letters.  461 

want  it.  Oh,  if  I  could  praise  him !  yea,  I  would  rest  content 
with  a  heart  submissive  and  dying  of  love  for  him  ;  and,  howbeit 
I  never  win  •  personally  in  at  Heaven's  gates,  oh,  would  to  God  ! 
I  could  send  in  my  praises  to  my  incomparable  Well-beloved,  or 
cast  my  love-songs  of  that  matchless  Lord,  Jesus,  over  the  walls, 
that  they  might  light  in  his  lap,  before  men  and  angels  ! 

Now,  grace,  grace  be  with  you.     Remember  my  love  to  your 
wife  and  daughter,  and  brother  John. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Aberdeen,  June  11,  1638. 


LETTER  CCLXXXVL 

to  the    parishioners   of  kilmalcolm. 

Worthy,  and  well-beloved  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord, 
— Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — Your  letters  could  not 
come  to  my  hand  in  a  greater  throng  of  business  than  I  am  now 
pressed  with  at  this  time,  when  our  Kirk  requireth  the  public 
help  of  us  all ;  yet  I  cannot  but  answer  the  heads  of  both  your 
letters,  with  provision  that  ye  choose,  after  this,  a  fitter  time  for 
writing,  i.  I  would  not  have  you  to  pitch  upon  me,  as  the  man 
able  by  letters  to  answer  doubts  of  this  kind,  while  there  are  in 
your  bounds  men  of  such  great  parts,  most  able  for  this  work.  1 
know  that  the  best  are  unable  ;  yet  it  pleaseth  that  Spirit  of  Jesus, 
to  blow  his  sweet  wind  through  a  piece  of  dry  stick,  that  the 
empty  reed  may  keep  no  glory  to  itself;  but  a  minister  can  make 
no  such  wind  as  this  to  blow,  he  is  scarce  able  to  lend  it  a  pas- 
sage to  blow  through  him.  2.  Know  that  the  wind  of  this  Spirit 
hath  a  time,  when  it  bloweth  sharp,  and  pierceth  so  strongly,  that 
it  would  blow  through  an  iron  door;  and  this  is  commonly  rather 
under  suffering  for  Christ,  than  at  any  other  time.  Sick  children 
get  of  Christ's  pleasant  things,  to  play  them  withal,  because 
Jesus  is  most  tender  of  the  sufferer,  for  he  was  a  sufferer  himself. 
Oh,  if  2  I  had  but  the  leavings  and  the  drawing  of  the  by-board ' 
of  a  sufferer's  table  !     But  I  leave  this  to  answer  yours. 

L  Ye  write,  That  God's  vows  are  lying  on  you  ;  and  security, 
strong,  and  sib*  to  nature,  stealing  on  you  who  are  weak.  I  an- 
swer,— I.  Till  we  be  in  Heaven,  the  best  have  heavy  heads,  as  is 
evident,  (Cant.  v.  1  ;  Psal.  xxx.  6;  Job  xxix.  18;  Matth.  xxvi. 
33.)  Nature  is  a  sluggard,  and  loveth  not  the  labor  of  religion  ; 
therefore,  rest  should  not  be  taken,  till  we  know  that  the  disease 
is  over,  and  in  the  way  of  turning,  and  that  it  is  like  a  fever  past 
the  cool :  and  the  quietness  and  the  calms  of  the  faith  of  victory 
over  corruption,  should  be  entertained  in  the  place  of  security;  so 
that  if  I  sleep,  I  should  desire  to  sleep  faith's  sleep  in  Christ's 
bosom.     2.  Know  also,  that  none  who  sleep  sound  can  seriously 

»  Get.  2  Oh,  that.  3  Side-table,  *  Akin. 


498  Rutherford's  letters. 

complain  of  sleepiness.  Sorrow  for  a  slumbering  soul,  is  a  token 
of  some  watchfulness  of  spirit ;  but  this  is  soon  turned  into  wan- 
tonness, as  grace  in  us  too  often  is  abused ;  therefore,  our  waking 
must  be  watched  over,  else  sleep  will  even  grow  out  of  watching; 
and  there  is  as  much  need  to  watch  over  grace,  as  to  watch  over 
sin :  full  men  will  soon  sleep,  and  sooner  than  hungry  men. 
3.  For  your  weakness  to  keep  off  security,  that  like  a  thief 
stealeth  upon  you,  I  would  say  two  things :— 1.  To  want  com- 
plaints of  weakness,  is  for  Heaven,  and  angels  that  never  sinned, 
not  for  Christians  in  Christ's  camp  on  earth.  I  think  that  our 
weakness  maketh  us  the  Church  of  the  redeemed  ones,  and 
Christ's  field  that  the  Mediator  should  labor  in.  If  there  were  no 
diseases  on  earth,  there  needeth  no  physicians  on  earth.  If 
Christ  had  cried  down  weakness,  he  might  have  cried  down  his 
own  calling  ;  but  weakness  is  our  Mediator's  world  ;  sin  is  Christ's 
only,  only  fair  and  market.  No  man  should  rejoice  at  weakness 
and  diseases  ;  but  I  tiiink  that  we  may  have  a  sort  of  gladness 
at  boils  and  sores,  because,  without  them,  Christ's  fingers,  as  a 
slain  Lord,  would  never  have  touched  our  skin.  I  dare  not  thank 
myself,  but  I  dare  thank  God's  depth  of  wise  providence,  that  I 
have  an  errand  in  me,  while  I  live,  for  Christ  to  come  and  visit 
me,  and  bring  with  him  his  drugs  and  his  bahn.  Oh,  how  sweet 
is  it  for  a  sinner  to  put  his  weakness  into  Christ's  strengthening 
hand,  and  to  father  a  sick  soul  upon  such  a  physician,  and  to  lay 
weakness  before  him,  to  weep  upon  him,  and  to  plead  and  pray ! 
Weakness  can  speak  and  cry,  when  we  have  not  a  tongue  ;  (Ezek. 
xvi.  6,)  "And  when  I  passed  by  thee,  and  saw  thee  polluted  in 
thine  own  blood,  I  said  unto  thee,  when  thou  wast  in  thy  blood, 
Live."  The  Kirk  could  not  speak  one  word  to  Christ  then  :  but 
blood  and  guiltiness  out  of  measure  spake,  and  drew  out  of  Christ 
pity,  and  a  word  of  life  and  love.  2.  As  for  weakness,  we  have 
it,  that  we  may  employ  Christ's  strength  because  of  our  weak- 
ness. Weakness  is  to  make  us  the  strongest  things ;  that  is, 
when  having  no  strength  of  our  own,  we  are  carried  upon  Christ's 
shoulders,  and  walk  as  it  were  upon  his  legs  :  if  our  sinful  weak- 
ness swell  up  to  the  clouds,  Christ's  strength  will  swell  up  to  the 
sun,  and  far  above  the  Heaven  of  Heavens. 

II.  Ye  tell  me,  there  is  need  of  counsel  for  strengthening  of 
new  beginners.  I  can  say  little  to  that,  who  am  not  well  begun 
myself:  but  1  know  that  honest  beginnings  are  nourished  by  Him, 
even  by  lovely  Jesus,  who  never  yet  put  out  a  poor  man's  dim 
candle,  that  is  wrestling  betwixt  light  and  darkness.  I  am  sure, 
that  if  new  beginners  would  urge  themselves  upon  Christ,  and 
press  their  souls  upon  him,  and  importune  him  for  a  draught  of  his 
sweet  love,  they  could  not  come  wrong  to  Christ.  Come  once  in 
upon  the  right  nick '  and  step  of  his  lovely  love,  and  I  defy  you 
to  get  free  of  him  again.  If  any  beginners  fall  off  Christ  again, 
and  miss  him,  they  never  lighted  upon  Christ  as  Christ :  it  was 
but  an  idol,  like  Jesus,  which  they  took  for  him. 

1  Notch,  degree. 


Rutherford's  letters.  453 

HI.  Whereas  ye  complain  of  a  dead  ministry  in  your  bounds ; 
ye  are  to  remember  that  the  Bible  among  you  is  the  contract  of 
marriage;  and  the  manner  of  Christ's  conveying  his  love  to  your 
heart  is  not  so  absolutely  dependent  upon  even  lively  preaching, 
as  that  there  is  no  conversion  at  all,  no  hfe  of  God,  but  that  which 
is  tied  to  a  man's  lips : — the  daughters  of  Jerusalem  have  done 
often  that  which  the  watchmen  could  not  do.  Make  Christ  your 
Minister.  He  can  woo  a  soul  at  a  dyke-side  ^  in  the  field :  he 
needeth  not  us,  howbeit  the  flock  be  obliged  to  seek  him  in  the 
shepherds'  tents.  Hunger  of  Christ's  making  may  thrive,  even  under 
stewards  who  mind  not  the  feeding  of  the  Hock.  Oh,  blessed  soul, 
that  can  leap  over  a  man,  and  look  above  a  pulpit  up  to  Christ, 
who  can  preach  home  to  the  heart,  howbeit  we  were  all  dead  and 
rotten. 

IV.  So  to  complain  of  yourselves,  as  to  justify  God,  is  right ; 
providing  ye  justify  his  Spirit  in  yourselves  :  for  men  seldom  advo- 
cate against  Satan's  work  and  sin  in  themselves,  but  against  God's 
work  in  themselves.  Some  of  the  people  of  God  slander  God's 
grace  in  their  souls,  as  some  wretches  use  to  do,  who  complain  and 
murmur  of  want.  "  I  have  nothing,"  say  they  ;  "  all  is  gone,  the 
ground  yieldeth  but  weeds  and  windlestraws  ;2  when  as  their  fat 
harvest,  and  their  money  in  bank  maketh  them  liars.  But  for  my- 
self, alas  !  I  think  it  is  not  my  sin  ;  I  have  scarce  wit  to  sin  this 
sin  ;  but  I  advise  you  to  speak  good  of  Christ  for  his  beauty 
and  sweetness,  and  speak  good  of  him  for  his  grace  to  your- 
selves. 

V.  Light  remaineth,  ye  say,  but  ye  cannot  attain  to  painfulness. 
See  if  this  complaint  be  not  booked  in  the  New  Testament ;  and 
the  place,  (Rom.  vii.  IS,)  is  like  this  :  "  To  will  is  present  with  me, 
but  how  to  perform  that  which  is  good  I  know  not."  But  every 
one  hath  not  Paul's  spirit  in  complaining ;  for  often  in  us  com- 
plaining is  but  an  humble  backbiting  and  traducing  of  Christ's 
new  work  in  the  soul.  But  for  the  matter  of  the  complaint,  I  would 
say,  that  the  light  of  glory  is  perfectly  obeyed  in  loving,  and 
praising,  and  rejoicing,  and  resting  in  a  seen  and  known  Lord : 
but  that  light  is  not  hereaway  ^  in  any  clay  body ;  for  while  we 
are  here,  light  is  in  the  most  part  broader  and  longer  than  our 
narrow  and  feckless*  obedience;  but  if  there  be  light,  with  a  fair 
train  and  a  great  back,  I  mean,  armies  of  challenging  ^  thoughts, 
and  sorrow  for  coming  short  of  performance  in  what  we  know  and 
see  ought  to  be  performed,  then  that  sorrow  for  not  doing  is  ac- 
cepted of  our  Lord  for  doing.  Our  honest  sorrow  and  sincere  aims, 
together  with  Christ's  intercession,  pleading  that  God  would  wel- 
come that  which  we  have,  and  forgive  what  we  have  not,  must  be 
our  life,  till  we  be  over  the  bound-road,^  and  in  the  other  country, 
where  the  Law  will  get  a  perfect  soul. 

VI.  In  Christ's  absence,  there  is,  as  ye  write,  a  willingness  to 
use  means,  but  heaviness  after  the  use  of  them,  because  of  the 

1  Wall-side.  ^  Withered,  worthless  grass.  3  In  this  present  state. 

*  Worthless.  s  Accusing.  6  Boundary-line. 


454  Rutherford's  letters. 

formal  and  slight  performance.  In  Christ's  absence,  I  confess,  the 
work  heth  behind  ;  but  if  ye  mean  absence  of  comfort,  and  absence 
of  sense  of  his  sweet  presence,  I  think  that  absence  is  Christ's  try- 
ing of  us,  not  simply  our  sin  against  him  ;  therefore,  howbeit 
our  obedience  be  not  sugared  and  sweetened  with  joy,  (which  is 
the  sweetmeat  bairns  would  still  be  at.)  yet  the  less  sense,  and  the 
more  willingness  in  obeying,  the  less  formality  in  our  obedience, 
howbeit  we  think  not  so ;  for  I  beUeve  that  many  think  obedience 
formal  and  lifeless,  except  the  wind  be  fair  in  the  west,  and  sails 
filled  with  joy  and  sense,  till  souls,  like  a  ship  fair  before  the  wind, 
can  spread  no  more  sail :  but  I  am  not  of  their  mind,  who  think 
so.  But  if  ye  mean,  by  absence  of  Chiist,  the  withdrawing  of 
his  working  grace,  I  see  not  how  willingness  to  use  means  can  be 
at  all  under  such  an  absence  :  therefore,  be  humbled  for  heaviness 
in  that  obedience,  and  thankful  for  willingness  ;  for  the  Bridegroom 
is  busking  1  his  spouse  oftentimes,  while  she  is  half  sleeping ;  and 
your  liord  is  working  and  helping  more  than  ye  see.  Also,  I  re- 
commend to  you  heaviness  for  formality,  and  for  lifeless  deadness 
in  obedience.  Be  casten  down,  as  much  as  ye  will  or  can,  for 
deadness;  and  challenge^  that  slow  and  dull  carcase  of  sin,  that 
will  neither  lead  nor  drive,  in  your  spiritual  obedience.  Oh,  how 
sweet  to  lovely  Jesus  are  bills  and  grievances,  given  in  against 
corruption  and  the  body  of  sin  !  I  would  have  Christ,  in  such  a 
case,  fashed,"  (if  I  may  speak  so,)  and  deaved^  with  our  cries,  as 
ye  see  the  Apostle  doeth,  (Rom.  vii.  24,)  "  Oh,  wretched  man  that 
I  am,  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death?"  Pro- 
testations against  the  law  of  sin  in  you,  are  law-grounds  why  sin 
can  have  no  law  against  you.  Seek  to  have  your  protestations 
discussed  and  judged,  and  then  shall  ye  find  Christ  on  your  side 
of  it. 

VII.  Ye  hold,  that  Christ  must  either  have  hearty  service,  or  no 
service  at  all.  If  ye  mean  that  he  will  not  half^  a  heart, 
or  have  feigned  service,  such  as  the  hypocrites  give  him,  I  grant 
you  that, — Christ  must  have  honesty  or  nothing, — but  if  ye  mean, 
he  will  have  no  service  at  all,  where  the  heart  draweth  back  in 
any  measure,  I  would  not  that  were  true,  for  my  part  of  Heaven, 
and  all  that  I  am  worth  in  the  world.  If  ye  mind  to  walk  to 
Heaven,  without  a  cramp  or  a  crook, ^  I  fear  that  ye  must  go  your 
lone.''  He  knoweth  our  dross  and  defects  ;  and  sweet  Jesus  pitieth 
us,  when  weakness  and  deadness  in  our  obedience  is  our  cross,  and 
not  our  darling. 

VIII.  The  Liar,  as  ye  write,  challengeth^  the  work  as  formal ; 
yet  ye  bless  your  Cautioner^  for  the  ground- work  he  hath  laid, 
and  dare  not  say  but  ye  have  assurance  in  some  measure.  To 
this  I  say  ; — 1.  It  shall  be  no  fault  to  save  Satan's  labor,  and  chal- 
lenge ^  it  yourselves,  or  at  least  examine  and  censure  ;  but  beware 
of  Satan's  ends  in  challenging, >°  for  he  mindeth  to  put  Christ  and 


*  Decking. 

2  Accuse. 

3  Annoyed,  pestered. 

*  Deafened. 

5  Halve. 

6  Halt. 

'  By  yourselves  alone. 

8  Accuses. 

9  Surety. 

10  Accusing. 

Rutherford's  letters.  455 

you  at  odds,  2.  Welcome  home  faith  in  Jesus,  who  washeth  still, 
when  we  have  defiled  our  souls,  and  made  ourselves  loathsome, 
and  seek  still  the  blood  of  atonement  for  faults  little  or  meikle.' 
Know  the  gate^  to  the  well,  and  lie  about  it.  3.  Make  meikle^  of 
assurance,  for  it  keepeth  your  anchor  fixed. 

IX.  Out-breakings,  ye  say,  discourage  you,  so  that  ye  know  not, 
if  ever  ye  shall  win^  again  to  such  overjoying  consolations  of  the 
Spirit  in  this  life,  as  formerly  ye  had  ;  and,  therefore,  a  question 
may  be.  If,  after  assurance  and  mortification,  the  children  of  God 
be  ordinarily  fed  with  sense  and  joy?  I  answer,  I  see  no  incon- 
venience to  think  it  is  enough,  in  a  race,  to  see  the  gold  at  the 
starting-place,  howbeit  the  runners  never  get  a  view  of  it,  till  they 
come  to  the  rink's^  end :  and  that  our  wise  Lord  thinketh  it  fittest 
that  we  should  not  always  be  fingering  and  playing  with  Christ's 
apples.  Our  Well-beloved,  I  know,  will  sport  and  play  with  his 
bride,  as  much  as  he  thinketh  will  allure  her  to  the  rink's  ^  end. 
Yet  I  judge  it  not  unlawful  to  seek  renewed  consolations,  provid- 
ing— 1.  The  heart  be  submissive,  and  content  to  leave  the  meas- 
ure and  timing  of  them  to  him.  2.  Providing  they  be  sought,  to 
excite  us  to  praise,  and  strengthen  our  assurance,  and  sharpen  our 
desires  after  himself.  3.  Let  them  be  sought,  not  for  our  humors 
or  swelling  of  nature,  but  as  the  earnest  of  Heaven  ;  and  I  think 
many  do  attain  to  greater  consolations  after  mortification,  than 
ever  they  had  formerly.  But  I  know  that  our  Lord  walketh  here 
still  by  a  sovereign  latitude,  and  keepeth  not  the  same  way,  as  to 
one  hairbreadth,  without  a  miss,  toward  all  his  children.  As  for 
the  Lord's  people  with  you,  I  am  not  the  man  fit  to  speak  to  them. 
I  rejoice  exceedingly,  that  Christ  is  engaging  souls  amongst  you : 
but  I  know  that  in  conversion  all  the  winning  is  in  the  first  buying, 
as  we  use  to  say  ;  for  many  lay  false  and  bastard  foundations,  and 
take  up  conversion  at  their  foot,  and  get  Christ  for  as  good  as  half- 
nothing,  and  had  never  a  sick  night  for  sin  ;  and  this  maketh  loose 
work.  I  pray  you  to  dig  deep.  Christ's  palace-work,  and  his  new 
dwelling,  laid  upon  Hell  felt  and  feared,  is  most  firm  :  and  Heaven, 
grounded  and  laid  upon  such  a  hell,  is  surest  work,  and  will  not 
wash  away  with  winter  storms.  It  were  good  that  professors  were 
not  like  young  heirs,  that  come  to  their  rich  estate  long  ere  they 
come  to  their  wit ;  and  so  is  seen  on  it ;  the  tavern,  and  the  cards, 
and  the  harlots  steal  their  ridges^  from  them,  ere  ever  they  be 
aware  what  they  are  doing.  I  know  that  a  Christ  bought  with 
strokes  is  sweetest.  4.  I  recommend  to  you  conference  and  prayer 
at  private  meetings  :  for  warrant  whereof,  see  Isa.  ii.  3  ;  Jer.  1.  4, 
5;  Hos.  ii.  1,  2;  Zech.  viii.  20,21,22,23;  Mai.  iii.  16 ;  Luke 
xxiv.  13,  14,  15,  16,  17 ;  John  xx.  19  ;  Acts  xii.  12 ;  Col.  iii.  16— 
and  iv.  6  ;  Ephes.  iv.  29  ;  1  Pet.  iv.  10;  1  Thes.  v.  14;  Heb.  iii. 
13,  and  x.  25.  Many  coals  make  a  good  fire,  and  that  is  a  part 
of  the  communion  of  saints. 

I  must  entreat  you,  and  your  Christian  acquaintances  in  the 

1  Great.  2  Road.  3  Much. 

*  Attain.  *  Race's.  6  Acres. 


456  Rutherford's  letters. 

parish,  to  remember  me  to  God  in  your  prayers,  and  my  flock  and 
ministry,  and  my  transportation  '  and  removal  from  this  place, 
which  I  fear  at  this  Assembly ;  and  be  earnest  with  God  for  our 
Mother-kirk.  For  want  of  time,  I  have  put  you  all  in  one  letter. 
The  rich  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you  all. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Anwoth,  Aug.  5,  IGoD. 


LETTER  CCLXXXVIL 

TO     THE     VISCOUNTESS     OP     KENMURE. 

Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  know  that  ye 
are  near  many  comforters,  and  that  the  promised  Comforter  is 
near-hand  '  also;  yet,  because  I  found  your  Ladyship  comfortable 
to  myself,  in  my  sad  days,  which  are  not  yet  over  my  head,  it  is 
my  part,  and  more  in  many  respects,  (howbeit  I  can  do  little,  God 
knoweth,  in  that  kind,)  to  speak  to  you  in  your  wilderness  lot. 

I  know,  dear  and  noble  Lady,  that  this  loss  of  your  dear  child  ^ 
came  upon  you,  one  piece  and  part  of  it  after  another;  and  that 
ye  were  looking  for  it,  and  that  now  the  Almighty  hath  brought 
on  you  that  which  ye  feared  ;  and  that  your  Lord  gave  you  law- 
ful warning ;  and  I  hope  that  for  His  sake  who  brewed  and 
masked  *  this  cup  in  Heaven,  ye  will  gladly  drink,  and  salute  and 
welcome  the  cross.  I  am  sure,  that  it  is  not  your  Lord's  mind  to 
feed  you  with  judgment  and  wormwood,  and  to  give  you  waters 
of  gall  to  drink,  (Ezek.  xxxiv.  16 ;  Jer.  ix.  15.)  I  know  that  your 
cup  is  sugared  with  mercy ;  and  that  the  withering  of  the  bloom, 
the  flower,  even  the  white  and  red  of  worldly  joys,  is  for  no  other 
end,  than  to  buy  out  at  the  ground  the  reversion  of  your  heart 
and  love.  Madam,  subscribe  to  the  Almighty's  will ;  put  your 
hand  to  the  pen,  and  let  the  cross  of  your  Lord  Jesus  have  your 
submissive  and  resolute  Amen.  If  ye  ask  and  try  whose  this 
cross  is?  I  dare  say  that  it  is  not  all  your  own,  the  best  half  of  it 
is  Christ's :  then  your  cross  is  no  born-bastard,  but  lawfully  begot- 
ten, it  sprang  not  out  of  the  dust,  (Job  v.  6.)  If  Christ  and  ye  be 
halvers  of  this  suflering,  and  he  say,  "  Half  mine,"  what  should 
ail  you?  And  I  am  here  right  upon  the  style  of  the  word  of 
God,  (Phil.  iii.  10,)  "The  fellowship  of  Christ's  sufferings,"  (Col. 
i.  24,)  "  The  remnant  of  the  afflictions  of  Christ,"  (Heb.  xi.  26,) 
"The  reproach  of  Christ."  It  were  but  to  shift  the  comforts  of 
God,  to  say,  "  Christ  had  never  such  a  cross  as  mine  ;  he  had 
never  a  dead  child,  and  so  this  is  not  his  cross,  neither  can  he  in 
that  meaning  be  the  owner  of  this  cross :"  but  I  hope  that  Christ, 
when  he  married  you,  married  you  and  all  the  crosses  and  wo^ 
hearts  that  follow  you  :  and  the  word  maketh  no  exception.    (Isa, 

1  Translation.  2  At  hand. 

3  John,  the  second  Viscount  Kenmure,  who  died  in  1639 ;  Lady  Kenmure's  only  son. 

*  Infused.  5  Grieved. 


Rutherford's  letters.  457 

Ixiii.  9.)  "  In  all  their  afflictions  he  was  afflicted."  Then  Christ 
bore  tlie  first  stroke  of  this  cross ;  it  rebounded  off  him  upon  you, 
and  ye  get  it  at  the  second  hand,  and  ye  and  he  are  halvers  in  it. 
And  I  shall  believe,  for  my  part,  that  he  mindeth  to  distil  heaven 
out  of  this  loss,  and  all  others  the  like ;  for  wisdom  devised  it, 
and  love  laid  it  on,  and  Christ  owneth  it  as  his  own,  and  putteth 
your  shoulder  only  beneath  a  piece  of  it.  Take  it  with  joy  as  no 
bastard  cross,  but  as  a  visitation  of  God  well-born ;  and  spend  the 
rest  of  your  appointed  time,  till  your  change  come,  in  the  work  of 
believing ;  and  let  faith,  that  never  yet  made  a  lie  to  you,  speak 
for  God's  part  of  it,  "  He  will  not,  he  doth  not  make  you  a  sea  or 
a  whale-fish,  that  he  keepeth  you  in  ward,"  (Job  vii.  12.)  It  may 
be,  that  ye  think  not  many  of  the  children  of  God  in  such  a  hard 
case  as  yourself;  but  what  would  ye  thmk  of  some,  who  would 
exchange  afflictions,  and  give  you  to  the  boot  ?  but  I  know  that 
yours  must  be  your  own  alone,  and  Christ's  together. 

I  confess  it  seemed  strange  to  me,  that  your  Lord  should  have 
done  that  which  seemeth  to  ding  ^  out  the  bottom  of  your  com- 
forts worldly ;  but  we  see  not  the  ground  of  the  Almighty's  sover- 
eignty; '-he  goeth  by^  on  our  right  hand,  and  on  our  left  hand, 
and  we  see  him  not."  We  see  but  pieces  of  the  broken  links  of 
the  chains  of  his  providence,  and  he  coggeth'  the  wheels  of  his 
own  providence,  that  we  see  not.  Oh,  let  the  Former  work  his 
own  clay  into  what  frame  he  pleaseth  !  "  Shall  any  teach  the 
Almighty  knowledge  ?"  If  he  pursue  dry  stubble,  who  dare  say, 
"  What  doest  thou  ?"  Do  not  wonder  to  see  the  Judge  of  the 
world  weave  into  one  web,  your  mercies  and  the  judgments  of 
the  House  of  Kenmure.     He  can  make  one  web  of  contraries. 

But  my  weak  advice,  with  reverence  and  correction,  were  for  }'ou, 
dear  and  worthy  Lady,  to  see  how  far  mortification  goeth  on,  and 
what  scum  the  Lord's  fire  casteth  out  of  you.  I  know,  that  ye 
see  your  knottiness,^  since  our  Lord  whiteth  ^  and  heweth,  and 
plaineth  you ;  and  the  glancing  of  the  furnace  is  to  let  you  see 
what  scum  or  refuse  ye  must  want,  and  what  froth  is  in  nature, 
that  must  be  boiled  out,  and  taken  off  in  the  fire  of  your  trials. 
I  do  not  say,  that  heavier  afflictions  prophesy  heavier  guiltiness  ; 
A  cross  is  often  but  a  false  prophet  in  this  kind  :  but  I  am  sure 
that  our  Lord  would  have  the  tin,  and  the  bastard  metal  in  you 
removed  ;  lest  the  Lord  say,  "  The  bellows  are  burnt,  the  lead  is 
consumed  in  the  fire,  the  Founder  melteth  in  vain,"  (Jer.  vi.  29.) 

And  I  shall  hope,  that  grief  will  not  so  far  smother  your  light, 
as  not  to  practise  this  so  necessary  a  duty,  to  concur  with  him  in 
this  blessed  design.  I  would  gladly  plead  for  the  Comforter's 
part  of  it,  not  against  you,  madam,  (for  1  am  sure  ye  are  not  his 
party,^)  but  against  your  grief,  which  will  have  its  own  violent 
incursions  in  your  soul:  and  I  think  it  be  not  in  your  power  to 

1  Drive,  knock.  2  Past. 

3  To  cog  a  wheel,  lo  place  a  stone  or  piece  of  wood  wedgewise  between  the  ground 
and  a  wheel,  to  prevent  it  from  moving.  ■*  KnarUness. 

5  To  white,  to  dress  with  a  knife,  to  whittle.  6  Opposing  party. 


458  Rutherford's  letters. 

help  it.  But  I  must  say,  there  are  comforts  allowed  upon  you ; 
and,  therefore,  want  them  not.  When  ye  have  gotten  a  running- 
over  soul  with  joy  now,  that  joy  will  never  be  missed  out  of  the 
Infinite  Ocean  of  delight,  which  is  not  diminished  by  drinking  at 
it,  or  drawing  out  of  it.  It  is  a  Christian  art  to  comfort  yourself 
in  the  Lord ;  to  say,  "  I  was  obliged  to  render  back  again  this 
child  to  the  Giver :  and  if  I  have  had  four  years'  loan  of  him, 
and  Christ  eternity's  possession  of  him,  the  Lord  hath  kept  con- 
dition with  me:  if  my  Tjord  would  not  have  him  and  me  to  tryste  * 
both  in  one  hour  at  death's  door-threshold  together,  it  is  his  wis- 
dom so  to  do,  I  am  satisfied  :  my  tryste^  is  suspended,  not  broken 
off,  nor  given  up."  Madam,  I  would  that  I  could  divide  sorrow 
with  you,  for  your  ease  ;  but  I  am  but  a  beholder,  it  is  easy  to  me 
to  speak  ;  the  God  of  comfort  speak  to  you,  and  allure  with  his 
feasts  of  love.  My  removal  from  my  flock,  is  so  heavy  to  me,  that 
it  maketh  my  hfe  a  burden  to  me ;  I  had  never  such  a  longing 
for  death.     The  Lord  help  and  hold  up  sad  clay. 

I  fear  that  ye  sin  in  drawing  Mr.  William  Dalgleish  from  this 
country,  where  the  laborers  are  few,  and  the  harvest  great. 

Madam,  desire  my  Lord  Argyll  to  see  for  provision  to  a  pastor 
for  this  poor  people.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  Ladyship's,  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

Kirkcudbright,  Oct.  1,  1639. 


LETTER  CCLXXXVIII. 

to    the    persecuted    church    in    ireland. 

Much  honored,  Rev.,  and  dearly  beloved  in  our  Lord, 
— Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you  all. — I  know  that  there  are 
many  in  this  nation  more  able  than  I  to  speak  to  the  sufferers  for, 
and  witnesses  of  Jesus  Christ ;  yet  pardon  me  to  speak  a  little  to 
you  who  are  called  in  question  for  the  Gospel  once  committed  to 
you. 

I  hope  that  ye  are  not  ignorant,  that  as  peace  was  left  to  you  in 
Christ's  testament,  so  the  other  half  of  the  testament  was  a  legacy 
of  Christ's  sufferings,  (John  xvi.  33.)  "  These  things  have  I 
spoken,  that  in  me  ye  might  have  peace;  in  the  world  ye  shall 
have  trouble."  Because,  then,  ye  are  made  assigns  and  heirs  to  a 
life-rent  of  Christ's  cross,  think  that  fiery  trial  no  strange  thing : 
for  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  no  loser  by  purging  the  dross  and  tin 
out  of  his  Church  in  Ireland  : — his  wine-press  is  but  squeezing  out 
the  dregs,  the  scum,  the  froth,  and  refuse  of  that  Church.  I  had 
once  the  proof  of  the  sweet  smell,  and  the  honest  and  honorable 
peace,  of  that  slandered  thing  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus :  but 
though,  alas !  these  golden  days  that  then  I  had,  be  now  in  a  great 
part  gone  ;  yet  I  dare  say,  that  the  issue  and  outgate^  of  your  suf- 

*  Meet  by  appointment.  2  Appointment  to  meet.  ^  Egress. 


Rutherford's  letters.  459 

ferings  shall  be  the  advantage,  the  golden  reign  and  dominion  of 
the  Gospel,  and  the  high  glory  of  the  never-enough-praised  Prince 
of  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  the  changing  of  the  brass  of  the 
Lord's  temple  among  you  into  gold,  and  the  iron  into  silver,  and 
the  wood  into  brass.  Your  officers  shall  yet  be  peace,  and  your 
exactors  righteousness,  (Isa.  Ix.  17,  18  ;)  your  old,  fallen  walls 
shall  get  a  new  name,  and  the  gates  of  your  Jerusalem  shall  get 
a  new  style ;  they  shall  call  your  walls  Salvation,  and  your  gates, 
Praise.  I  know  that  Deputy,  prelates.  Papists,  temporizing  lords, 
and  proud  mockers  of  our  Lord,  crucifiers  of  Christ  for  his  coat, 
and  all  your  enemies,  have  neither  fingers  nor  instruments  of  war 
to  pick  out  one  stone  out  of  your  wall ;  for  each  stone  of  your 
wall  is  "Salvation."  I  dare  give  you  my  royal  and  princely  Mas- 
ter's word  for  it,  that  Ireland  shall  be  a  fair  bride  to  Jesus,  and 
Christ  will  build  on  her  a  palace  of  silver,  (Cant.  viii.  9.)  There- 
fore, weep  not  as  if  there  were  no  hope  ;  fear  not,  put  on  strength, 
put  on  your  beautiful  garments,  (Isa.  lii.  1  ;)  your  foundation  shall 
be  sapphires,  your  windows  and  gates  precious  stones,  (Isa.  liv.  11, 
12.)  Look  over  the  water,  and  behold  and  see,  who  is  on  the  dry- 
land waiting  for  your  landing.  Your  deliverance  is  concluded, ' 
subscribed  and  sealed  in  Heaven.  Your  goods  that  are  taken 
from  you,  for  Christ  and  his  truth's  sake,  are  but  arrested  and  laid 
in  pawn,  and  not  taken  away.  There  is  much  laid  up  for  you  in 
His  storehouse  whose  the  earth  and  the  fulness  thereof  is :  your 
garments  are  spun,  and  your  flocks  are  feeding  in  the  fields,  your 
bread  is  laid  up  for  you,  your  drink  is  brewn,^  your  gold  and  sil- 
ver is  at  the  bank,  and  the  interest  goeth  on  and  groweth  :  and 
yet  I  hear,  that  your  task-masters  do  rob  and  spoil  you,  and  fine 
you.  Your  prisons,  my  brethren,  have  two  keys.  The  Dep- 
uty, prelates  and  officers  keep  but  the  iron  keys  of  the  prison, 
wherein  they  put  you  :  but  He  that  hath  created  the  smith,  hath 
other  keys  in  Heaven;  therefore,  ye  shall  not  die  in  the  prison  : — 
other  men's  ploughs  are  laboring  for  your  bread,  your  enemies  are 
gathering  in  your  rents.  He  that  is  kissing  his  bride  on  this  side 
of  the  sea  in  Scotland,  is  beating  her  beyond  the  sea  in  Ireland, 
and  feeding  her  with  the  bread  of  adversity  and  the  water  of  afflic- 
tion ;  and  yet  he  is  the  same  Lord  to  both. 

Alas  !  I  fear  that  Scotland  be  undone,  and  slain  with  this  great 
mercy  of  reformation,  because  there  is  not  here  that  life  of  re- 
ligion, answerable  to  the  huge  greatness  of  the  work,  that  dazzleth 
our  eyes.  For  the  Lord  is  rejoicing  over  us  in  this  land,  as  the 
bridegroom  rejoiceth  over  the  bride  :  and  the  Lord  hath  chano-ed 
the  name  of  Scotland;  they  call  us  now  no  more  "Forsaken," 
nor  "  Desolate,"  but  our  land  is  called  "  Hephzibah,"  and  "  Beu- 
lah,"  (Isa.  Ixii.  4,)  for  the  Lord  delighteth  in  us,  and  this  land  is 
married  to  himself.  There  is  now  an  highway  made  through  our 
Zion.  and  it  is  called  the  "Way  of  holiness;"  the  unclean  shall 
not  pass  over  it:  the  wayfaring  men,  though  fools,  shall  not  err 
in  it :  the  wilderness  doth  rejoice  and  blossom  as  the  rose ;  "  The 

1  Brewed. 


460  Rutherford's  letters. 

ransomed  of  the  Lord  are  returned  back  unto  Zion,  with  songs 
and  everlasting  joy  upon  their  heads,"  (Isa.  xxxv.  10  :)  the  Canaan- 
ite  is  put  out  of  our  Lord's  house ;  there  is  not  a  beast  left  to  do 
hurt,  (at  least,  professedly,)  in  all  the  Holy  Mountain  of  the  Lord. 
Our  Lord  is  fallen  '  to  wrestle  with  his  enemies,  and  hath  brought 
us  out  of  Egypt;  we  have  "the  strength  of  an  unicorn,"  (Num. 
xxiii.  22.)  The  Lord  hath  eaten  up  the  sons  of  Babel ;  he  hath 
broken  their  bones,  and  hath  pierced  them  through  with  his  ar- 
rows ;  we  take  them  captives  whose  captives  we  were,  and  we 
rule  over  our  oppressors,  (Isa.  xiv.  2.)  It  is  not  brick,  nor  clay, 
nor  Babel's  cursed  timber  and  stones,  that  is  in  our  second 
temple  ;  but  our  princely  King  Jesus  is  building  his  house  all 
palace-work  and  carved  stones  : — it  is  the  habitation  of  the  Lord. 

We  do  welcome  Ireland  and  England  to  our  Well-beloved. 
We  invite  you,  O  Daughters  of  Jerusalem,  to  come  down  to  our 
Lord's  garden,  and  seek  our  Well-beloved  with  us  ;  for  his  love 
will  suffice  both  you  and  us.  We  do  send  you  love-letters  over 
the  sea,  to  request  you  to  come  and  to  marry  our  King,  and  to 
take  part  of  our  bed  ;  and  we  trust  our  Lord  is  fetching  a  blow 
upon  the  Beast,  and  the  scarlet-colored  Whore,  to  the  end  that  he 
may  bring  in  his  ancient  Widow-wife,  our  dear  sister,  the  Church 
of  the  Jews.  Oh,  what  a  heavenly  heaven  were  it  to  see  them 
come  in  by  this  mean,  and  suck  the  breasts  of  their  little  sister, 
and  renew  their  old  love  with  their  first  Husband,  Christ  our 
Lord !  They  are  booked  in  God's  word,  as  a  bride  contracted 
upon  Jesus  !  Oli,  for  a  sight,  in  this  flesh  of  mine,  of  the  proph- 
esied marriage  between  Christ  and  them!  The  kings  of  Tarsh- 
ish,  and  of  the  Isles  must  bring  presents  to  our  Lord  Jesus,  (Psal. 
Ixxii.  10.)  And  Britain  is  one  of  the  chiefest  isles  ;  why  then 
but  we  may  believe,  that  our  kings  of  this  Island  shall  come  in, 
and  bring  their  glory  to  the  New  Jerusalem,  wherein  Christ  shall 
dwell  in  the  latter  days?  It  is  our  part  to  pray,  "That  the  king- 
doms of  the  earth  may  become  Christ's." 

Now  I  exhort  you  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  not  to  be  dismayed  nor 
afraid  for  the  two  tails  of  these  smoking  firebrands,  the  fierce 
anger  of  the  Deputy  with  civil  power,  and  of  the  bastard  prelates 
with  the  power  of  the  Beast ;  for  they  shall  be  cut  off.  They  may 
well  eat  you  and  drink  you,  but  they  shall  be  forced  to  vomit  you 
out  again  alive.  If  two  things  were  firmly  believed,  sufferings 
would  have  no  weight.  If  the  fellowship  of  Christ's  sufferings 
were  well  known,  who  would  not  gladly  take  part  with  Jesus? 
For  Christ  and  we  are  halvers  and  joint  owners  of  one  and  the 
same  cross :  and,  therefore,  he  that  knew  well  what  sufferings 
were,  as  he  esteemed  all  things  but  loss  for  Christ,  and  did  judge 
them  but  dung,  so  did  he  also  judge  of  them,  that  he  might  know 
the  fellowship  of  his  sufferings,  (Phil.  iii.  10.)  Oh,  how  sweet  a 
sight  is  it,  to  see  a  cross  betwixt  Christ  and  us  ;  to  hear  our  Re- 
deemer say,  at  every  sigh,  and  every  blow,  and  every  loss  of  a  be- 
liever, "  Half  mine  !"  So  they  are  called,  "  The  sufferings  of 
1  Has  betaken  himsel£ 


Rutherford's  letters.  461 

Christ,"  and,  "  The  reproach  of  Christ,"  (Col.  i.  24 ;  Heb.  xi.  26.) 
As  when  two  are  partners  and  owners  of  a  ship,  the  half  of  the 
gain  and  half  of  the  loss  belong  to  each  of  the  two  ;  so  Christ  in 
our  sufferings  is  half-gainer  and  half-loser  with  us;  yea,  the 
heaviest  end  of  the  black  tree  of  the  cross  lietli  on  your  Lord  ;  it 
falleth  first  upon  him,  and  it  but  reboundeth  off  him  upon  you; 
"Tile  reproaches  of  them  that  reproached  thee  are  fallen  upon 
me,"  (Psal.  Ixix.  9.)  Your  sufferings  are  your  treasure,  and  are 
greater  riches  than  the  treasures  of  Egypt,  (Heb.  xi.  26.)  And,  if 
your  cross  come  through  Christ's  fingers  ere  it  come  to  you,  it  re- 
ceiveth  a  fair  lustre  from  him,  it  getteth  a  taste  and  relish  of  the 
King's  spikenard,  and  of  Heaven's  perfume  ;  and  the  half  of  the 
gain,  when  Christ's  shipful  of  gold  cometh  home,  shall  be  yours. 
It  is  an  augmenting  of  your  treasure  to  be  rich  in  sufferings,  "  to 
be  in  labors  abundant,  in  stripes  above  measure,"  (2  Cor.  xi.  23 ;) 
and  to  have  the  sufferings  of  Christ  abounding  in  you,  (2  Cor.  i. 
5,)  is  a  part  of  Heaven's  stock.  Your  goods  are  not  lost  which 
they  have  plucked  from  you,  for  your  Lord  hath  them  in  keeping ; 
they  are  but  arrested  and  seized  upon,  he  shall  loose  the  arrest. 
Ye  shall  be  fed  with  the  heritage  of  Jacob,  your  father  ;  for  the 
mouth  of  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it,  (Isa.  Iviii.  14.) 

Till  I  shall  be  on  the  hall-floor  of  the  highest  palace,  and  get  a 
draught  of  glory  out  of  Christ's  hand,  above  and  beyond  lime,  and 
beyond  death,  I  shall  never  (it  is  like)  see  fairer  days,  than  1  saw 
under  that  blessed  tree  of  my  Lord's  cross.  His  kisses  then  were 
king's  kisses.  Those  kisses  were  sweet  and  soul-reviving  ;  one  of 
them,  at  the  same  time,  was  worth  two  and  a  half,  (if  I  may 
speak  so,)  of  Christ's  week-days  kisses.  Oh,  sweet,  sweet  for  ever- 
more, to  see  a  rose  of  Heaven  growing  in  as  ill-ground  as  Hell ; 
and  to  see  Christ's  love,  his  embracements,  his  dinners  and  sup- 
pers of  joy,  peace,  faith,  goodness,  long-suffering,  and  patience, 
growing  and  springing,  like  the  flowers  of  God's  garden,  out  of 
such  stony  and  cursed  ground  as  the  hatred  of  the  prelates,  and 
the  malice  of  their  High  Commission,  and  the  Antichrist's  bloody 
hand  and  heart !  Is  not  here  art  and  wisdom  ?  Is  not  here 
Heaven  indented  in  Hell,  (if  I  may  say  so,)  like  a  jewel  set  with 
skill  in  a  ring  with  the  enamel  of  Christ's  cross  ? — the  ruby  and 
riches  of  glory,  that  groweth  up  out  of  the  cross,  are  beyond  tell- 
ing. Now  the  blackest  and  hottest  wrath  and  most  fiery  and  all- 
devouring  indignation  of  the  Judge  of  men  and  angels,  shall  come 
upon  them  who  deny  our  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  and  put  their  hand  to 
that  oath  of  wickedness  now  pressed.  The  Lord's  coal  at  their 
heart  shall  burn  them  up  both  root  and  branch.  The  estates  of 
great  men  that  have  done  so,  if  they  do  not  repent,  shall  consume 
away,  and  the  ravens  shall  dwell  in  their  houses,  and  their  glor}" 
shall  be  shame.  Oh,  for  the  Lord's  sake !  keep  fast  by  Christ, 
and  fear  not  man  that  shall  die,  and  wither  as  the  grass.  The 
Deputy's  bloom  shall  fall,  and  the  prelates  shall  cast  their  flower, 
and  the  east  wind  of  the  Lord,  of "'  the  Lord  strong  and  mighty," 
shall  blast  and  break  them ;    therefore,  fear  them  not :  they  are 


462  Rutherford's  letters. 

but  idols,  that  can  neither  do  evil  nor  good.  Walk  not  in  the 
way  of  those  people  that  slander  the  footsteps  of  our  royal  and 
princely,  anointed  King  Jesus,  now  riding  upon  his  white  horse  in 
Scotland.  Let  Jehovah  be  your  fear.  That  decree  of  Zion's  de- 
liverance, passed  and  sealed  up  before  the  throne,  is  now  ripe  and 
shall  bring  forth  a  child,  even  the  ruin  and  fall  of  the  black  king- 
dom, and  the  Antichrist's  throne,  in  these  Kingdoms.  The  Lord 
hath  begun,  and  he  shall  make  an  end.  Who  did  ever  hear  the 
like  of  this  !  Before  Scotland  travailed,  she  brought  forth ;  and 
before  her  pain  came,  she  was  delivered  of  a  man-child,  (Isa. 
Ixvi.  7,  8.) 

And  when  all  is  done,  suppose  there  were  no  sweetness  in  our 
Lord's  cross,  yet  it  is  sweet  for  his  sake,  for  that  lovely  One,  Jesus 
Christ ;  whose  crown  and  royal  supremacy  is  the  question  this 
day  in  Great  Britain,  betwixt  us  and  our  adversaries — and  who 
would  not  think  Him  worthy  of  the  suffering  for?  What  is  burn- 
ing quick?  what  is  drinking  of  our  own  heart's-blood ?  and  what 
is  a  draught  of  melted  lead  for  his  glory?  Less  than  a  draught 
of  cold  water  to  a  thirsty  man.  if  the  right  price  and  due  value  were 
put  on  that  worthy,  worthy  Prince,  Jesus.  Oh,  who  can  weigh 
him !  Ten  thousand  thousand  heavens  would  not  be  one  scale, 
or  the  half  of  the  scale  of  the  balance  to  lay  him  in.  Oh,  black 
angels,  in  comparison  of  him  !  Oh,  dim,  and  dark,  and  lightless 
sun,  in  regard  of  that  fair  Sun  of  righteousness!  Oh,  feckless' 
and  worthless  Heavens  of  heavens,  when  they  stand  beside  ray 
worthy,  and  lofty,  and  high  and  excellent  Well-beloved  !  Oh, 
weak,  and  infirm  clay-kings  !  Oh,  soft,  and  feeble  mountains  of 
brass,  and  weak  created  strength,  in  regard  of  our  miglity  and 
strong  Lord  of  armies  !  Oh,  foolish  wisdom  of  men  and  angels, 
when  it  is  laid  in  the  balance  beside  that  spotless,  substantial 
Wisdom  of  the  Father !  If  Heaven  and  earth,  and  ten  thousand 
heavens,  even  round  about  these  heavens  that  now  are,  were  all 
in  one  paradise,  decked  with  all  the  roses,  flowers,  and  trees  that 
can  come  forth  from  the  art  of  the  Almighty  himself;  yet  set  but 
our  one  Flower,  that  groweth  out  of  the  root  of  Jesse,  beside  that 
orchard  of  pleasure,  one  look  of  him,  one  view,  one  taste,  one 
smell  of  his  Godhead,  would  infinitely  exceed  and  go  beyond  the 
smell,  color,  beauty,  and  loveliness  of  that  paradise.  Oh,  to  be 
with  child  of  his  love  !  and  to  be  suffocated,  (if  that  could  be,) 
with  the  smell  of  his  sweetness,  were  a  sweet  fill  and  a  lovely 
pain.  Oh,  worthy,  worthy  loveliness.  Oh,  less  of  the  creatures, 
and  more  of  Thee !  Oh,  open  the  passage  of  the  Well  of  love 
and  glory  on  us,  dry  pits  and  withered  trees  !  Oh,  that  Jewel 
and  Flower  of  Heaven  !  If  our  Beloved  were  not  mistaken  by 
us,  and  unknown  to  us,  he  would  have  no  scarcity  of  wooers  and 
suitors ;  he  would  make  Heaven  and  earth  both  see,  that  they  can- 
not quench  liis  love,  for  his  love  is  a  sea : — Oh,  to  be  a  thousand 
fathoms' deep  in  this  sea  of  love  !  He,  he  himself,  is  more  excel- 
lent than  Heaven  ;  for  heaven,  as   it  cometh  into  the  souls   and 

1  Unsubstantial,  unsatisfactory. 


Rutherford's  letters.  463 

spirits  of  the  glorified,  is  but  a  creature ;  and  he  is  something,  and 
a  great  Something,  more  tlian  a  creature.  Oh,  what  a  hfe  were 
it,  to  sit  beside  this  Well  of  love,  and  drink  and  sing,  and  sing  and 
drink ;  and  then  to  have  desires  and  soul-faculties  stretched  and 
extended  out  many  thousand  fathoms  in  length  and  breadth,  to 
take  in  seas  and  rivers  of  love ! 

I  earnestly  desire  to  recommend  this  love  to  you,  that  this  love 
may  cause  you  to  keep  his  commandments,  and  to  keep  clean 
fingers,  and  make  clean  feet,  that  ye  may  walk  as  the  redeemed 
of  the  Lord.  Woe,  woe  be  to  them  that  put  on  his  name,  and 
\  shame  this  love  of  Christ  with  a  loose  and  profane  life  :  their  feet, 
tongue,  and  hands,  and  eyes,  give  a  shameless  lie  to  the  holy 
Gospel,  which  they  profess.  I  beseech  you  in  the  Lord,  to  keep 
Christ,  and  walk  with  him :  let  not  his  fairness  be  spotted  and  stained 
by  godless  living.  Oh,  who  can  find  in  their  heart  to  sin  against 
love?  and  such  a  love  as  the  glorified  in  Heaven  shall  delight  to 
dive  into,  and  drink  of  forever: — for  they  are  evermore  drinking 
in  love,  and  the  cup  is  still  at  their  head,  and  yet  without  loathing  ; 
for  they  still  drink,  and  still  desire  to  drink  forever  and  ever.  Is 
not  this  a  long-lasting  supper? 

Now,  if  any  of  our  country-people,  professing  Christ  Jesus,  have 
brought  themselves  under  the  stroke  and  wrath  of  the  Almighty, 
by  yielding  to  Antichrist  in  an  hairbreadth,  but  especially  by 
swearing  and  subscribing  that  blasphemous  oath,  (which  is  the 
Church  of  Ireland's  black  hour  of  temptation,)  I  would  entreat 
them,  by  the  mercies  of  God  at  their  last  summons,  to  repent  and 
openly  confess  before  the  world,  to  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  their 
denial  of  Christ :  or,  otherwise,  if  either  man  or  woman  will 
stand  and  abide  by  that  oath,  then,  in  the  name  and  authority  jof 
the  Lord  Jesus,  I  let  them  see  that  they  forfeit  their  part  of 
Heaven,  and  let  them  look  for  no  less  than  a  back-burden  of  the 
pure,  unmixed  wrath  of  God,  and  the  plague  of  apostates  and 
deniers  of  our  Lord  Jesus. 

Let  not  me,  a  stranger  to  you,  who  never  saw  your  face  in  the 
flesh,  be  thought  bold  in  writing  to  you :  for  the  hope  I  have  of  a 
glorious  church  in  that  land,  and  the  love  of  Christ  constraineth 
me.  I  know  that  the  worthy  servants  of  Christ,  who  once  labored 
among  you,  cease  not  to  write  to  you  also,  and  I  shall  desire  to  be 
excused  that  I  do  join  with  them. 

Pray  for  your  Sister-church  in  Scotland  ;  and  let  me  entreat 
you  for  the  aid  of  your  prayers  for  myself  and  flock  and  ministry, 
and  my  fear  of  a  transportation  '  from  this  place  of  the  Lord's 
vineyard.  Now  the  very  God  of  peace  sanctify  you  throughout. 
Grace  be  with  you  all. 

Your  brother  and  companion, 
In  the  kingdom  and  patience  of  Jesus  Christ,        S.  R. 
Anwoth,  1639. 

I  Translation  of  a  minister. 


464  Rutherford's  letters. 


LETTER    CCLXXXIX. 

TO    HIS    REVEREND,  AND    MUCH    HONORED    BROTHER,  DR.   ALEX- 
ANDER LEiGHTON.  Christ's  prisoner  in  bonds  at  London. 

Reverend,  and  much  honored  Prisoner  of  Hope, — Grace, 
mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — It  was  not  my  part  whom  our  Lord 
hath  enlarged,  to  forget  you  his  prisoner. 

When  I  consider  how  long  your  night  hath  been,  I  think  Christ 
hath  a  mind  to  put  you  in  free  grace's  debt  so  much  the  deeper, 
as  your  sufferings  have  been  of  so  long  continuance.  But  what 
if  Christ  mind  you  no  joy  but  public  joy  with  enlarged  and  tri- 
umphing Zion  :  I  think,  sir,  that  ye  would  love  it  best  to  share 
and  divide  your  song  of  joy  with  Zion,  and  to  have  mystical 
Christ  in  Britain  halfer'  and  copartner  with  your  enlargement. 
I  am  sure,  that  your  joy,  bordering  and  neighboring  with  the  joy 
of  Christ's  Bride,  would  be  so. much  the  sweeter  that  it  were  public. 
I  thought  if  Christ  had  halved  my  mercies,  and  delivered  his  bride 
and  not  me,  that  his  praises  should  have  been  double  to  what  they 
are ;  but  now  two  rich  mercies  conjoined  in  one  have  stolen  from 
our  Lord  more  than  half-praises.  Oh,  that  mercy  should  so 
beguile  us,  and  steal  away  our  counts  and  acknowledgments  ! 

Worthy  sir,  I  hope,  that  I  need  not  exhort  you  to  go  on,  in 
hoping  for  the  salvation  of  God.  There  hath  not  been  so  much 
taken  from  your  time  of  ease  and  created  joys  as  eternity  shall 
add  to  your  heaven.  Ye  know  when  one  day  in  Heaven  hath 
paid  you,  yea,  and  overpaid  your  blood,  bonds,  sorrow,  and  suffer- 
ings, that  it  would  trouble  angels'  understanding  to  lay^  the  count 
of  that  surplus  of  glory,  which  eternity  can  and  will  give  you. 
Oh,  but  your  sand-glass  ^  of  sufferings  and  losses  cometh  to  little, 
when  it  shall  be  counted  and  compared  with  the  glory  that  abideth 
you  on  the  other  side  of  the  water !  Ye  have  no  leisure  to  rejoice 
and  sing  here,  while  time  goeth  about  you,  and  where  your  psalms 
will  be  short:  therefore,  ye  will  think  eternity,  and  the  long  day 
of  Heaven  that  shall  be  measured  with  no  other  sun  nor  horologe 
than  the  long  life  of  the  Ancient  of  days,  to  measure  your  praises 
little  enough  for  you.  If  your  span-length  of  time  be  cloudy,  ye 
cannot  but  think,  that  your  Lord  can  no  more  take  your  blood 
and  yoiu"  bands  without  the  income  and  recompense  of  free  grace, 
than  he  would  take  the  sufferings  of  Paul  and  his  other  dear  ser- 
vants, that  were  well  paid  home  beyond  counting,  (Rom.  viii.  18.) 
If  the  wisdom  of  Christ  hath  made  you  Antichrist's  eyesore  and 
his  envy,  ye  are  to  thank  God  that  such  a  piece  of  clay,  as  ye  are, 
is  made  the  field  of  glory  to  work  upon  :  it  was  the  Potter's  aim 
that  the  clay  should  praise  him,  and  I  hope  it  satisfieth  you  that 
your  clay  is  for  his  glory.  Oh,  who  can  suffer  enough  for  such  a 
Lord  !  and  who  can  lay  out  in  bank  enough  of  pain,  shame,  losses, 

1  Halver.  2  State.  3  Hour-class. 


Rutherford's  letters.  465 

and  tortures,  to  receive  in  again  the  free  interest  of  eternal  glory ! 
(2  Cor.  iv.  17.)  Oh,  how  advantageous  a  bargaining  is  it  with 
such  a  rich  Lord  !  If  your  hand  and  pen  had  been  at  leisure  to 
gain  glory  on  paper,  it  had  been  but  paper-glory :  but  the  bearing 
of  a  public  cross  so  long,  for  the  now  controverted  privileges  of 
the  crown  and  sceptre  of  free  King  Jesus,  the  Prince  of  the  kings 
of  the  earth,  is  glory  booked  in  Heaven.  Worthy  and  dear 
brother,  if  ye  go  to  weigh  Jesus  liis  sweetness,  excellency,  glory, 
and  beauty,  and  lay  foregainst'  him  your  ounces,  or  drachms  of 
suffering  for  him,  ye  shall  be  straitened  two  ways : — 1.  It  will  be 
a  pain  to  make  the  comparison,  the  disproportion  being  by  no 
understanding  imaginable  :  nay,  if  Heaven's  arithmetic  and  angels 
were  set  to  work,  they  should  never  number  the  degrees  of  differ- 
ence. 2.  It  would  straiten  you  to  find  a  scale  for  the  balance  to 
lay  that  high  and  lofty  One,  that  over-transcending  Prince  of 
excellency  in.  If  your  mind  could  fancy  as  many  created  heavens 
as  time  hath  had  minutes,  trees  have  had  leaves,  and  clouds  have 
had  rain-drops,  since  tire  first  stone  of  the  creation  was  laid,  they 
should  not  make  half  a  scale  in  which  to  bear  and  weigh  bound- 
less excellency.  And,  therefore,  the  King  whose  marks  ye  are 
bearing,  and  whose  dying  ye  carry  about  with  you  in  your  body, 
is,  out  of  all  cry  and  consideration,  beyond  and  above  all  our 
thoughts. 

For  myself,  I  am  content  to  feed  upon  wondering  sometimes,  at 
the  beholding  but  of  the  borders  and  skirts  of  the  incomparable 
glory  which  is  in  that  exalted  Prince ;  and  I  think,  ye  could  wish 
for  more  ears  to  give  than  ye  have,  since  ye  hope  these  ears  ye 
now  have  given  him  shall  be  passages  to  take  in  the  music  of  his 
glorious  voice.  I  would  fain  both  believe  and  pray  for  a  new  bride 
of  Jews  and  Gentiles  to  our  Lord  Jesus,  after  the  land  of  graven 
images  shall  be  laid  waste ;  and  that  our  Lord  Jesus  is  on 
horseback,  hunting  and  pursuing  the  Beast ;  and  that  England 
and  Ireland  shall  be  well-sweeped  chambers  for  Christ  and  his 
righteousness  to  dwell  in ;  for  he  hath  opened  our  graves  in  Scot- 
land, and  the  two  dead  and  buried  Witnesses  are  risen  again,  and 
are  prophesying.  Oh,  that  Princes  would  glory  and  boast  them- 
selves in  carrying  the  train  of  Christ's  robe  royal  in  their  arms ! 
Let  me  die  within  half  an  hour  after  I  have  seen  the  temple  of 
the  Son  of  God  enlarged,  and  the  cords  of  Jerusalem's  tent 
lengthened,  to  take  in  a  more  numerous  company  for  a  bride  to 
the  Son  of  God.  Oh,  if  ^  the  corner  or  foundation-stone  of  that 
house,  that  new  house,  were  laid  above  my  grave  ! 

Oh  !  who  can  add  to  Him  who  is  that  great  ALL  ?  If  he 
would  create  suns  and  moons,  new  heavens,  thousand  and  thou- 
sand degrees  more  perfect  than  these  that  now  are  ;  and  again, 
make  a  new  creation  ten  thousand  thousand  degrees  in  perfection 
beyond  that  new  creation  ;  and  again,  still  for  eternity  multiply 
new  heavens  :  they  should  never  be  a  perfect  resemblance  of  that 
infinite  excellency,  order,  weight,  measure,  beauty,  and  sweetness 
1  Opposite  to.  2  Oh,  that. 

30 


466  Rutherford's  letters. 

that  is  in  him.  Oh,  how  little  of  him  do  we  see  !  Oh,  how  shallow 
are  our  thoughts  of  him  !  Oh,  if'  I  had  pain  for  him  and  shame 
and  losses  for  him,  and  more  clay  and  spirits  for  him  ;  and  that  I 
could  go  upon  earth  without  love,  desire,  hope,  because  Christ 
hath  taken  away  my  love,  desire,  and  hope  to  Heaven  with  him  ! 

I  know,  worthy  sir,  your  sufferings ^  for  him  are  your  glory; 
and,  therefore,  weary  not ;  his  salvation  is  near  at  hand,  and  shall 
not  tarry. 

Pray  for  me.     His  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  Nov.  22,  1639. 


LETTER  CCXC. 


TO   MR.  HENRY    STUART,  HIS    WIFE,  AND  TWO   DAUGHTERS,  ALL 
PRISONERS    OF    CHRIST    AT    DUBLIN. 

"  Fear  none  of  those  things,  which  ye  shall  suffer," — etc. — Rev.  ii.  10. 

Truly  honored,  and  dearly  beloved, — Grace,  mercy,  and 
peace  be  to  you  from  God  our  Father,  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Think  it  not  strange,  beloved  in  our  Lord  Jesus,  that  Satan 
can  command  keys  of  prisons,  and  bolts,  and  chains  : — this  is  a 
piece  of  the  Devil's  princedom  that  he  hath  over  the  world.  In- 
terpret and  understand  our  Lord  well  in  this  :  be  not  jealous  of 
his  love,  though  he  make  devils  and  men  his  under-servants  to 
scour  the  rust  off  your  faith,  and  purge  you  from  your  dross.  And 
let  me  charge  you,  O  Prisoners  of  hope,  to  open  your  window, 
and  to  look  out  by  faith,  and  behold  Heaven's  post,  that  speedy 
and  swift  salvation  of  God,  that  is  coming  to  you.  It  is  a  broad 
river  that  faith  will  not  look  over :  it  is  a  mighty  and  a  broad  sea, 
that  they  of  a  lively  hope  cannot  behold  the  furthest  bank  and 
other  shore  thereof.  Look  over  the  water;  your  anchor  is  fixed 
within  the  veil ;  the  one  end  of  the  cable  is  about  the  prisoner  of 
Christ,  and  the  other  is  entered  within  the  veil,  whither  the  Fore- 
runner is  entered  for  you,  (Heb.  vi.  19,  20.)  It  can  go  straight 
through  the  flames  of  the  fire  of  the  wrath  of  men,  devils,  losses, 

1  Oh,  that. 

2  The  Rev.  A.  Leitrhton,  D.D.,  a  presbyterian,  was,  for  writing  "  Zion's  Plea  against 
Prelacy,"  sentenced,  in  1G30,  to  imprisonment  during  hfe;  to  pay  a  fine  of  1  0,000;. ; 
to  be  publicly  whipped  and  pilloried  at  Westminster;  to  have  one  of  his  ears  cut  off, 
one  side  of  his  nose  slitted,  and  to  be  branded  with  a  burning  iron  on  one  cheek  with 
S.  S.,  as  a  sower  of  sedition  ; — and,  on  another  day,  to  be  again  publicly  whipped 
and  pilloried  at  Cheapside;  to  have  his  other  ear  cut  off,  his  other  nostril  slitted  up, 
and  his  other  cheek  branded  with  S.  S.  On  Nov.  IGth,  Dr.  Leighton  underwent  the 
one  half  of  this  fiendish  sentence;  and  on  that  day  week — the  sores  on  his  back, 
head,  and  face  being  yet  unhealed — he  was  mercilessly  whipped  at  Cheapside  by  the 
hangman,  who  had  previously  been  purposely  intoxicated  ;  was  exposed  in  the  piU' 
lory  for  nearly  two  hours  in  a  hard  frost  and  a  fall  of  snow  ;  had  his  other  ear  cut 
off,  his  other  nostril  slitted  up,  and  his  other  cheek  branded  ;  and,  afterwards,  being 
unable  to  walk,  was  carried  to  the  Fleet  Prison,  in  which  he  lay  till  liberated  by 
the  Long  Parliament. 


Rutherford's  letters.  467 

tortures,  death,  and  not  a  thread  of  it  be  singed  or  burnt : — men 
and  devils  have  no  teeth  to  bite  it  in  two.  Hold  fast  till  he  come. 
Your  cross  is  of  the  color  of  Heaven  and  Christ,  and  passmented  ' 
over  with  the  faith  and  comforts  of  the  Lord's  faithful  covenant 
with  Scotland :  and  that  die  and  color  can  abide  fair  weather,  and 
neither  be  stained  nor  cast  the  color  ; — yea,  it  reflects  a  scad  ^  like 
the  cross  of  Christ,  whose  holy  hands  many  a  day  lifted  up  to 
God,  praying  for  sinners,  were  fettered  and  bound,  as  if  those 
blessed  hands  had  stolen,  and  shed  innocent  blood.  When  your 
lovely,  lovely  Jesus  had  no  better  than  the  thief's  doom,  it  is  no 
wonder  that  your  process  be  lawless  and  turned  upside  down  ;  for 
he  was  taken,  fettered,  buffeted,  whipped,  spitted  upon,  before  he 
was  convicted  of  any  fault,  or  sentenced.  Oh,  such  a  pair  of  suf- 
ferers and  witnesses,  as  high  and  royal  Jesus,  and  a  poor  piece 
guilty  clay  marrowed '  together  under  one  yoke  !  Oh,  how  lovely 
is  the  cross  with  such  a  second  ! 

I  believe  that  your  prison  is  enacted  in  God's  court,  not  to  keep 
you  till  your  liope  breathe  out  its  life  and  last :  your  cross  is 
under  law  to  restore  you  again  safe  to  your  brethren  and  sisters 
in  Christ.  Take  Heaven's  and  Christ's  back-bond  *  for  a  fair 
back-door  out  of  your  suffering.  The  Saviour  is  on  his  journey 
with  salvation  and  deliverance  for  Mount  Zion  ;  and  the  sword 
of  the  Lord  is  drunk  with  blood,  and  made  fat  with  fatness;  his 
sword  is  bathed  in  Heaven  against  Babylon,  for  it  is  "  the  day  of 
the  Lord's  vengeance,  and  the  year  of  recompense  for  the  contro- 
versy of  Zion  :"  and  persuade  yourselves  the  streams  of  the  river 
of  Babylon  shall  be  pitched,  and  the  dust  of  the  land  brimstone 
and  burning  pitch.  (Isaiah  xxxiv.  8,  9.)  And  if  your  deliverance 
be  joined  with  the  deliverance  of  Zion,  it  shall  be  two  salvations 
to  you. 

It  were  good  to  be  armed  beforehand  for  death  or  bodily  tortures 
for  Christ ;  and  to  think  what  a  crown  of  honor  it  is,  that  God 
hath  given  you  pieces  of  living  clay,  to  be  tortured  witnesses  for 
saving  truth  ;  and  that  ye  are  so  happy,  as  to  have  some  pints  of 
blood  to  give  out  for  the  crown  of  that  royal  Lord  who  hath 
caused  you  to  avouch  himself  before  men.  If  ye  can  lend  fines 
of  three  thousand  pounds  sterling  for  Christ,  let  Heaven's  register 
and  Christ's  count-book  keep  in  reckoning  your  depursements*  for 
him.  It  shall  be  engraven  and  printed  in  great  letters  upon  Hea- 
ven's throne,  what  you  are  willing  to  give  for  him  :  Christ's  papers 
of  that  kind  cannot  be  lost,  or  fall  by.^ 

Do  not  wonder  to  see  clay  boast  ^  the  great  Potter,  and  to  see 
blinded  men  threaten  the  Gospel  with  death  and  burial,  and  to 
raze  out  truth's  name.  But  where  will  they  make  a  grave  for 
the  Gospel,  and  the  Lord's  bride?     Earth  and  Hell  shall  be  but 

'  Bedecked.     Passments  are  stripes  of  lace  sewed  on  clothes. 
2  Gleam  of  reflected  light.  3  Paired. 

*  A  bond  given  by  one  who  has  received  a  previous  bond,  engaging  that  the  person 

who  gave  the  previous  bond  shall  not,  in  consequence  of  it,  come  to  any  loss  or  damage. 

'  Disbursements.  ^  Aside.  ''  To  threaten  by  look  or  word& 


468  Rutherford's  letters. 

little  bounds  for  their  burial.  Lay  all  the  clay  and  rubbish  of  this 
inch  of  the  whole  earth  above  our  Lord's  spouse,  yet  it  will  not 
cover  her,  nor  hold  her  down  ;  she  shall  live  and  not  die,  she  shall 
behold  the  salvation  of  God. 

Let  your  faith  frist  ^  God  a  little,  and  not  be  afraid  for  a  smok- 
ing firebrand.  There  is  more  smoke  in  Babylon's  furnace  than 
there  is  fire.  Till  doomsday  shall  come,  they  shall  never  see  the 
kirk  of  Scotland  and  our  Covenant  burnt  to  ashes  ;  or  if  it  should 
be  thrown  into  the  fire,  yet  it  cannot  be  so  burnt  or  buried  as  not 
to  have  a  resurrection.  Angry  clay's  wind  shall  shake  none  of 
Christ's  corn  :  he  will  gather  in  all  his  wheat  into  his  barn.  Only 
let  your  fellowship  with  Christ  be  renewed:  ye  are  sibbler^  to 
Christ  now,  when  you  are  imprisoned  for  him,  than  before,  for  now 
the  strokes  laid  on  you  do  come  in  remembrance  before  our  Lord, 
and  he  can  own  his  own  wounds  : — a  drink  of  Christ's  love,  which 
is  better  than  wine,  is  the  drink-silver  which  suffering  for  his  maj- 
esty leaveth  behind  it.  It  is  not  your  sins  which  they  persecute 
in  you,  but  God's  grace,  and  loyalty  to  King  Jesus.  They  see  no 
treason  in  you  to  your  prince  the  King  of  Britain,  albeit  they  say 
so ;  but  it  is  Heaven  in  you  that  earth  is  fighting  against,  and 
Christ  is  owning  his  own  cause.  Grace  is  a  party  that  fire  will  not 
burn,  nor  water  drown.  When  they  have  eaten  and  drunken  you, 
their  stomach  shall  be  sick,  and  they  shall  spue  you  out  alive. 
Oh,  what  glory  is  it,  to  be  suffering  abjects  for  the  Lord's  glory 
and  royalty  ?  Nay,  though  his  servants  had  a  body  to  burn  for- 
ever for  this  Gospel,  so  being  that  the  high  glory  of  triumphing 
and  exalted  Jesus  did  rise  out  of  these  flames,  and  out  of  that 
burning  body,  oh,  what  a  sweet  fire  !  oh,  what  soul-refreshing 
torment  would  that  be  !  What  if  the  pickles  ^  of  dust  and  ashes 
of  the  burnt  and  dissolved  body,  were  musicians  to  sing  his  praises, 
and  the  highness  of  that  never-enough  exalted  Prince  of  ages? 
Oh,  what  love  is  it  in  him,  that  lie  will  have  such  musicians  as 
we  are  to  tune  that  psalm  of  his  everlasting  praises  in  Heaven  ! 
Oh,  what  shining  and  burning  flames  of  love  are  these,  that  Christ 
will  divide  his  share  of  life,  of  Heaven  and  glory  with  you  !  (Luke 
xxii.  29  ;  John  xvii.  24 ;  Rev.  iii.  21.)  A  part  of  his  throne,  one 
draught  of  his  wine — his  wine  of  glory  and  life,  that  cometh  from 
under  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb — and  one  apple  of  the 
Tree  of  life,  will  do  more  than  make  up  all  the  expenses  and 
charges  of  clay  lent  out  for  Heaven.  Oh  !  oh  !  but  we  have  short, 
and  narrow,  and  creeping  thoughts  of  Jesus,  and  do  but  shape 
Christ  in  our  conceptions,  according  to  some  created  portraiture ! 
O  angels,  lend  in  ^  your  help  to  make  love-books  and  songs  of  our 
fair,  and  white,  and  ruddy  standard-bearer  amongst  ten  thousand  ! 
O  Heavens  !  O  Heaven  of  heavens  !  O  glorified  tenants,  and 
triumphing  households  with  the  Lamb,  put  in  new  psalms  and 
love-sonnets  of  the  excellency  of  our  Bridegroom,  and  help  us  to 
set  him  on  high  !  O  indwellers  of  earth  and  Heaven,  sea  and 
au",  and  O  all  ye  created  beings,  within  the  bosom  of  the  utmost 
>  Grant  delay  in  payment.  2  More  nearly  related.  3  Grains.  *  Lend. 


Rutherford's  letters.  469 

circle  of  this  great  world,  oh,  come  help  to  set  on  high  the  praises 
of  our  Lord  !  O  fairness  of  creatures,  blush  before  his  uncreated 
beauty  !  O  created  strength,  be  amazed  to  stand  before  your 
strong  Lord  of  hosts !  O  created  love,  think  shame  '  of  thyself 
before  this  unparalleled  love  of  Heaven  !  O  angel  of  wisdom,  hide 
thyself  before  our  Lord,  whose  understanding  passeth  finding  out ! 
O  sun  in  thy  shining  beauty,  for  shame  put  on  a  web  of  darkness, 
and  cover  thyself  before  thy  brightest  Master  and  Maker  !  Oh, 
who  can  add  glory,  by  doing  or  suffering,  to  the  never-enough  ad- 
mired and  praised  Lover  !  Oh,  we  can  but  bring  our  drop  to  this 
sea,  and  our  candle,  dim  and  dark  as  it  is,  to  this  clear  and  light- 
some Sun  of  Heaven  and  earth  !  Oh,  but  we  have  cause  to  drink 
ten  deaths  in  one  cup  dry,  to  swim  through  ten  seas  to  be  at  that 
land  of  praises,  where  we  shall  see  that  wonder  of  wonders,  and 
enjoy  this  Jewel  of  Heaven's  jewels  !  O  death,  do  thy  utmost 
against  us  !  O  torments,  O  malice  of  men  and  devils,  waste  your 
strength  on  the  witnesses  of  our  Lord's  testament !  O  devils,  bring 
Hell  to  help  you,  in  tormenting  tlie  followers  of  the  Lamb  !  We 
will  defy  you  to  make  us  too  soon  happy,  and  to  waft  us  too  soon 
over  the  water,  to  the  land  where  tlie  noble  Plant,  the  Plant  of 
renown,  groweth.  O  cruel  time,  that  tormenteth  us,  and  suspend- 
eth  our  dearest  enjoyments  that  we  wait  for,  when  we  shall  be 
bathed  and  steeped,  soul  and  body,  down  in  the  depths  of  this 
Love  of  loves  !  O  time,  I  say,  run  fast !  O  motions,  mend  your 
pace  !  O  Well-beloved,  be  like  a  young  roe  on  the  Mountains  of 
Separation  !  Post,  post,  and  hasten  our  desired  and  hungered-for 
meeting — love  is  sick  to  hear  tell  of  to-morrow. 

And  what  then  can  come  wrong  to  you,  O  honorable  witnesses 
of  his  kingly  truth?  Men  have  no  more  of  you  to  work  upon, 
than  some  inches  and  span-lengths  of  sick,  coughing,  and  phleg- 
matic clay.  Your  spirits  are  above  their  benches,  courts,  or  high 
commissions.  Your  souls,  your  love  to  Christ,  your  faith  cannot 
be  summoned,  nor  sentenced,  nor  accused,  nor  condemned  by  pope, 
deputy,  prelate,  ruler,  or  tyrant.  Your  faith  is  a  free  lord,  and 
cannot  be  a  captive.  All  the  malice  of  Hell  and  earth  can  but 
hurt  the  scabbard  of  a  believer;  and  death  at  the  worst  can  get 
but  a  clay  pawn  in  keeping  till  your  Lord  make  the  King's  keys, 
and  open  your  graves.  Therefore,  upon  luck's  head,  as  we  use  to 
say,  take  your  fill  of  his  love,  and  let  a  post-way  or  causeway  be 
laid  betwixt  your  prison  and  Heaven,  and  go  up  and  visit  your 
treasure.  Enjoy  your  Beloved,  and  dwell  upon  his  love,  till  eter- 
nity come  in  time's  room,  and  possess  you  of  your  eternal  happi- 
ness. Keep  your  love  to  Christ,  lay  up  your  faith  in  Heaven's 
keeping,  and  follow  the  Chief  of  the  House  of  the  Martyrs  that  wit- 
nessed a  fair  confession  before  Pontius  Pilate  : — your  cause  and 
his  is  all  one.  The  opposers  of  his  cause  are  like  drunken  judges 
and  transported,  who  in  their  cups  would  make  acts  and  laws  in 
their  drunken  courts,  that  the  sun  should  not  rise  and  shine  on 
the  earth ;  and  send  their  oflScers  and  pursuivants  to  charge  the 

^  Be  ashamed. 


470  Rutherford's  letters. 

sun  and  moon  to  give  no  more  lig-ht  to  the  world  ;  and  would 
enact  in  their  court-books,  that  the  sea,  after  once  ebbing,  should 
never  flow  again : — but  would  not  the  sun,  moon,  and  sea  break 
these  acts,  and  keep  their  Creator's  directions?  The  Devil,  the 
great  Fool,  and  Father  of  these  under-fools,  is  older  and  more 
maUcious  than  wise,  that  setteth  the  spirits  in  earth  on  work  to 
contend  and  clash  with  Heaven's  wisdom,  and  to  give  mandates 
and  law-summons  to  our  Sun,  to  our  great  Star  of  Heaven,  Jesus, 
not  to  shine  in  the  beauty  of  his  Gospel,  to  the  chosen  and  bought 
ones.  O  thou  fair  and  fairest  Sun  of  righteousness,  arise  and 
shine  in  thy  strength,  whether  earth  or  Hell  will  or  not.  O  victo- 
rious, O  royal,  O  stout,  princely  Soul-conqueror,  ride  prosperously 
upon  truth  ;  stretcli  out  thy  sceptre  as  far  as  the  sun  shineth,  and 
the  moon  waxetfi  and  waneth.  Put  on  thy  glittering  crown,  O 
thou  Maker  of  kings,  and  make  but  one  stride,  or  one  step  of  the 
whole  earth,  and  travel  in  the  greatness  of  thy  strength,  (Isaiah 
Ixiii.  1,  2.)  And  let  thy  apparel  be  red,  and  all  dyed  with  the  blood 
of  thy  enemies : — thou  art  fallen  righteous  Heir  by  line  to  the 
kingdoms  of  the  world. 

Laugh  ye  at  the  giddy-headed  clay-pots,  and  stout,  brain-sick 
worms,  that  dare  say,  in  good  earnest,  "  This  man  shall  not  reign 
over  us;"  as  though  they  were  casting  the  dice  for  Christ's  crown, 
which  of  them  should  have  it.  I  know  that  ye  believe  the  com- 
ing of  Christ's  Kingdom  ;  and  that  there  is  a  hole  out  of  your 
prison,  through  which  ye  see  daylight.  Let  not  faith  be  dazzled 
with  the  temptations  from  a  dying  deputy,  and  from  a  sick  pre- 
late ;  believe  under  a  cloud,  and  wait  for  him  when  there  is  no 
moon-light  nor  star-light.  Let  faith  live  and  breathe,  and  lay  hold 
on  the  sure  salvation  of  God,  when  clouds  and  darkness  are  about 
you,  and  appearance  of  rotting  in  the  prison  before  you.  Take 
heed  of  unbelieving  hearts,  which  can  father  lies  upon  Christ. 
Beware  of  "  Doth  his  promise  fail  for  evermore  ?"  (Ps.  Ixxvii.  8.) 
For  it  was  a  man,  and  not  God,  that  said  it,  who  dreamed  that  a 
promise  of  God  could  fail,  fall  a-swoon,'  or  die.  We  can  make 
God  sick,  or  his  promises  weak,  when  we  are  pleased  to  seek  a 
plea  "^  with  Christ.  O  sweet,  O  stout  word  of  faith,  (Job  xiii.  15,) 
"Though  he  slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust  in  him  !"  O  sweet  epitaph, 
written  upon  the  grave-stone  of  a  dying  believer,  namely — "  I 
died  hoping,  and  my  dust  and  ashes  believe  in  life  !"  Faith's 
eyes,  that  can  see  through  a  mill-stone,  can  see  through  a  gloom' 
of  God,  and  under  it  read  God's  thoughts  of  love  and  peace.  Hold 
fast  Christ  in  the  dark ;  surely  ye  shall  see  the  salvation  of  God. 
Your  adversaries  are  ripe  and  dry  for  the  fire  ;  yet  a  little  while, 
and  they  shall  go  up  in  a  flame ;  the  breath  of  the  Lord,  like  a 
river  of  brimstone,  shall  kindle  about  them. 

What  1  write  to  one  I  write  to  ye  all,  that  are  sound-hearted  in 

that  kingdom,  whom,  in  the  bowels  of  Christ,  I  would  exhort  not 

to  touch  that  oath.     Albeit  the  adversaries  put  a  fair  meaning  on 

it,  yet  the  swearer  must  swear  according  to  the  professed  intent 

•  Into  a  swoon.  2  Q,uarrel.  3  Frown. 


Rutherford's  letters.  471 

and  godless  practice  of  the  oath-makers,  which  is  known  to  the 
world  ;  otherwise  I  might  swear  that  the  creed  is  false,  according 
to  this  private  meaning  and  sense  put  upon  it.  Oh,  let  them  not 
be  beguiled  to  wash  perjury,  and  (he  denial  of  Christ  and  the 
Gospel  with  ink-water  :^ — some  foul  and  rotten  distinctions.  Wash, 
and  wash  again  and  again  the  Devil  and  the  lie,  it  will  be  long 
ere  their  skin  be  white. 

I  profess,  it  should  beseem  men  of  great  parts  rather  than  me 
to  write  to  you :  but  I  love  your  Cause,  and  desire  to  be  excused ; 
and  must  entreat  for  the  help  of  your  prayers,  in  this  my  weighty 
charge  here  for  the  University  and  pulpit,  and  that  ye  would  en- 
treat your  acquaintance  also  to  help  me.  Grace  be  with  you  all. 
Amen. 

Your  brother  and  companion. 
In  the  patience  and  Kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  1640. 


LETTER  CCXCI. 


TO  MRS.  PONT,  PRISONER  AT  DUBLIN. 

Worthy  and  dear  Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be 
to  you. — The  cause  which  ye  suffer  for,  and  your  willingness  to 
suffer,  is  ground  enough  of  acquaintance  for  me  to  write  to  you  ; 
although  I  do  confess  myself  unable  to  speak  for  the  encourage- 
ment of  a  prisoner  of  Christ. 

I  know  that  ye  have  advantage  beyond  us  who  are  not  under 
"sufferings ;  for  your  sighing,  (Ps.  cii.  20,)  is  a  written  bill  for  the 
ears  of  your  Head,  the  Lord  Jesus ;  and  your  breathing,  (Lara, 
iii.  56 ;)  and  your  looking  up,  (Ps.  v.  3,  and  Ixix.  3.)  And,  there- 
fore, your  meaning,  half-spoken,  half-unspoken,  will  seek  no  jailer's 
leave,  but  will  go  to  Heaven  without  leave  of  prelate  or  deputy, 
and  be  heartily  welcome  ;  so  that  ye  may  sigh  and  groan  out 
your  mind  to  Him  who  hath  all  the  keys  of  the  King's  Three 
Kingdoms  and  dominions.  I  dare  believe  that  your  hope  shall 
not  die.  Your  trouble  is  a  part  of  Zion's  burning,  and  ye  know 
who  guideth  Zion's  furnace,  and  who  loveth  the  ashes  of  his 
burnt  bride,  because  his  servants  love  them,  (Ps.  cii.  14.)  I  believe 
that  your  ashes,  if  ye  were  burnt  for  this  cause,  shall  praise  him: 
for  the  wrath  of  men  and  their  malice  shall  make  a  psalm  to  praise 
the  Lord,  (Ps.  Ixxvi.  10.)  And,  therefore,  stand  still,  and  behold, 
and  see  what  the  Lord  is  to  do  for  this  island ;  his  work  is  perfect, 
(Deut.  xxxii.  4.)  The  nations  have  not  seen  the  last  end  of  his 
work  ;  his  end  is  more  fair  and  more  glorious  than  the  beginning. 

Ye  have  more  honor  than  ye  can  be  able  to  guide  well,  in  that 
your  bonds  are  made  heavy  for  such  an  honorable  cause.  The 
seals  of  a  controlled  Gospel,  and  the  seals  by  bonds,  and  blood, 
and  sufferings,  are  not  committed  to  every  ordinary  professor. 
Some  that  would  back  Christ  honestly  in  summer-time,  would  but 


472  Rutherford's  letters. 

spill '  the  beauty  of  the  Gospel,  if  they  were  put  to  suffering-. 
And,  therefore,  let  us  believe,  that  Wisdom  dispenseth  to  every 
one  here,  as  He  thinketh  good  who  beareth  them  up  that  bear  the 
cross:  and  since  our  Lord  hath  put  you  to  tliat  part,  u'liich  was 
the  flower  of  his  own  sufferings,  we  all  expect  that,  as  ye  have  in 
the  strength  of  our  Captain  begun,  so  ye  will  go  on  without  faint- 
ing. Providence  maketh  use  of  men  and  devils  for  the  reflning 
of  all  the  vessels  of  God's  house,  small  and  great;  and  for  doing 
of  two  great  works  at  once  in  you,  both  for  smoothing  a  stone  to 
make  it  take  band  with  Christ  in  .Jerusalem's  wall ;  and  for  wit- 
nessing to  the  glory  of  this  reproached  and  borne-down  Gospel, 
which  carmot  die,  though  Hell  were  made  a  grave  about  it.  It 
shall  be  timous '  joy  for  you  to  divide  joy  betwixt  you  and  Christ's 
laughing  bride  in  these  Three  Kingdoms : — and  what  if  your 
mourning  continue  till  mystical  Christ  in  Ireland  and  in  Great 
Britain  and  ye  laugh  both  together?  Your  laughing  and  joy 
were  the  more  blessed,  that  one  sun  should  shine  upon  Christ,  the 
Gospel,  and  you,  laughing  altogether  in  these  Three  Kingdoms. 
Your  time  is  measured,  and  your  days  and  hours  of  suffering  from 
eternity  were,  by  infinite  Wisdom,  considered.  If  Heaven  recom- 
pense not  to  your  own  mind  inches  of  sorrow,  then  I  must  say, 
that  infinite  Mercy  cannot  get  you  pleased  ;  but  if  the  first  kiss 
of  the  white  and  ruddy  cheek  of  the  Standard-bearer  and  Chief 
among  ten  thousand,  (Cant.  v.  10,)  shall  overpay  your  prison  at 
Dublin,  in  Ireland,  then  ye  shall  have  no  counts  unanswered  to 
give  in  to  Christ.  If  your  faith  cannot  see  a  nearer  term-day,  yet 
let  me  charge  your  hope  to  give  Christ  a  new  day,  till  eternity 
and  time  meet  in  one  point.  A  paid  sum,  if  ever  paid,  is  paid,  if 
no  day  be  broken  to  the  hungr}^  creditor :  take  Heaven's  bond  and 
subscribed  obligation  for  the  sum,  (John  xiv.  3.)  If  hope  can  trust 
Christ,  I  know  that  he  can,  and  will  pay:  but  when  all  is  done 
and  suffered  by  you,  ten  hundred  deaths  for  lovely,  lovely  Jesus  is 
but  eternity's  half-penny; — -figures  and  cyphers  cannot  lay*  the 
proportion.  Oh,  but  the  surplus  of  Christ's  glory  is  broad  and 
large  !  Christ's  items  of  eternal  glory  are  hard  and  cumbersome 
to  tell ;  and  if  ye  borrow  by  faith  and  hope  ten  days,  or  ten  hun- 
dred years  from  that  eternity  of  glory  that  abideth  you,  ye  are 
paid  and  more,  in  your  hand.  Therefore,  O  Prisoner  of  hope, 
wait  on  ;  posting,  hasting  salvation  sleepeth  not.  Antichrist  is 
bleeding,  and  in  the  way  to  death  ;  and  he  biteth  the  sorest,  when 
he  bleedeth  the  fastest.  Keep  your  intelligence  betwixt  you  and 
Heaven,  and  your  court  with  Christ ;  he  hath  in  Heaven  the  keys 
of  your  prison,  and  can  set  you  at  liberty  when  he  pleaseth.  His 
rich  grace  support  you.  I  pray  you  to  help  me  with  your  prayers. 
Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  brother. 
In  the  patience  and  Kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ,         S.  R. 
St.  Andrew's,  1G40. 

•  Mar,  2  Unite,  as  mortar  with  a  stone.  3  Seasonable.  *  State. 


Rutherford's  letters.  473 

LETTER  CCXCII. 

TO     MR.     JAMES     WILSON. 

Dear  Brother, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  multiplied  upon 
you. — I  bless  our  rich  and  only  wise  Lord  who  careth  so  for  his 
new  creation,  that  he  is  going  over  it  again,  and  trying  every 
piece  in  you,  and  blowing  away  the  motes  of  his  new  work  in 
you.  Alas  !  I  am  not  so  fit  a  physician  as  your  disease  requireth. 
Sweet,  sweet,  lovely  Jesus  be  your  physician,  where  his  under- 
chirurgeons  cannot  do  anything  for  putting  in  order  the  wheels, 
paces,  and  goings  of  a  marred  soul.  I  have  little  time;  but  yet 
the  Lord  hath  made  me  so  to  concern  myself  in  your  condition, 
that  I  dow  not,  I  dare  not,  be  altogether  silent. 

First,  Ye  doubt,  from  2  Cor.  xiii.  5,  whether  ye  be  in  Christ  or 
not?  and  so,  whether  ye  are  a  reprobate  or  not?  I  answer  three 
things  to  the  doubt : — 1.  Ye  owe  charity  to  all  men,  but  most  of 
all  to  lovely  and  loving  Jesus,  and  some  also  to  yourself,  especially 
to  your  renewed  self;  because  your  new  self  is  not  yours,  but  an- 
other Lord's,  even  the  work  of  his  own  Spirit ;  therefore,  to  slan- 
der his  work  is  to  wrong  himself  Love  thinketh  no  evil ;  if  ye 
love  grace,  think  not  ill  of  grace  in  yourself;  and  ye  think  ill 
of  grace  in  yourself  when  ye  make  it  but  a  bastard  and  a  work 
of  nature ;  for  a  holy  fear  that  ye  be  not  Christ's,  and  withal  a 
care  and  a  desire  to  be  his,  and  not  your  own,  is  not,  nay,  can- 
not be,  bastard  nature.  The  great  Advocate  pleadeth  hard  for 
you ;  be  upon  the  Advocate's  side,  O  poor  feared  client  of  Christ ! 
Stay,  and  side  with  such  a  Lover,  who  pleadeth  for  no  other 
man's  goods  than  his  own  ;  (for  he,  if  I  may  say  so,  scorneth  to 
be  enriched  with  unjust  conquest;')  and  yet  he  pleadeth  for  you, 
whereof  your  letter,  though  too,  too  full  of  jealousy,'-  is  a  proof 
For,  if  ye  were  not  his,  your  thoughts,  wliich,  I  hope,  are  but  the 
suggestions  of  his  Spirit,  (that  only  bringeth  the  matter  into  de- 
bate, to  make  it  sure  to  you,)  would  not  be  such,  nor  so  serious 
as  these,  "  Am  I  his  ?"  or  "  Whose  am  I  ?"  2.  Dare  ye  forswear 
your  Owner,  and  say  in  cold  blood,  "I  am  not  his?"  What  na- 
ture or  corruption  saith  at  starts,  in  you.  I  regard  not.  Your 
thoughts  of  yourself,  when  sin  and  guiltiness  round  you  in  the 
ear,  and  when  you  have  a  sight  of  your  deservings,  are  Apocrypha, 
and  not  Scripture,  I  hope.  Hear  what  the  Lord  saiih  of  you, 
"  He  will  speak  peace."  If  your  Master  say,  "  I  quit  you,"  I  shall 
then  bid  you  eat  ashes  for  bread,  and  drink  waters  of  gall  and 
wormwood.  But,  however  Christ  out  of  his  own  mouth  should 
seem  to  say,  "  I  come  not  for  thee,"  as  he  did.  Matt.  xv.  24 ;  yet 
let  me  say,  that  the  words  of  tempting  Jesus  are  not  to  be 
stretched  as  Scripture,  beyond  his  intention,  seeing  his  intention 
in  speaking  them  is  to  strengthen,  not  to  deceive ;  and,  therefore, 

1  Acquisition.  2  Suspicion. 


474  Rutherford's  letters. 

here  faith  may  contradict  what  Christ  seemeth  at  first  to  say,  and 
so  may  ye.  I  charge  you,  by  the'  mercies  of  God,  be  not  that' 
cruel  to  g-race  and  the  new  birth  as  to  cast  water  on  your  own 
coal  by  misbelief.  If  ye  must  die,  (as  I  know  ye  shall  not,)  it 
were  a  folly  to  slay  yourself.  3.  I  hope  that  ye  love  the  new  birth 
and  a  claim  to  Christ,  howbeit  ye  do  not  make  it  good ;  and  if  ye 
were  in  Hell,  and  saw  the  heavenly  face  of  lovely,  ten  thousand  . 
times  lovely  Jesus,  that  hath  God's  hue,  and  God's  fair,  fair  and  "^ 
comely  red  and  white,  wherewith  it  is  beautified  beyond  compari- 
son and  imagination,  ye  could  not  forbear  to  say,  "  Oh,  if  I  could 
but  blow  a  kiss  from  my  sinful  mouth  from  Hell  up  to  Heaven, 
upon  his  cheeks  that  are  a  bed  of  spices,  as  sweet  flowers !"  (Cant. 
V.  13.)  I  hope  ye  dare  say,  '•  O  fairest  Sight  of  Heaven  !  O 
boundless  Mass  of  crucified  and  slain  love  for  me,  give  me  leave 
to  wish  to  love  thee  !  O  Flower  and  Bloom  of  Heaven  and  earth's 
love  !  O  angels'  Wonder !  0  thou,  the  Father's  eternal,  sealed 
Love  !  and  O  thou,  God's  old  Delight !  give  me  leave  to  stand  be- 
side thy  love,  and  look  in,  and  wonder ;  and  give  me  leave  to 
wish  to  love  thee,  if  I  can  do  no  more."  4.  We  being  born  in 
atheism,  and  bairns  of  the  house  that  we  are  come  of,  it  is  no  new 
thing,  my  dear  brother,  for  us  to  be  under  jealousies  ^  and  mis- 
takes about  the  love  of  God.  What  think  ye  of  this,  that  the 
Man,  Christ,  was  tempted  to  believe  there  were  but  two  persons  in 
the  blessed  Godhead,  and  that  the  Son  of  God,  the  substantial 
and  co-eternal  Son,  was  not  the  lawful  Son  of  God?  Did  not 
Satan  say,  "  If  thou  be  the  Son  of  God  ?" 

Secondly,  Ye  say,  that  ye  know  not  what  to  do.  Your  Head 
said  once  that  same  word,  or  not  far  from  it.  (John  xii.  27,)  "  Now 
is  my  soul  troubled,  and  what  shall  I  say  ?"  And  faith  answered 
Christ's  "What  shall  I  say?"  with  these  words,  "O  tempted 
Saviour,  askest  thou,  '  What  shall  I  say  ?'  Say,  '  Pray,  Father, 
save  me  from  this  hour.'"  What  course  can  ye  take  but  pray 
and  frist^  Christ  his  own  comforts?  He  is  no  dyvour;  take  his 
word.  "  Oh,"  say  ye,  "  I  cannot  pray."  Answer — Honest  sigh- 
ing is  faith  breathing  and  whispering  him  in  the  ear  :  the  life  is 
not  out  of  faith,  where  there  is  sighing,  looking  up  with  the  eyes, 
and  breathing  toward  God  ;  (Lam.  iii.  56,)  "  Hide  not  thine  ear 
at  my  breathing."  "  ]3ut  what  shall  I  do  in  spiritual  exercises?" 
ye  say.  Answer — 1.  If  ye  knew  particularly  what  to  do,  it  were 
not  a  spiritual  exercise.  2.  In  my  weak  judgment,  ye  should  first 
say,  "  I  would  glorify  God  in  believing  David's  salvation,  and  the 
bride's  marriage  with  the  Lamb,  and  love  the  Church's  slain  Hus- 
band, although  I  cannot  for  the  present  believe  mine  own  salva- 
tion." 3.  Say,  "I  will  not  pass  from  my  claim ;  suppose  Christ 
should  pass  from  his  claim  to  me,  it  sliall  not  go  back  upon  my 
side  :  howbeit  my  love  to  him  be  not  worth  a  drink  of  water,  yet 
Christ  shall  have  it,  such  as  it  is."  4.  Say,  "I  shall  rather  spill  * 
twenty  prayers  than  not  pray  at  all.   Let  my  broken  words  go  up 

»  So.  2  Oh,  that.  3  Suspicions. 

*   Tofrlst,  to  grant  delay  in  payment.  ^  Mar. 


Rutherford's  letters.  475 

to  Heaven ;  when  they  come  up  into  the  Great  Angel's  golden 
censer,  that  compassionate  Advocate  will  put  together  my  broken 
prayers,  and  perfume  them."     Words  are  but  accidents  of  prayer. 

"  Oh,"  say  ye,  "  I  am  slain  with  hardness  of  heart,  and  troubled 
with  confused  and  melancholious  '  thoughts."  Answer — My  dear 
brother,  what  would  ye  conclude  thence? — that  ye  knew  not  well 
who  aughteth  2  you?  I  grant:  "Oh,  my  heart  is  hard!  oh,  my 
thoughts  of  faithless  sorrow  !  Ergo,  I  know  not  who  aughteth- 
me"  were  good  logic  in  Heaven  amongst  angels  and  the  glorified ; 
but  down  in  Christ's  hospital,  where  sick  and  distempered  souls 
are  under  cure,  it  is  not  worth  a  straw.  Give  Christ  time  to  end 
his  work  in  your  heart.  Hold  on  in  feeling  and  bewailing  your 
hardness ;  for  that  is  softness  to  feel  hardness.  2.  I  charge  you 
to  make  psalms  of  Christ's  praises  for  his  begun  work  of  grace. 
Make  Christ  your  music  and  your  song ;  for  complaining  and 
feeling  of  want  doth  often  swallow  up  your  praises.  What  think 
ye  of  those  who  go  to  Hell  never  troubled  with  such  thoughts? 
If  your  exercises  be  the  way  to  Hell,  God  help  me  !  I  have  a 
cold  coal  to  blow  at,  and  a  blank  paper  for  Heaven.  I  give  you 
Christ  caution  ^  and  my  Heaven  surety  for  your  salvation.  Lend 
Christ  your  melancholy,  for  Satan  hath  no  right  to  make  a  cham- 
ber in  your  melancholy.  Borrow  joy  and  comforts  from  the  Com- 
forter. Bid  the  Spirit  do  his  office  in  you ;  and  remember  that 
faith  is  one  thing,  and  the  feeling  and  notice  of  faith  another. 
God  forbid  that  feeling  were  proprium  quarto  modo  to  all  the 
saints  :  and  that  this  were  good  reasoning,  "  No  feeling,  no  grace." 
I  am  sure,  ye  were  not  always,  these  twenty  years  by-past,  actu- 
ally knowing  that  ye  live  ;  yet  all  this  time  ye  are  living  :  so  it 
is  with  the  life  of  faith. 

But,  alas  !  dear  brother,  it  is  easy  for  me  to  speak  words  and 
syllables  of  peace ;  but  Isaiah  (Ivii.  19,)  telleth  you,  "  I  create 
peace."  There  is  but  one  Creator  ye  know.  Oh,  that  ye  may 
get  a  letter  of  peace  sent  you  from  Heaven  ! 

Pray  for  me,  and  for  grace  to  be  faithful,  and  for  gifts  to  be 
able,  with  tongue  and  pen,  to  glorify  God.     I  forget  you  not. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  Jan.  8,  1640. 


LETTER  CCXCIIL 

TO     MY     LADY      BOYD. 


Madam, — I  received  your  Ladyship's  letter ;  but  because  I  was 
still  going  through  the  country  for  the  affairs  of  the  Church,  I 
have  had  no  time  to  answer  it. 

I  had  never  more  cause  to  fear  than  I  have  now,  when  my  Lord 
hath  restored  me  to  my  second  created  Heaven  on  earth,  and  hath 

1  Melancholy.  *  To  augh<.,  to  possess,  to  own.  3  Security. 


476  Rutherford's  letters. 

turned  my  apprehended  fears  into  joys,  and  great  deliverance  to 
his  Church — whereof  I  have  my  share  and  part.  Alas,  that  weep- 
ing prayers,  answered,  and  sent  back  from  Heaven  with  joy, 
should  not  have  laughing  praises  !  Oh,  that  this  land  would  re- 
pent and  lay  burdens  of  praises  upon  the  top  of  the  fair  Mount 
Zion  !  Madam,  except  this  land  be  humbled,  a  reformation  is 
rather  ray  wonder  than  belief  at  this  time.  But  surely  it  must  be 
a  wonder,  and  what  is  done  already  is  a  wonder.  Our  Lord  must 
restore  beauty  to  his  churches  without  hire ;  for  we  were  sold 
without  money,  and  now  our  buyers  repent  them  of  the  bargain, 
and  would  gladly  give  again  better-cheap  than  they  bought  us. 
They  devoured  .Tacob,  and  ate  up  his  people  as  bread ;  now  Jacob 
is  growing  a  living  child  in  their  womb,  and  they  would  fain  be 
dehvered  of  the  child,  and  render  the  birth : — our  Lord  shall  be 
Midwife.  Oh,  that  this  land  be  not  like  Ephraim,  "  an  unwise 
son,  that  stayeth  too  long  in  the  place  of  the  breaking  forth  of 
children  !" 

Your  Ladyship  is  blessed  with,  children,  who  are  honored  to 
build  up  Christ's  waste  places  again.  I  believe  that  your  Lady- 
ship will  think  them  well  bestowed  on  that  work,  and  that  Zion's 
beauty  is  your  joy.  This  is  a  mark  and  evidence  from  Heaven, 
which  helpeth  weak  ones  to  hold  their  grip/ when  other  marks 
fail  them. 

I  hope  that  your  Ladyship  is  at  a  good  understanding  with 
Christ ;  and  that,  as  becometh  a  Christian,  ye  take  him  up  aright, 
(for  many  mistake  and  misshape  Christ,)  in  his  comings  and 
goings.  Your  wants  and  falls  proclaim,  tiiat  ye  have  nothing  of 
your  own  but  what  yc  borrow  ; — nay,  yourself  is  not  your  own, — 
but  Christ  hath  given  himself  to  you.  Put  Christ  to  the  bank, 
and  Heaven  shall  be  your  interest  and  inconne.  Love  him,  for  ye 
cannot  over-love  him.  Take  up  your  house  in  Christ,  let  him 
dwell  in  you,  and  abide  in  him  ;  and  then  ye  may  look  out  of 
Christ,  and  laugh  at  the  clay-heavens,  that  the  sons  of  men  are 
seeking  after  on  this  side  of  tlie  water.  Christ  mindeth  to  make 
your  losses  grace's  great  advantage.  Christ  will  lose  nothing  of 
you  ;  nay,  not  even  your  sins,  for  he  hath  a  use  for  tliem,  as  well 
as  for  your  service  ;  howbeit  ye  are  to  loathe  yourself  for  them. 
I  hope  that  ye  fetch  all  the  heaven  ye  have  here  in  this  life  from 
that  which  is  up  above  ;  and  that  your  anchor  is  casten  as  high 
and  deep  as  Christ ;  oh,  but  it  is  far  and  many  a  mile  to  the  bot- 
tom of  his  love  !  If  I  had  known  long  since,  as  I  do  now,  (though 
still  alas  !  I  am  ignorant,)  what  was  in  Christ,  I  Avould  not  have 
been  so  late  in  starting  to  the  gate  ^  to  seek  him. 

Oh,  what  can  I  do  or  say  to  Him  who  hath  made  the  north 
render  me  back  again  !  A  grave  is  no  sure  prison  to  him  for  the 
keeping  of  dry  bones.  Woe  is  me,  that  my  foolish  sorrow  and  un- 
belief, being  on  horseback,  did  ride  so  proudly  and  witlessly  over 
my  Lord's  providence : — but  when  my  faith  was  asleep,  Christ 
was  awake  ;  and  now,  when  I  am  awake,  I  say,  he  did  all  things 
1  Gripe.  s  Commencing  with  an  alacrity. 


Rutherford's  letters.  477 

well.  Oh,  infinite  wisdom  !  Oh,  incomparable  loving-kindness  ! 
Alas,  that  the  heart  I  have,  is  so  little  and  worthless  for  such  a 
Lord  as  Christ  is  !  Oh,  what  odds  find  the  saints  in  hard  trials, 
when  they  feel  sap  at  their  roots,  betwixt  them  and  sun-burned, 
withered  professors  ! — crosses  and  storms  cause  them  to  cast  their 
blooms  and  leaves.  Poor  world hngs,  what  will  ye  do,  when  the 
span-length  of  your  forenoon's  laughter  is  ended,  and  when  the 
weeping  side  of  providence  is  turned  to  you  ? 

I  put  all  the  favors  which  ye  have  bestowed  on  my  brother 
upon  Clirist's  score,  in  whose  books  are  many  such  counts,  and 
who  will  requite  them.  I  wish  you  to  be  builded  more  and  more 
upon  the  Stone  laid  in  Zion,  and  then,  ye  shall  be  the  more  fit  to 
have  a  hand  in  rebuilding  our  Lord's  fallen  Tabernacle  in  this 
land,  in  which  ye  shall  find  great  peace  when  ye  come  to  grips ' 
with  death,  the  King  of  terrors. 

The  God  of  peace  be  with  your  Ladyship  ;  aud  keep  you  blame- 
less till  the  day  of  our  Lord  Jesus. 

Your  Ladyship's, 
At  all  obedience  in  his  sweet  Lord  and  Master,  S.  B. 

St  Andrew's.  " 


LETTER   CCXCIV. 

TO     HIS     VERY     DEAR     FRIEND,     JOHN     FENWICK. 


Much  honored,  and  dear  Friend, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace 
be  to  you. — The  necessary  impediments  of  my  calling  have  hith- 
erto kept  me  from  making  a  return  to  your  letter,  the  heads 
whereof  I  shall  now  briefly  answer : — 

As,  L  I  approve  of  your  going  to  the  Fountain,  when  your  own 
cistern  is  diy.  A  difference  there  must  be  betwixt  Christ's  well 
and  your  borrowed  water ;  and  why  but  ye  have  need  of  empti- 
ness and  drying  up  as  well  as  ye  have  need  of  the  well?  Want, 
and  a  hole  there  must  be  in  our  vessel,  to  leave  room  to  Christ's 
art.  His  well  hath  its  own  need  of  thirsty  drinkers,  to  commend 
infinite  love  which  from  eternity  did  brew  such  a  cellar  of  living 
waters  for  us. 

II.  Ye  conmiend  his  free  love  ;  and  it  is  well  done  !  Oh  if^  I 
could  help  you,  and  if  I  could  be  master-convener,  to  gather  an 
earth-full  an  heaven-full  of  tongues,  dipped  and  steeped  in  my 
Lord's  well  of  love,  or  his  wine  of  love,  even  tongues  drunken 
with  his  love,  to  raise  a  song  of  praises  to  him,  betwixt  the  east 
and  west  end,  and  furthest  points  of  the  broad  heavens  !  If  I 
were  in  your  case,  (as,  alas  !  my  dry  and  dead  heart  is  not  now 
in  that  garden,)  I  would  borrow  leave  to  come  and  stand  upon  the 
banks  and  coasts  of  that  sea  of  love,  and  be  a  feasted  soul,  to  see 
love's  fair  tide,  free  love's  high  and  lofty  waves,  each  of  them 
1  Close  struggling.  2  oh,  that. 


478  Rutherford's  letters. 

higher  than  ten  earths,  flowing  in  upon  pieces  of  lost  clay.  Oh, 
welcome,  welcome,  great  sea !  Oh,  if'  I  had  as  much  love  for 
wideness  and  breadth,  as  twenty  outmost  shells  and  spheres  of 
the  Heaven  of  heavens,  that  I  might  receive  in  a  hltle  flood  of  his 
free  love!  Come,  come,  dear  friend,  and  be  pained,  that  the 
King's  wine-cellar  of  free  love,  and  his  banqueting-house — oh,  so 
wide,  so  stately  !  oh,  so  God-like,  so  glory-like  ! — should  be  so 
abundant,  so  overflowing,  and  your  shallow  vessel  so  little,  to  take 
in  some  part  of  that  love.  But  since  it  cannot  come  into  you,  for 
want  of  room,  enter  yourself  into  this  sea  of  love,  and  breathe 
under  these  waters,  and  die  of  love,  and  live  as  one  dead  and 
drowned  of  this  love. 

III.  But  why  do  ye  complain  of  waters  going  over  your  soul, 
and  that  the  smoke  of  the  terrors  of  a  wrathful  Lord  doth  almost 
suffocate  you,  and  bring  you  to  death's  brink  ?  I  know  that  the 
fault  is  in  your  eyes,  not  in  him.  It  is  not  the  rock  that  fleeth 
and  moveth,  but  the  green  sailor.  If  your  sense  and  apprehen- 
sion be  made  judge  of  his  love,  there  is  a  graven  image  made 
presently,  even  a  changed  god,  and  a  foe  god,  who  was  once — 
"  when  ye  washed  your  steps  with  butter,  and  the  rock  poured 
you  out  rivers  of  oil,"  (Job  xxix.  6,) — a  Friend  God.  Either  now 
or  never,  let  God  work.  Ye  had  never,  since  ye  were  a  man, 
such  a  fair  field  for  faith  ;  for  a  painted  hell  and  an  apprehension 
of  wrath  in  your  Father,  is  faith's  opportunity  to  try  what  strength 
is  in  it.  Now,  give  God  as  large  a  measure  of  charity  as  ye  have 
of  sorrow.  Now,  see  faith  to  be  faith  indeed,  if  ye  can  make  your 
grave  betwixt  Christ's  feet  and  say,  "Though  he  should  slay  me, 
I  will  trust  in  him ;  his  believed  love  shall  be  my  winding-sheet, 
and  all  my  grave-clothes ;  I  shall  roll  and  sew  in  my  soul,  my 
slain  soul,  in  that  web,  his  sweet  and  free  love  ;  and  let  him  write 
upon  my  grave.  '  Here  lieth  a  believing  dead  man,  breathing  out 
and  making  a  hole  in  death's  broad-side,  and  the  breath  of  faith 
cometh  forth  through  the  hole.' "  See  now  if  ye  can  overcome 
and  prevail  with  God,  and  wrestle  God's  tempting  to  death  quite 
out  of  breath,  as  that  renowned  wrestler  did,  (Hos.  xii.  3,)  "And 
by  his  strengtii  he  had  power  witli  God  ;"  (ver.  4.)  "yea,  he  had 
power  over  tlie  Angel,  and  prevailed."  He  is  a  strong  man,  indeed, 
who  overmatcheth  Heaven's  Strength,  and  the  Holy  One  of  Israel, 
the  Strong  Lord :  which  is  done  by  a  secret  supply  of  divine 
strength  within,  wherewith  the  weakest,  being  strengthened,  over- 
come and  conquer.  It  shall  be  great  victory,  to  blow  out  the 
flame  of  that  furnace  ye  are  now  in,  with  the  breath  of  faith  : 
and  when  Hell,  men,  malice,  cruelty,  falsehood,  devils,  the  seeming 
glooms'^  of  a  sweet  Lord,  meet  you  in  tlie  teeth,  if  ye  then,  as  a 
captive  of  hope,  as  one  fettered  in  hope's  prison,  run  to  your 
stronghold,  even  from  God  gloomingj^*  to  God  glooming,'  and 
believe  the  salvation  of  the  Lord  in  the  dark,  which  is  your  only 
victory, — your  enemies,  that  are  but  pieces  of  malicious  clay,  shall 
die  as  men,  and  be  confounded.     But,  that  your  troubles  are  many 

1  Oh,  that.  2  Frowns.  3  Frowning. 


Rutherford's  letters.  479 

at  once,  and  arrows  come  in  from  all  airths/  from  country,  friends, 
wife,  children,  foes,  estate,  and  right-down  from  God  who  is  the 
hope  and  stay  of  your  soul,  I  confess  is  more,  and  very  heavy  to 
be  borne  :  yet  all  tliese  are  not  more  than  grace  ;  all  these  bits  of 
coals  casten  into  your  sea  of  mercy,  cannot  dry  it  up.  Your 
troubles  are  many  and  great ;  yet  not  an  ounce-weight  beyond 
the  measure  of  infinite  wisdom,  I  hope,  nor  beyond  the  measure 
of  grace  that  he  is  to  bestow  ;  for  our  Lord  never  yet  brake  the 
back  of  his  child  nor  spilled ^  his  own  work.  Nature's  plastering 
and  counterfeit  work  he  doth  often  break  in  shreds  and  putteth 
out  a  candle  not  lighted  at  the  Sun  of  righteousness  ;  but  he  must 
cherish  his  own  reeds,  and  handle  them  softly ;  never  a  reed 
getlelh  a  thrust  with  the  Mediator's  hand,  to  lay  together  the  two 
ends  of  the  reed.  Oh,  what  bands  and  ligaments  hath  our 
Chirurgeon  of  broken  spirits,  to  bind  up  all  his  lame  and  bruised 
ones  with  !  Cast  your  disjointed  spirit  into  his  lap  ;  and  lay  your 
burden  upon  One  who  is  so  willing  to  take  your  cares  and  your 
fears  off  you,  and  to  exchange  and  niffer^  your  crosses,  and  to 
give  you  new  for  old,  and  gold  for  iron, — even  to  give  you  gar- 
ments of  praise  for  the  spirit  of  heaviness. 

IV.  It  is  true,  in  great  part,  what  ye  write  of  this  Kirk,  that  the 
letter  of  religion  only  is  reformed,  and  scarce  that.  I  do  not 
believe  our  Lord  will  build  his  Zion  in  this  land,  upon  this  skin  of 
reformation.  So  long  as  our  scum  remaineth,  and  our  heart-idols 
are  keeped,  this  work  must  be  at  a  stand;  and,  therefore,  our 
Lord  must  yet  sift  this  land,  and  search  us  with  candles  ;  and  I 
know,  that  he  will  give  and  not  sell  us,  his  Kingdom.  His  grace, 
and  our  remaining  guiltiness  must  be  compared,  and  the  one  must 
be  seen  in  the  glory  of  it,  and  the  other  in  the  sinfulness  of  it. 
But  I  desire  to  believe,  and  would  gladly  hope  to  see,  that  the 
glancing  and  shining  lustre  of  glory  coming  from  the  diamonds 
and  stones  set  in  the  crown  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  shall  cast  rays  and 
beams  many  thousand  miles  about.  I  hope  that  Christ  is  upon  a 
great  marriage;  and  that  his  wooing  and  suiting''  of  his  excellent 
bride  doth  take  its  beginning  from  us,  the  ends  of  the  earth.  Oh, 
what  joy  and  what  glory  would  I  judge  it,  if  my  heaven  should 
be  suspended,  till  I  might  have  leave  to  run  on  foot  to  be  a  witness 
of  that  marriage-glory,  and  see  Christ  put  on  the  glory  of  his  last 
married  bride,  and  his  last  marriage-love  on  earth  ;  when  he  shall 
enlarge  his  love-bed,  and  set  it  upon  the  top  of  the  mountains, 
and  take  in  the  Elder  Sister,  the  Jews,  and  the  fulness  of  the 
Gentiles  !  It  were  Heaven's  honor  and  glory  upon  earth,  to  be  his 
lacke3^  to  run  at  his  horse's  foot,  and  hold  up  the  train  of  his 
marriage-robe  royal,  in  the  day  of  our  high  and  royal  Solomon's 
espousals.  But,  oh,  what  glory  to  have  a  seat  or  bed  in  the 
chariot  of  King  Jesus,  that  is  bottomed  with  gold,  and  paved,  and 
lined  over,  and  floored  within  with  love,  for  the  daughters  of  Jeru- 
salem!  (Cant.  iii.  10.)  To  lie  upon  such  a  King's  love,  were  a 
bed  next  to  the  Flower  of  Heaven's  glory. 

1  Quarters,  2  Spoiled.  3  Barter.  *  Courting. 


480  Rutherford's  letters. 

V.  I  am  sorry  to  hear  you  speak  in  your  letter,  of  a  ''God  angry 
at  you,"  and  of  "  the  sense  of  his  indignation,  which  only  ariseth 
from    suffering   for   Jesus" — all    that    is    now    come   upon   you. 
Indeed    "  apprehended   wrath"    flameth    out   of    such    asiies    as 
"apprehended  sin,"  but  not  from   "suffering  for  Christ."     But, 
suppose  ye  were  in  Hell,  for  by-gones  ^  and  for  old  debt — I  hope 
ye  owe  Christ  a  great  sum  of  charity,  to  believe  the  sweetness  of 
his  love.     I  know  what  it  is  to  sin  in  that  kind.     It  is  to  sin  out, 
if  it  were  possible,  the  unchangeableness  of  a  Godhead  out  of 
Christ,  and  to  sin  away  a  lovely  and  unchangeable  God.     Put 
more  honest  apprehensions  upon  Christ.     Put  on  his  own  mask 
upon  his  face,  and  not  your  veil  made  of  unbelief,  which  speaketh 
as  if  he  borrowed  love  to  you  from  you  and  your  demerits  and  sin- 
ful deservings.     Oh,  no  !     Cluist  is  man,  but  he  is  not  like  man. 
He  hath  man's  love  in  Heaven,  but  it  is  lustred  with  God's  love, 
and  it  is  very  God's  love  ye  have  to  do  with — when  your  wheels 
go  about,  he  standeth  still.     Let  God  be  God,  and  be  ye  a  man, 
and  have  ye  the  deserving  of  man,  and  the  sin  of  one,  who  hath 
suffered  your  Well-beloved  to  slip  away  ;  nay,  hath  refused  him 
entrance,  wlien   he  was  knocking,  till  his  head  and  locks  were 
frozen  :  yet,  what  is  that  to  him?     His  book  keepeth  your  name, 
and  is  not  printed,  and  re-printed,  and  changed,  and  corrected. 
And  why,  but  he  should  go  to  his  place  and  hide  himself?     How- 
beit  his  departure  be  his  own  good  work,  yet  the  belief  of  it,  in 
that  manner,  is  your  sin.     But  wait  on  till  he  return  with  salva- 
tion, and  cause  you  to  rejoice  in  the  latter  end.     It  is  not  much 
to  complain  ;  but  rather  believe  than  complain,  and  sit  in  the  dust, 
and  close  your  mouth,  till  he  make  your  sown  light  grow  again  ; 
for  your  afflictions  are  not  eternal,  time  will  end  them,  and  so  shall 
ye  at  length  see  the  Lord's  salvation.     His  love  sleepeth  not,  but 
is  still  working  for  you.     His  salvation  will  not  tarry  nor  linger  ; 
and  suffering  for  him  is  the  noblest  cross  that  is  out  of  Heaven. 
Your  Lord  hath  the  wale  and  choice  ^  of  ten  thousand  other  crosses, 
beside  this,  to  exercise  you  withal ;  but  his  wisdom  and  his  love 
waled  ^  and  choosed  out  this  for  you,  beside  them  all :  and  take  it 
as  a  choice  one,  and  make  use  of  it,  so  as  ye  look  to  this  world  as 
your  stepmother,  in  your  borrowed  prison.     For  it  is  a  love-look  to 
Heaven,  and  the  other  side  of  the  water,  that  God  seeketh  ;  and 
this  is  tlie  fruit,  the  flower  and  bloom  growing  out  of  your  cross, 
that  ye   be  a  dead  man   to  time,  to  clay,  to  gold,  to  country,  to 
friends,  wife,  children,  and  all  pieces  of  created  nothings ;  for  in 
them  there  is  not  a  seat  nor  bottom  for  soul's  love.     Oh,  what  room 
is  for  your  love,  (if  it  were  as  broad  as  the  sea.)  up  in  Heaven,  and 
in  God!     And  what  would  not  Christ  give  for  your  love?     God 
gave  so  much  for  your  soul ;  and  blessed  are  ye  if  ye  have  a  love 
for  him,  and  can  call  in  your  soul's  love  from  all  idols,  and  can 
make  a  God  of  God,  a  God  of  Christ,  and  draw  a  hue  betwixt 
your  heart  and  him.^     If  your  deliverance  come  not,  Christ's  pres- 

1  By-passed  matters.  2  pick  and  choice.  ^  Selected. 

*  Unite  your  heart  and  him  by  the  bands  of  love,  and  the  cords  of  a  man.     Hos.  xi.  4. 


Rutherford's  letters.  481 

ence  and  his  believed  love,  must  stand  as  caution '  and  surety  for 
your  deliverance,  till  your  Lord  send  it  in  his  blessed  time.  For 
Christ  hath  many  salvations,  if  we  could  see  them ;  and  I  would 
think  it  better-born  comfort  and  joy,  that  cometh  from  the  faith  of 
deliverance,  and  the  faith  of  his  love,  than  that  which  cometh 
from  dehverance  itself  It  is  not  much  matter,  if  ye  find  ease  to 
your  afflicted  soul,  what  be  the  means,  either  of  your  own  wishing 
or  of  God's  choosing — the  latter,  1  am  sine,  is  best,  and  the  com- 
forts strongest  and  sweetest.  Let  the  Lord  absolutely  have  the 
ordering  of  your  evils  and  troubles,  and  put  them  off  you,  by  re- 
commending your  cross  and  your  furnace  to  Him  who  hath  skill 
to  melt  his  own  metal,  and  knoweth  well  what  to  do  with  his  fur- 
nace. Let  your  heart  be  willing  that  God's  fire  have  your  tin,  and 
brass,  and  dross.  To  consent  to  want  corruption,  is  a  greater 
mercy  than  many  professors  do  well  know  ;  and  to  refer  the  man- 
ner of  God's  physic  to  his  own  wisdom,  whether  it  be  by  drawing 
blood,  or  giving  sugared  drinks.  That  he  cureth  sick  folks  with- 
out pain,  it  is  a  great  point  of  faith  ;  and  to  believe  Christ's  cross 
to  be  a  friend,  as  he  himself  is  a  Friend,  is  also  a  special  act  of 
faith.  But  when  ye  are  over  the  water,  this  case  shall  be  a  yes- 
terday past  a  hundred  years  ere  ye  were  born :  and  the  cup  of 
glory  shall  wash  the  memory  of  all  this  away,  and  make  it  as 
nothing.  Only  now  take  Christ  in  with  you  under  your  yoke,  and 
let  patience  have  her  perfect  work  ;  for  this  haste,  is  your  infirmity. 
The  Lord  is  rising  up  to  do  you  good  in  the  latter-end  ;  put  on 
the  faith  of  his  salvation,  and  see  him  posting  and  hasting  towards 
you. 

Sir,  my  employments  being  so  great,  hinder  me  to  write  at  more 
length  ;  excuse  me ;  I  hope  to  be  mindful  of  you.  I  shall  be 
obliged  to  you,  if  ye  help  me  with  your  prayers  for  this  people,  this 
College,  and  my  own  poor  soul. 

Grace  be  with  you.     Remember  my  love  to  your  wife. 

Yours,  in  Christ  Jesus,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  Feb.  13,  1640. 


LETTER  CCXCV. 


TO  THE  MUCH  HONORED  PETER  STIRLING. 

Much  honored  and  worthy  Sir, — I  received  yours,  and 
cannot  but  be  ashamed  that  mistaking  love  hath  brought  me  into 
court ^  and  account  in  the  heart  of  God's  children,  especially  of 
another  nation.  I  should  not  make  a  lie  of  the  grace  of  God,  if  I 
should  think  I  have  little  share  of  it  myself  Oh,  how  much  bet- 
ter were  it  for  me,  to  stand  in  the  counting-table  of  many  for  a 
halfpenny,  and  to  be  esteemed  a  liker,  rather  than  a  lover  of  Christ ! 
If  I  were  weighed,  vanity  would  bear  down  the  scale,  as  having 

1  Security.  ^  Influence. 

31 


482  Rutherford's  letters. 

weio-ht  in  the  balance  above  me,  except  my  lovely  Saviour  should 
cast  in  beside  me  some  of  his  borrowed  worth.  And,  oh,  if  ^  I  were 
writino-  now  sincerely  in  this  extenuation,  which  may  be,  and  I 
fear  is,  subtile  and  cozening  pride !  I  would  I  could  love  some- 
thing of  Heaven's  worth,  in  you  and  all  of  your  metal.  Oh,  how 
happy  were  I,  if  I  could  regain  and  conquer  laack  from  the  creature 
my  sold  and  lost  love,  that  I  might  lay  it  upon  Heaven's  Jewel, 
that  ever,  ever  blooming  Flower  of  the  highest  garden,  even  my 
soul-redeeming  and  never-enough  prized  Lord  Jesus  !  Oh,  that 
he  would  wash  my  love,  and  put  it  on  the  Mediator's  wheel,  and 
refine  it  from  its  dross  and  tin,  that  I  might  propine^  and  gift^  that 
Lord,  so  love-worthy,  with  all  my  love  !  Oh,  if  I  could  set^  a 
lease  of  thousands  of  years,  and  a  suspension  of  my  part  of 
Heaven's  glory,  and  frist^  till  a  long  day,  my  desired  salvation,  so 
being  that  I  could,  in  this  lower  kitchen  and  under-vault  of  his 
creation,  be  feasted  with  his  love,  and  that  I  might  be  a  footstool 
to  his  glory,  before  men  and  angels  !  Oh,  if '  he  would  let  out 
Heaven's  fountain  upon  withered  me,  dry  and  sapless  me !  If  I 
were  but  sick  of  love  for  his  love, — and  oh,  how  would  that  sick- 
ness deUght  me  ! — how  sweet  should  that  easing  and  refreshing 
pain  be  to  my  soul ! 

1  shall  be  glad  to  be  a  witness  to  behold  the  kingdoms  of  the 
world  become  Christ's.  I  could  stay  out  of  Heaven  many  years, 
to  see  that  victorious,  triumphing  Lord  act  that  prophesied  part  of 
his  soul-conquering  love,  in  taking  into  his  kingdom  the  Greater 
Sister,  that  Kirk  of  the  Jews,  who  sometimes,^  courted  our  Well- 
beloved  for  her  Little  Sister,  (Cant,  viii,  8 ;)  to  behold  him  set  up 
as  an  ensign  and  banner  of  love,  to  the  ends  of  the  world.  And 
truly,  we  are  to  believe  that  his  wrath  is  ripe  for  the  Land  of 
graven  images,  and  for  the  falling  of  that  millstone  into  the  midst 
of  the  sea. 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  March  6,  1640. 


LETTER  CCXCVL 

TO     THE      LADY     FINGASK. 

Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — Though  not  ac- 
quainted, yet,  at  the  desire  of  a  Christian,  I  make  bold  to  write  a 
line  or  two  unto  you  by  way  of  counsel — howbeit  I  be  most  unfit 
for  that. 

I  hear,  and  I  bless  the  Father  of  lights  for  it,  that  ye  have  a 
spirit  set  to  seek  God,  and  that  the  posture  of  your  heart  is  to  look 
heavenward,  which  is  a  work  and  cast  of  the  Mediator  Christ's 
right-hand,  who  putteth  on  the  heart  a  new  frame ;  for  the  which 

»  Oh,  that.  2  Present.  3  Endow. 

*  Let.  5  Postpone  possession  of.  ^  Formerly. 


Rutherford's  letters.  4S3 

I  would  have  your  Ladyship,  to  see  a  tie  and  bond  of  obedience 
laid  upon  you,  that  all  may  be  done,  not  so  much  from  obligation 
of  law,  as  from  the  tie  of  free  love ;  that  the  law  of  ransom-pay- 
ing by  Christ  may  be  the  chief  ground  of  all  your  obedience,  see- 
ing that  ye  are  not  under  the  Law,  but  under  grace.  Withal, 
know  that  unbelief  is  a  spiritual  sin,  and  so  not  seen  by  nature's 
light ;  and  that  all  which  conscience  saith  is  not  Scripture.  Sup- 
pose that  your  heart  bear  witness  against  you,  for  sins  done  long 
ago ;  yet  because  many  have  pardon  with  God,  that  have  not 
peace  with  themselves,  ye  are  to  stand  and  fall  by  Christ's  esteem 
and  verdict  of  you,  and  not  by  that  which  your  heart  saith.  Sup- 
pose it  may,  by  accident,  be  a  good  sign,  to  be  jealous '  of  youi 
heavenly  Husband's  love,  yet  it  is  a  sinful  sign — as  there  be  some 
happy  sins,  (if  I  may  speak  so,)  not  of  themselves,  but  because 
they  are  neighbored  with  faith  and  love.  And  so,  worthy  Lady, 
I  would  have  you  to  hold  by  this,  that  the  ancient  love  of  an  old 
husband  standeth  firm  and  sure;  and  let  faith  hing^  by  this  small 
thread,  that  he  loved  you  before  he  laid  the  corner-stone  of  the 
world;  and,  therefore,  he  cannot  change  his  mind,  because  he  is 
God  and  resteth  in  his  love.  Neither  is  sin  in  you  a  good  reason, 
wherefore  ye  should  doubt  of  him,  or  think,  because  sin  hath  put 
you  in  the  courtesy  and  reverence  of  justice,  that,  therefore,  he  is 
wroth  with  you  ;  neither  is  it  presumption  in  you  to  lay  the  bur- 
den of  your  salvation  on  One  mighty  to  save ;  so  being  that  ye 
lay  aside  all  confidence  in  yourself,  your  worth  and  righteousness. 
True  faith  is  humble,  and  seeth  no  way  to  escape  but  only  in 
Christ.  And  I  believe  that  ye  have  put  an  esteem  and  high  price 
upon  Christ ;  and  they  cannot  but  believe,  and  so  be  saved,  who 
love  Christ,  and  to  whom  he  is  precious ;  for  the  love  of  Christ 
hath  chosen  Christ  as  a  Lover;  and  it  were  not  like  God,  if  ye 
should  choose  him  as  your  liking,  and  he  not  choose  you  again  ; 
nay,  he  hath  prevented  ^  you  in  that ;  for  ye  have  not  chosen  him, 
but  he  hath  chosen  you. 

Oh,  consider  his  loveliness  and  beauty,  and  that  there  is  nothing 
which  can  commend  and  make  fair  Heaven  or  earth,  or  the 
creature,  that  is  not  in  him,  in  infinite  perfection  ;  for  fair  sun 
and  fair  moon  are  black,  and  think  shame*  to  shine  before  his 
fairness,  (Isa.  xxiv.  23.)  Base  heavens,  and  excellent  Jesus ; 
weak  angels,  and  strong  and  mighty  Jesus  ;  foolish  angel-wisdora, 
and  only  wise  Jesus ;  short-living  creature,  and  long-living  and 
ever-living  Ancient  of  days  ;  miserable,  and  sickly,  and  wretched 
are  those  things  that  are  within  time's  circle,  and  only,  only  blessed 
Jesus !  If  ye  can  wind-in  into  his  love,  (and  he  giveth  you  leave 
to  love  him,  and  allurements  also,) — what  a  second  heaven's  par- 
adise, a  young  heaven's  glory,  is  it  to  be  hot  and  burned  with 
fevers  of  love-sickness  for  him  ?  And  the  more  your  Ladyship 
drink  of  this  love,  there  is  the  more  room,  and  the  greater  delight 
and  desire  for  this  love.     Be  homely,^  and  hunger  for  a  feast  and 

1  Suspicious.  2  Hang.  3  Anticipated.  *  Are  ashamed, 

5  Lay  aside  all  ceremony. 


RUTHERFORD S    LETTERS. 


fill  of  his  love ;  for  that  is  the  borders  and  march '  of  Heaven. 
Nothins^  hath  a  nearer  resemblance  to  the  color  and  hue  and  lus- 
tre of  Heaven  than  Christ  loved,  and  to  breathe  out  love-words, 
and  love-sighs  for  him.  Remember  what  he  is.  When  twenty- 
thousand  millions  of  Heaven's  lovers  have  worn  their  hearts 
threadbare  of  love,  all  is  nothing,  yea,  less  than  nothing,  to  his 
matchless  worth  and  excellency.  Oh,  so  broad  and  so  deep  as  the 
sea  of  his  desirable  lovehness  is  !  Glorified  spirits,  triumphing 
angels,  the  crowned  and  exalted  lovers  of  Heaven,  stand  without 
his  loveliness,  and  cannot  put  a  circle  on  it.  Oh,  if  ^  sin  and  time 
were  from  betwixt  us  and  that  royal  King's  love,  that  High  Maj- 
esty, eternity's  Bloom,  and  Flower  of  high  lustred  beauty,  might 
shine  upon  pieces  of  created  spirits,  and  might  bedew  and  overflow 
us,  who  are  portions  of  endless  misery,  and  lumps  of  redeemed 
sin. 

Alas !  what  do  I  ?  I  but  spill  ^  and  lose  words  in  speaking 
highly  of  Him  who  will  bide  and  be  above  the  music  and  songs 
•of  Heaven,  and  never  be  enough  praised  by  us  all ;  to  whose 
boundless  and  bottomless  love  I  recommend  your  Ladyship,  and 
am, 

Your  Ladyship's,  in  Christ  Jesus,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  March  27,  1640. 


LETTER  CCXCVH. 

TO    HIS    REVEREND,  AND    DEAR    BROTHER,  MR.  DAVID    DICKSON. 

Reverend,  and  dear  Brother, — Ye  look  like  the  house 
whereof  ye  are  a  branch ;  the  cross  is  a  part  of  the  life-rent,  that 
lieth  to  all  the  sons  of  the  house.  I  desire  to  suffer  with  you,  if 
I  could  take  a  lift  of  your  house-trial  off"  you ;  but  ye  have 
preached  it  ere  I  knew  anything  of  God.  Your  Lord  may  gather 
his  roses,  and  shake  his  apples,  at  what  season  of  the  year  he 
pleaseth.  Each  husbandman  cannot  make  harvest  when  he 
pleaseth,  as  he  can  do.  Ye  are  taught  to  know  and  adore  his 
sovereignty,  which  he  exerciseth  over  you,  which  yet  is  lustred 
with  mercy.  The  child  hath  but  changed  a  bed  in  the  garden, 
and  is  planted  up  higher,  nearer  the  sun,  where  he  shall  thrive 
better  than  in  this  out-field  muir-ground.*  Ye  must  think  your 
Lord  would  not  want  him  one  hour  longer ;  and  since  the  date  of 
your  loan  of  him  was  expired,  (as  it  is,  if  ye  read  the  lease,)  let 
him  have  his  own  with  gain,  as  good  reason  were.  I  read  on  it 
an  exaltation  and  a  richer  measure  of  grace,  as  the  sweet  fruit  of 
your  cross ;  and  I  am  bold  to  say,  that  that  college  where  your 
Master  hath  set  you  now,  shall  find  it. 

I  am  content  that  Christ  is  so  homely  ^  with  my  dear  brother, 

1  Boundary.  2  Oh,  that.  3  Mar. 

<  Unenclosed,  unmanured,  and  uncultivated,  worthless  ground. 
5  Familiar,  at  home. 


Rutherford's  letters.  485 

David  Dickson,  as  to  borrow  and  lend,  and  take  and  give  with 
hira  ;  and  ye  know  what  are  called  the  visitations  of  such  a  friend 
— it  is  to  come  to  the  house,  and  be  lioniely'  with  what  is  yours. 
I  persuade  myself,  upon  his  credit,  that  he  hath  left  drink-money, 
and  that  he  hath  made  the  house  the  better  of  him.  I  envy  not 2 
his  waking  love,  who  saw  that  this  water  was  to  be  passed  through, 
and  that  now  the  number  of  crosses  lying  in  our  way  to  glory  are 
fewer  by  one  than  when  I  saw  you.  They  must  decrease.  It  is 
better  than  any  ancient  or  modern  commentary  on  your  text,  that 
ye  preach  upon  in  Glasgow.  Read  and  spell  right,  for  he  knoweth 
what  he  doeth.  He  is  only  lopping  and  snedding^  a  fruitful  tree, 
that  it  may  be  more  fruitful.  I  congratulate  heartily  with  you  his 
new  welcome  to  your  new  charge. 

Dearest  brother,  go  on,  and  faint  not.  Something  of  yours  is 
in  Heaven,  beside  tlie  flesh  of  your  exalted  Saviour ;  and  ye  go 
on  after  your  own.  Time's  thread  is  shorter  by  one  inch  than  it 
was.  An  oath  is  sworn,  and  past  the  seals,  whether  afflictions 
will  or  not,  ye  must  grow  and  swell  out  of  your  shell,  and  live, 
and  triumph,  and  reign,  and  be  more  than  a  conqueror.  For  your 
Captain,  who  leadeth  you  on,  is  more  than  Conqueror,  and  he 
maketh  you  partaker  of  his  conquest  and  victory.  Did  not  love 
to  you  compel  me,  I  would  not  fetch  water  to  the  well,  and  speak 
to  one  who  knoweth  better  than  I  can  do  what  God  is  doing  with 
him. 

Remember  my  love  to  your  wife,  to  Mr.  John,  and  all  friends 
there.  Let  us  be  helped  by  your  prayers,  for  I  cease  not  to  make 
mention  of  you  to  the  Lord,  as  I  can. 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  May  28,  1640. 


LETTER    CCXCVni. 


TO      MY      LADY      BOYD. 


Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — Impute  it  not  to 
a  disrespective  *  forgetfulness  of  your  Ladyship,  who  ministered  to 
me  in  my  bonds,  that  I  write  not  to  you. 

I  wish  that  I  could  speak  or  write  what  might  do  good  to  your 
Ladyship  ;  especially  now,  when  I  think  we  cannot  but  have  deep 
thoughts  of  the  deep  and  bottomless  ways  of  our  Lord,  in  taking 
away,  with  a  sudden  and  wonderful  stroke,  your  brethren  and 
friends.  Ye  may  know,  that  all  who  die  for  sin,  die  not  in  sin  : 
and  that  "  none  can  teach  the  Almighty  knowledge."  He  an- 
swereth  none  of  our  courts,  and  no  man  can  say,  "  What  doest 
thou?"  It  is  true  that  your  brethren  saw  not  many  summers,  but 
adore  and  fear  the  sovereignty  of  the  great  Potter,  who  maketh 
and  marreth  his  clay-vessels,  when  and  how  it  pleaseth  him. 

1  Familiar,  at  home.  2  Grudge  not  at.         ^  Pruning.  *  Disrespectful. 


486  Rutherford's  letters. 

The  undei-garden  is  absolutely  his  own,  and  all  that  groweth 
in  it.  His  absolute  liberty  is  law-biding.'  The  flowers  are  his 
own.  If  some  be  but  summer-apples,  he  may  pluck  them  down 
before  others.  Oh,  what  wisdom  is  it  to  believe,  and  not  to  dis- 
pute ;  to  subject  the  thoughts  to  his  court,  and  not  to  repine  at 
any  act  of  his  justice?  He  hath  done  it,  all  flesh  be  silent !  It  is 
impossible  to  be  submissive  and  religiously  patient,  if  ye  stay  your 
thoughts  down  among  the  confused  rollings  and  wheels  of  second 
causes  :  as,  "  Oh,  the  place  !"  "  Oh,  the  time  !"  "  Oh,  if  this  had 
been,  this  had  not  followed  !"  "  Oh,  the  linking  of  this  accident 
with  this  time  and  place  !"  Look  up  to  the  master-motion  and 
the  first  wheel.  See  and  read  the  decree  of  Heaven  and  the  Cre- 
ator of  man,  who  breweth  death  to  his  children  and  the  manner 
of  it.  And  they  see  far  into  a  mill-stone,  and  have  eyes  that 
make  a  hole  to  see  through  the  one  side  of  a  mountain  to  the 
other,  who  can  take  up  his  ways.  "  How  unsearchable  are  his 
judgments,  and  his  ways  past  finding  out !"  His  providence  halt- 
eth  not,  but  goeth  with  even  and  equal  legs ;  yet  are  they  not  the 
greatest  sinners  upon  whom  the  tower  of  Siloam  fell.  Was  not 
time's  lease  expired,  and  the  sand  of  Heaven's  sand-glass,^  set  by 
our  Lord,  run  out?  Is  not  he  an  unjust  debtor  who  payeth  due 
debt  with  chiding?  I  believe.  Christian  Lady,  your  faith  leaveth 
that  3  much  charity  to  our  Lord's  judgments  as  to  believe,  howbeit 
ye  be  in  blood  sib^  to  that  cross,  that  yet  ye  are  exempted  and 
freed  from  the  gall  and  wrath  that  is  in  it.  I  dare  not  deny  but, 
(Job  xviii.  15,)  "  the  King  of  terrors  dwelleth  in  the  wicked  man's 
tabernacle:  brimstone  shall  be  scattered  on  his  habitation;"  yet, 
madam,  it  is  safe  for  you  to  live  upon  the  faith  of  His  love  whose 
arrows  are  over-watered^  and  pointed  with  love  and  mercy  to  his 
own,  and  who  knoweth  how  to  take  you  and  yours  out  of  the  roll 
and  book  of  the  dead.  Our  Lord  hath  not  the  eyes  of  flesh  in 
distributing  wrath  to  the  thousandth  generation  without  exception. 
Seeing  ye  are  not  under  the  Law,  but  under  grace,  and  married 
to  another  Husband  ;  wrath  is  not  the  court  that  you  are  liable  to. 

As  I  would  not  wish,  neither  do  I  believe,  that  your  Ladyship 
doth  despise,  so  neither  faint.  Read  and  spell  aright  all  the  words 
and  syllables  in  the  visitation,  and  miscall^  neither  letter  nor  syl- 
lable in  it.  Come  along  with  the  Lord,  and  see,  and  lay  no  more 
weight  upon  the  Law  than  your  Christ  hath  laid  upon  it.  If  the 
Law's  bill  get  an  answer  from  Christ,  the  curses  of  it  can  do  no 
more.  And  I  hope  you  have  resolved,  that,  if  he  should  grind  you 
to  powder,  your  dust  and  powder  will  believe  his  salvation. 

And  who  can  tell  what  thoughts  of  love  and  peace  our  Lord 
hath  to  your  children  ?  I  trust  he  will  make  them  famous  in  ex- 
ecuting the  written  judgments  upon  the  enemies  of  the  Lord : 
"  this  honor  have  all  the  saints,"  (Psal.  cxlix,  9,)  and  that  they 
shall  bear  stones  on  their  shoulders  for  building  that  fair  city,  that 
is  called,  (Ezek.  xlviii.  35,)  "  The  Lord  is  there."    And  happy  shall 

1  Will  abide  or  endure  trial  of  law.  2  Hour-glass.  ^  So. 

*  Akin.  6  Plated  over.  *  Misname. 


Rutherford's  letters.  487 

they  be  who  have  a  hand  in  the  sacking  of  Babel,  and  come  out 
in  the  year  of  vengeance,  for  the  controversy  of  Zion  against  the 
land  of  graven  images.  Therefore,  madam,  let  the  Lord  make 
out  of  your  Fathers  house  any  work,  even  of  judgment,  that  he 
pleaseth.  What  is  wrath  to  others,  is  mercy  to  you  and  your 
house.  It  is  faith's  work  to  claim  and  challenge  loving-kindness 
out  of  all  the  roughest  strokes  of  God.  Do  that  for  the  Lord 
which  ye  will  do  for  time  ;  time  will  calm  your  heart  at  that  which 
God  hath  done,  and  let  our  Lord  have  it  now.  What  love  ye  did 
bear  to  friends  now  dead,  seeing  they  stand  now  in  no  need  of  it, 
let  it  fall  as  just  legacy  to  Christ.  Oh,  how  sweet  to  put  out 
many  strange  lovers,  and  to  put  in  Christ?  It  is  much  for  our 
half-slain  alfections  to  part  with  that  which  we  believe  we  have 
right  unto:  but  the  servant's  will  should  be  our  will,  and  he  is  the 
best  servant  who  retaineth  least  of  bis  own  will,  and  most  of  his 
Master's. 

That  much  wisdom  must  be  ascribed  to  our  Lord,  that  he 
knoweth  how  to  lead  his  own  in-through  and  out-through'  the 
little  time-hells,  and  the  pieces  of  time-during  wraths  in  this  life; 
and  yet  keep  safe  his  love  without  any  blur  upon  the  old  and 
great  seal  of  free  election.  And,  seeing  his  mountains  of  brass, 
the  mighty  and  strong  decrees  of  free  grace  in  Christ,  stand  sure, 
and  the  covenant  standeth  fast  forever  as  the  days  of  Heaven, 
let  him  strike  and  nurture. ^  His  striking  must  be  a  very  act  of 
saving  ;  seeing  strokes  upon  his  secret  ones  come  from  the  soft 
and  heavenly  hand  of  the  Mediator,  and  his  rods  are  steeped  and 
watered  in  that  flood  and  river  of  love  that  cometh  from  the  God- 
man's  heart  of  our  soul-loving  and  soul-redeeming  Jesus. 

I  hope  that  ye  are  content  to  frist  ^  the  cautioner  *  of  mankind 
his  own  conquest,^  Heaven,  till  he  pay  it  to  you,  and  bring  you  to 
a  state  of  glory,  where  he  will  never  crook  ^  a  finger  upon,  nor  lift 
a  hand  to  you  again.  And  be  content,  and  withal  greedily  cov- 
etous of  grace,  the  interest  and  pledge  of  glory.  If  I  did  not  be- 
lieve your  crop  to  be  on  the  ground,  and  your  part  of  that  Hea- 
ven of  the  saints'  heaven,  white  and  ruddy,  fair,  fair,  and  beauti- 
ful Jesus  were  come  to  the  bloom  and  the  flower,  and  near  your 
hook,''  I  would  not  write  this.  But  seeing  time's  thread  is  short, 
and  ye  are  upon  the  entry  of  Heaven's  harvest,  and  Christ,  the 
field  of  Heaven's  glory,  is  white  and  ripe-like,  the  losses  that  I 
wrote  of  to  your  Ladyship  are  but  summer-showers,  that  will  only 
wet  your  garments  for  an  hour  or  two,  and  the  sun  of  the  New 
Jerusalem  shall  quickly  dry  the  wet  coat — especially,  seeing  rains 
of  afi^liction  cannot  stain  the  image  of  God,  or  cause  grace  to  cast 
the  color.  And,  since  ye  will  not  alter  upon  Him  who  will  not 
change  upon  you,  I  durst,  in  weakness,  think  myself  no  spiritual 
seer,  if  I  should  not  prophesy  that  daylight  is  near,  when  such  a 
morning-darkness  is  upon  you  ;  and  that  this  trial  of  your  Chris- 
tian mind  towards  Him  whom  you  dare  not  leave,   howbeit   he 

1  From  side  to  side,  in  every  direction.  2  Correct.  3  Grant  delay  in  payment  to, 
*  Surety.  5  Acquisition  by  purchase.         ^  Lay.  i  Siclile. 


488  Rutherford's  letters. 

should  slay  you,  shall  close  with  a  doubled  mercy.  It  is  time  for 
faith  to  hold  fast  as  mucli  of  Christ  as  ever  ye  had,  and  to  make 
the  grip'  stronger,  and  to  cleave  closer  to  him;  seeing  Christ 
loveth  to  be  believed  in,  and  trusted  to.  The  glory  of  laying 
strength  upon  One  that  is  mighty  to  save,  is  more  than  we  can 
think.  That  piece  of  service,  believing  in  a  smiting  Redeemer, 
is  a  precious  part  of  obedience.  Oh,  what  glory  to  him,  to  lay 
over  the  burden  of  our  Heaven  upon  Him  that  purchased  for  us 
an  eternal  kingdom  !  Oh,  blessed  soul,  who  can  adore  and  kiss 
his  lovely  free  grace. 

The  rich  grace  of  Christ  be  with  your  spirit. 

Yours,  at  all  obedience  in  Christ  Jesus,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  Oct.  15,  1640. 


LETTER  CCXCIX. 

TO      AGNES     MACMATH. 


Dear  Sister, — If  our  Lord  hath  taken  away  your  child,  your 
lease  of  him  is  expired  ;  and  seeing  that  Christ  would  want  him 
no  longer,  it  is  your  part  to  hold  your  peace,  and  worship  and 
adore  the  sovereignty  and  liberty  that  the  Potter  hath  over  the 
clay,  and  pieces  of  clay-nothings,  that  he  gave  life  unto.  And 
what  is  man,  to  call  and  summon  the  Almighty  to  his  lower  court 
down  here?  "for  he  giveth  account  of  none  of  his  doings."  And 
if  ye  will  take  a  loan  of  a  child,  and  give  him  back  again  to  our 
Lord,  laughing,  as  his  borrowed  goods  should  return  to  him  ;  be- 
lieve that  he  is  not  gone  away,  but  sent  before ;  and  that  the 
change  of  the  country  should  make  you  think,  that  he  is  not  lost 
to  you,  who  is  found  to  Christ ;  and  that  he  is  now  before  you  ; 
and  that  the  dead  in  Christ  shall  be  raised  again.  A  going-down 
star  is  not  annihilate,  but  shall  appear  again.  If  he  hath  casten  ' 
his  bloom  and  flower,  the  bloom  is  fallen  in  Heaven,  into  Christ's 
lap.  And  as  he  was  lent  a  while  to  time,  so  is  he  given  now  to 
eternity,  which  will  take  yourself  And  the  difference  of  your 
shipping  and  his  to  Heaven  and  Christ's  shore,  the  land  of  life, 
is  only  in  some  few  years,  which  weareth  every  day  shorter,  and 
some  short  and  soon-reckoned  summers  will  give  you  a  meeting 
with  him.  But  what,  with  him  ?  nay,  with  better  company,  with 
the  Chief  and  Leader  of  the  heavenly  troops,  that  are  riding  on 
white  horses,  that  are  triumphing  in  glory. 

If  death  were  a  sleep  that  had  no  wakening,  we  might  sorrow ; 
but  our  Husband  shall  quickly  be  at  the  bedsides  of  all  that  lie 
sleeping  in  the  grave,  and  shall  raise  their  mortal  bodies.  Christ 
was  death's  Cautioner,'  who  gave  his  word  to  come  and  loose  all 
the  clay-pawns,  and  set  them  at  his  own  right  hand  ;  and  our 
Cautioner,^  Christ,  hath  an  act  of  law-surety  upon  death  to  render 

1  Grasp.  2  Shed.  3  Surety. 


Rutherford's  letters.  489 

back  his  captives.  And  that  Lord  Jesus,  who  knoweth  the  turn- 
ings and  windings  that  are  in  that  black  trance'  of  death,  hath 
numbered  all  the  steps  of  the  stair  up  to  Heaven.  He  knoweth 
how  long  the  turnpike  ^  is,  or  how  many  pair  of  stairs  high  it  is ; 
for  he  ascended  that  way  himself,  (Rev.  i.  18,)  "  I  was  dead,  and 
am  alive."  And  now  he  liveth  at  the  right-hand  of  God,  and  his 
garments  have  not  so  much  as  a  smell  of  death. 

Your  afflictions  smell  of  the  children's  case.  The  bairns  of 
the  house  are  so  nurtured :  and  suffering  is  no  new  life,  it  is  but 
the  rent  of  the  son's ;  bastards  have  not  so  much  of  the  rent.^ 
Take  kindly  and  heartsomely  with  His  cross  who  never  yet  slew 
a  child  with  the  cross.  He  breweth  your  cup  :  therefore  drink  it 
patiently,  and  with  the  better  will.  Stay  and  wait  on  till  Christ 
loose  the  knot  that  fasteneth  his  cross  on  your  back  ;  for  he  is  com- 
ing to  deliver.  And  I  pray  you,  sister,  learn  to  be  worthy  of  his 
pains,  who  correcteth  ;  and  let  him  wring,  and  be  ye  washen ;  * 
for  He  hath  a  father's  heart  and  a  father's  hand,  who  is  training 
you  up,  and  making  you  meet  for  the  high  hall.  This  school  of 
suffering  is  a  preparation  for  the  King's  higher  house ;  and  let  all 
your  visitations  speak  all  the  letters  of  your  Lord's  summons. 
They  cry— 1.  "  O  vain  world  !"  2.  "  O  bitter  sin  !"  3.  "  O  short 
and  uncertain  time  !"  4.  "  O  fair  eternity,  that  is  above  sickness 
and  death!"  5.  "O  kingly  and  princely  Bridegroom,  hasten 
glory's  marriage,  shorten  time's  short-spun  and  soon  broken  thread, 
and  conquer  sin  !"  6.  "  O  happy  and  blessed  death,  that  golden 
bridge  laid  over  by  Christ  my  Lord,  between  time's  clay-banks  and 
Heaven's  shore  !"  And  the  Spirit  and  the  Bride  say,  "  Come  !" 
and  answer  ye  with  them,  "  Even  so,  come,  Lord  Jesus  !  Come 
quickly  !" 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  brother,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  Oct.  15,  1640. 


LETTER  CCC. 

TO     MR.     MATTHEW     MOWAT. 

Reverend  and  dear  Brother, — What  am  I  to  answer  you? 
Alas  !  my  books  are  all  bare,  and  show  me  little  of  God.  I  would 
fain  go  beyond  books  into  his  house-of-love,  to  himself.  Dear 
brother,  neither  ye  nor  I  are  parties  worthy  of  his  love  or  knowl- 
edge. Ah!  how  hath  sin  bemisted^  and  blinded  us,  that  we  can- 
not see  him  ?  But  for  my  poor  self,  I  am  pained  and  like  to  burst, 
because  he  will  not  take  down  the  wall,  and  fetch  his  uncreated 
beauty,  and  bring  his  matchless,  white,  and  ruddy  face  out  of 
Heaven  once-errand,^  that  I  may  have  Heaven  meeting  me  ere  I 
go  to  it,  in  such  a  wonderful  sight.     Ye  know  that  majesty  and 

1  Long,  narrow  passage.  2  winding  stair.  ^  Heb.  xii.  6,  7,  8. 

*  Washed.  s  Bewildered.  *  On  the  sole  enand. 


490  Rutherford's  letters. 

love  do  humble,  because  homely '  love  to  sinners  dwelleth  in  him 
witli  majesty.  Ye  should  give  him  all  his  own  court-styles,  his 
high  and  Heaven-names.  What  am  I,  to  shape  conceptions  of 
my  highest  Lord?  How  broad,  and  how  high,  and  how  deep  he 
is,  above  and  beyond  what  these  conceptions  are,  I  cannot  tell? 
but  for  my  own  weak  practice,  (which,  alas  !  can  be  no  rule  to  one 
so  deep  in  love-sickness  with  Christ  as  ye  are,)  I  would  fain  add 
to  my  tlioughts  and  esteem  of  him,  and  make  him  more  high,  and 
would  wish  a  heart  and  love  ten  thousand  times  wider  than  the 
utmost  circle  and  curtain  that  goeth  about  the  Heaven  of  heavens, 
to  entertain  him  in  that  heart,  and  with  that  love.  But  that 
whicli  is  your  pain,  my  dear  brother,  is  mine  also.  I  am  con- 
founded with  the  thoughts  of  him.  I  know  that  God  is  casten, 
(if  I  may  speak  so,)  in  a  sweet  mould,  and  lovely  image,  in  the 
person  of  that  Heaven's  Jewel,  the  Man,  Christ ;  and  that  the 
steps  of  that  steep  ascent  and  stair  to  the  Godhead  is  the  flesh  of 
Christ,  the  New  and  Living  Way  :  and  there  is  footing  for  faith  in 
that  curious  Ark  of  the  humanity  ;  therein  dwelleth  the  God- 
head, married  upon  our  humanity.  I  would  be  in  Heaven,  sup- 
pose I  had  not  another  errand,  than  to  see  that  dainty  ^  golden 
Ark,  and  God  personally  looking  out  at  ears  and  eyes  and  a  body, 
such  as  we  sinners  have,  that  I  might  wear  my  sinful  Jiiouth  in 
kisses  on  him  for  evermore ;  and  I  know,  all  the  Three  blessed 
Persons  would  be  well  pleased  that  my  piece  of  faint  and  created 
love  should  first  coast  upon  the  Man,  Christ.  I  should  see  them 
all  through  him. 

I  am  called  from  writing  by  my  great  employments  in  this  town, 
and  have  said  nothing.  But  what  can  I  say  of  Him  ?  Let  us  go 
and  see. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  1640. 


LETTER  CCCL 

TO     MY     LADY     KENMURE. 

Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  your  Ladyship. — I  am 
heartily  sorry  that  your  Ladyship  is  deprived  of  such  a  husband, 
and  the  Lord's  Kirk  of  so  active  and  faithful  a  friend.  I  know 
your  Ladyship  long  ago  made  acquaintance  with  that,  wherein 
Christ  will  have  you  to  be  joined  in  a  fellowship  with  himself, 
even  with  his  own  cross  ;  and  hath  taught  you  to  stay  your  soul 
upon  the  Lord's  good-will,  who  giveth  not  account  of  his  matters 
to  any  of  us.  When  he  hath  led  you  through  this  water  that 
was  in  your  way  to  glory,  there  are  fewer  behind :  and  his  order 
in  dismissing  us,  and  sending  us  out  of  the  market,  one  before 
another,  is  to  be  reverenced.     One  year's  time  of  Heaven  shall 

1  Affable.  «  Excellent. 


Rutherford's  letters.  491 

swallow  up  all  sorrows,  even  beyond  all  comparison.  What  then 
will  not  a  duration  of  blessedness  so  long  as  God  shall  live,  fully 
and  abundantly  recompense  ?  It  is  good  that  our  Lord  hath  given 
a  Debtor,  obliged  by  gracious  promises,  for  more  in  eternity  than 
time  can  take  from  you.  And  I  believe  that  your  Ladyship  hath 
been  now  many  years  advising  and  thinking  what  that  glory  will 
be,  which  is  abiding  the  pilgrims  and  strangers  on  the  earth,  when 
they  come  home,  and  which  we  may  think  of,  love  and  thirst  for, 
but  we  cannot  comprehend  it  nor  conceive  of  it  as  it  is,  far  less 
can  we  over-think  or  over-love  it.  Oh,  so  long  a  Chapter,  or  rather, 
so  long  a  Volume  as  Christ  is,  in  that  Divinity  of  Glory !  There 
is  no  more  of  him  let  down  now,  to  be  seen  and  enjoyed  by  his 
children,  than  as  much  as  may  feed  hunger  in  this  life,  but  not 
satisfy  it.  Your  Ladyship  is  a  debtor  to  the  Son  of  God's  cross, 
that  is  wearing  out  love  and  affiance  in  the  creature,  out  of  your 
heart  by  degrees  ;  or  rather  the  obligation  standeth  to  His  free 
grace  who  careth  for  your  Ladyship  in  this  gracious  dispensation ; 
and  who  is  preparing  and  making  ready  the  garments  of  salvation 
for  you  ;  and  who  calleth  you  with  a  new  name,  that  the  mouth 
of  the  Lord  hath  named ;  and  purposeth  to  make  you  a  crown  of 
glory,  and  a  royal  diadem  in  the  hand  of  your  God,  (Isa.  Ixii.  2,  3.) 
Ye  are  obliged  to  frist'  him  more  than  one  heaven;  and  yet  he 
craveth  not  a  long  day ;  it  is  fast  coming,  and  is  sure  payment. 
Though  ye  gave  no  hire  for  him,  yet  hath  he  given  a  great  price 
and  ransom  for  you:  and  if  the  bargain  were  to  make  again, 
Christ  would  give  no  less  for  you,  than  what  he  hath  already 
given — he  is  far  from  rueing.  I  shall  wish  you  no  more,  till  time 
be  gone  out  of  the  way,  than  the  earnest  of  that  which  he  hath 
purchased  and  prepared  for  you ;  which  can  never  be  fully  preached, 
written,  or  thought  of,  since  it  hath  not  entered  into  the  heart  to 
consider  it. 

So,  recommending  your  Ladyship  to  the  rich  grace  of  our  Lord 
Jesus,  I  am,  and  rest,  your  Ladyship's, 

At  all  respective  2  observance  in  Christ  Jesus,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's. 


LETTER   CCCIL 

FOR     THE     RIGHT     HONORABLE,     MY     LADY     BOYD. 

Madam, — I  doubt  not  but  the  debt  of  many  more  than  ordinary 
favors  to  this  land,  layeth  guiltiness  upon  this  nation.  The  Lord 
hath  put  us  in  his  books  as  a  favored  people,  in  the  sight  of  the 
nations  ;  but  we  pay  not  to  him  the  rent  of  the  vineyard :  and  we 
might  have  had  a  gospel  at  an  easier  rate  than  this  Gospel ;  but 
it  would  have  had  but  as  much  life  as  ink  and  paper  have.  We 
stand  obliged  to  him,  who  hath  in  a  manner  forced  his  love  on  us, 
and  would  but  love  us  against  our  will. 

I  Grant  delay  in  payment.  2  Respectful. 


492  Rutherford's  letters. 

Anent*  read  prayers,  madam,  I  could  never  see  precept,  promise, 
or  practice  for  them  in  God's  word.  Our  Cliurch  never  allowed 
them,  but  men  took  them  up  at  their  own  choice.  The  word  of 
God  maketh  reading,  (1  Tim.  iv.  13,)  and  praying,  (1  Thess.  v.  17,) 
two  different  worships.  In  reading,  God  speaketh  to  us,  (2  Kings 
xxii.  10,  11;)  in  praying,  we  speak  to  God,  (Psal.  xxii.  2,  and 
xxviii.  1.)  I  had  never  faith  to  think  well  of  them.  In  my  weak 
judgment,  it  were  good  if  they  were  out  of  tiie  service  of  God.  I 
cannot  think  them  a  fruit" or  effect  of  the  Spirit  of  adoption,  seeing 
the  user  cannot  say  of  such  prayers,  "  Let  the  words  of  my  mouth, 
and  the  meditations  of  my  heart  be  acceptable  in  thy  sight,  O 
Lord,  my  strength  and  my  Redeemer ;"  which  the  servants  of  God 
ought  to  say  of  their  prayers.  (Psal.  xix.  14.)  For  such  prayers 
are  meditations  set  down  in  paper  and  ink,  and  cannot  be  his 
heart-meditations  who  useth  them  :  the  saints  never  used  them, 
and  God  never  commanded  them  :  and  a  promise  to  hear  any 
prayers,  except  the  pouring  out  of  the  soul  to  God,  we  can  never 
read. 

As  for  separation  from  a  worship  for  some  errors  of  a  church — 
the  independency  of  single  congregations,  a  church  of  visible 
saints,  and  other  tenets  of  Brownists,  they  are  contrary  to  God's 
word.  I  have  a  treatise  at  the  press  at  London,  against  these 
conceits,  as  things  which  want  God's  word  to  warrant  them.  The 
Lord  lay  it  not  to  their  charge,  who  depart  from  the  Covenant  of 
God  with  this  land,  to  follow  such  lying  vanities. 

I  did  see  lately  your  daughter,  the  Lady  Ardross.  The  Lord 
hath  given  her  a  child  and  deliverance. 

Now,  recommending  your  Ladyship  to  the  rich  grace  of  Christ, 
I  rest, 

Yours,  at  all  respective ^  observance  in  Christ,         S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's. 


LETTER  CCCIII. 

TO   JAMES    Murray's   wife. 

My  very  dear  and  worthy  Sister, — You  are  truly  blessed 
in  the  Lord,  however  a  sour  world  gloom  ^  and  frown  on  you,  if 
ye  continue  in  the  faith  settled  and  grounded,  and  be  not  moved 
away  from  the  hope  of  the  Gospel.  It  is  good  that  there  is  a 
heaven,  and  it  is  not  a  night-dream  and  a  fancy : — it  is  a  wonder 
that  men  deny  not  that  there  is  a  heaven,  as  they  deny  there  is 
any  way  to  it,  but  of  men's  making.  You  have  learned  of  Christ 
that  there  is  a  heaven ;  contend  for  it,  and  for  Christ :  bear  well 
and  submissively  the  hard  thrust  of  this  step-mother  world,  which 
God  will  not  have  to  be  yours.  I  confess  it  is  hard,  and  would 
to  God  I  were  able  to  lighten  you  of  your  burden  :  but  believe  me, 

1  Concerning.  2  Respectful  ^  Lour. 


Rutherford's  letters.  493 

this  world,  which  the  Lord  will  not  have  to  be  yours,  is  but  the 
dross,  refuse,  and  scum  of  God's  creation,  the  portion  of  the  Lord's 
poor  hired  servants,  the  movables,  not  the  heritage ;  a  hard  bone 
cast  to  the  dogs,  holden  out  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  whereupon 
they  rather  break  their  teeth,  than  satisfy  their  appetite.  It  is 
your  Father's  blessing,  and  Christ's  birthright,  that  our  Lord  is 
keeping  for  you  ;  and  persuade  yourself  also  that,  (if  it  be  good 
for  them  and  you,)  your  seed  also  shall  inherit  the  earth  ;  for  that 
is  promised  to  them,  and  God's  bond  is  as  good  as  if  he  would 
give  every  one  of  them  a  bond  for  thousand  thousands.  Ere  ye 
were  born,  crosses  in  number,  measure,  and  weight,  were  written 
for  you  ;  and  your  Lord  will  lead  you  through  them.  Make  Christ 
sure,  and  the  world,  and  the  blessings  of  the  earth  shall  be  at 
Christ's  back  and  beck.  I  see  many  professors  for  the  fashion, 
professors  of  glass ;  I  would  make  a  little  knock  of  persecution 
ding '  them  in  twenty  pieces,  and  the  world  would  laugh  at  the 
sherds  :  therefore,  make  fast  work  ;  see  that  Christ  be  the  ground- 
stone^  of  your  profession :  the  sore  wind  and  rain  will  not  wash 
away  this  building ;  this  work  hath  no  less  date  than  to  stand  for 
evermore.  I  should  twenty  times  have  perished  in  my  affliction, 
if  I  had  not  laid  my  weak  back  and  pressing  burden  both  upon 
the  Stone,  the  Corner-stone  laid  in  Zion.  I  am  not  twice  fain,  (as 
the  proverb  2  is,)  but  once  and  forever,  of  this  Stone.  Now  the 
God  of  peace  establish  you  to  the  day  of  the  appearance  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

Yours,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's. 


LETTER  CCCIV. 


FOR    THE    RIGHT    HONORABLE    LADY,    MY    LADY    KENMURE. 

Madam. — I  am  a  little  moved  at  your  infirmity  of  body  and 
health  ;  I  hope  it  is  to  you  a  real  warning.  "  And  if  in  tiiis  life 
only  we  had  hope,  we  should  be  of  all  men  the  most  miserable." 
Sure  the  huge  generations  of  the  seekers  of  the  face  of  Jacob's  God 
must  be  in  a  life  above  the  things  that  are  now  much  taking  ^  with 
us  ;  such  as  to  see  the  sun,  to  enjoy  this  life  in  health,  and  some 
good  worldly  accommodations  too : — and,  if  we  be  making  that 
sure,  it  is  our  wisdom.  The  times  would  make  any  that  love  the 
Lord,  sick  and  faint,  to  consider  how  iniquity  aboundeth  and  how 
dull  we  are  in  observing  sins  in  ourselves,  and  how  quick-sighted 
to  find  them  out  in  others,  and  what  bondage  we  are  in  ;  and  yet 
very  often,  when  we  complain  of  times,  we  are  secretly  slander- 
ing the  Lord's  work  and  wise  government  of  the  world,  and  rais- 
ing a  hard  report  of  him.  "  He  is  good  and  doeth  good,"  and  all 
his  ways  are  equal. 

1  Knock,  dash.  2  Foundation. 

3  Alluding  to  the  Scottish  proverb: — "He  viaun  be  twice  fain  thai  sits  down  on  a 
Btane ;  namely,  fain  to  sit  down,  and  fain  to  rise  up.  <  Much  set  by. 


494  Rutherford's  letters. 

Madam,  1  have  been  holding  out  to  some  others,  (oh,  if  I  could, 
to  myself,)  some  more  of  this,  to  read  and  study  God  well,  and 
make  the  serious  thoughts  of  a  Godhead,  and  a  Godhead  in 
Christ,  the  work,  and  the  only  work,  all  the  day.  Oh,  we  are 
little  with  God !  and  do  all  without  God !  we  sleep  and  wake 
without  him  ;  we  eat,  we  speak,  we  journey,  we  go  about  worldly 
business,  and  our  calling  without  God  !  and,  considering  what 
deadness  is  upon  the  hearts  of  many,  it  were  good  that  some  did 
not  pray  without  God,  and  preach  and  praise,  and  read  and  con- 
fer of  God,  without  God.  It  is  universally  complained  of,  that 
there  is  a  strange  deadness  upon  the  land,  and  on  the  hearts  of 
his  people.  Oh,  if  we  could  help  it !  but  he  that  watereth  every 
moment  his  garden  of  red  wine,  must  help  it.  I  believe  that  he 
will  burn  the  briers  and  the  thorns  that  come  against  him, 

I  desire  to  remember  your  Ladyship  to  God  ;  but  little  can  I  do 
that  way  :  his  everlasting  good-will  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  July  24. 


LETTER  CCCV. 


for  the  right  honorable,  my  lady  viscountess  op 
kenmure. 

Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you.^ — ^I  am  glad  to 
hear  that  your  Ladyship  is  in  any  tolerable  health ;  and  shall 
pray  that  the  Lord  may  be  your  Strength  and  Rock.  Sure  I  am, 
that  he  took  you  out  of  the  womb;  and  you  have  been  casten  on 
him  from  the  breasts.  I  am  confident,  that  he  will  not  leave  you 
till  he  crown  the  work  begun  in  you. 

There  is  n©thing  here,  but  divisions  in  the  Church  and  Assem- 
bly :^  for  beside  Brownists  and  Independents,  (who,  of  all  that  dif- 
fer from  us,  come  nearest  to  walkers  with  God,)  there  are  many 
other  sects  here,  of  Anabaptists,  Libertines  who  are  for  all  opin- 
ions in  religion,  fleshly  and  abominable  Antinomians  and  Seekers 
who  are  for  no  church-ordinances,  but  expect  apostles  to  come 
and  reform  churches ;  and  a  world  of  others,  all  against  the  gov- 
ernment of  presbyteries,  Luther  observed,  when  he  studied  to  re- 
form, that  two-and-thirty  sundry  sects  arose,  (of  all  which  I  have 
named  but  a  part,  except  those  called  Seekers,  who  were  not  then 
arisen  :)  he  said,  God  should  crush  them,  and  that  they  should 
rise  again  ;  both  which  we  see  accomplished.  In  the  Assembly, 
we  have  well-near  ended  the  government,  and  are  upon  the  power 
of  synods,  and  I  hope  near  at  an  end  with  them  ;  and  so  I  trust 
to  be  delivered  from  this  prison  shortly.  The  King  hath  dissolved 
the  treaty  of  peace  at  Uxbridge,  and  adhereth  to  his  sweet  pre- 
lates ;  and  would  abate  nothing,  but  a  little  of  the  rigor  of  their 
courts  and  a  suspending  of  laws  against  the  ceremonies,  not  a  tak- 

'  The  Assembly  of  Divines  at  Westminster, 


Rutherford's  letters.  495 

ing  away  of  them.  The  not  prospering  of  your  armies  there  in 
Scotland,  is  ascribed  here  to  the  sins  of  the  land,  and  particularly 
to  the  divisions  and  backslidings  of  many  from  the  Cause,  and  the 
not  executing  of  justice  against  bloody  Malignanls. 

My  wife,  here  under  tlie  physicians,  remembereth  her  service  to 
your  Ladyship.  So  recommending  you  to  the  rich  grace  of 
Christ,  I  rest. 

Your  Ladyship's  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

London,  March  4,  1644. 


LETTER   CCCVI. 

FOR     THE     RIGHT     HONORABLE,     MY     LADY     BOYD. 

Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  received  your 
letter  on  May  19th. 

We  are  here  debating,  with  much  contention  of  disputes,  for  the 
just  measures  of  the  Lord's  Temple.  It  pleaseth  God,  that  some- 
times enemies  hinder  the  building  of  the  Lord's  house;  but  now 
friends,  even  gracious  men,  (so  I  conceive  of  them,)  do  not  a  little 
hinder  the  work.  Thomas  Goodwin,  Jeremiah  Burroughs,  and 
some  others,  four  or  five,  who  are  for  the  Independent  way,  stand 
in  our  way,  and  are  mighty  opposites  to  presbyterial  government. 
We  have  carried  through  some  propositions  for  the  scripture-right 
of  presbytery;  especially  in  the  church  of  Jerusalem,  (Acts  ii.  and 
iv.  and  v.  and  vi.  and  xv.,)  and  the  church  of  Ephesus,  and  are 
going  on  upon  other  grounds  of  truth  ;  and,  by  the  way,  have 
proven '  that  ordination  of  pastors  belongelh  not  to  a  single  con- 
gregation, but  to  a  college  of  presbyters,  whose  it  is  to  lay  hands 
upon  Timothy  and  others,  (I  Tim.  iv.  14  ;  1  Tim.  v.  17 ;  Acts 
xiii.  1.  2,  3  ;  Acts  vi.  5,  6.)  We  are  to  prove,  that  one  single  con- 
gregation hath  not  power  to  excommunicate,  which  is  opposed,  not 
only  by  Independent  men,  but  by  many  others.  The  truth  is,  we 
have  many  and  grieved  spirits  with  the  work :  and  for  my  part,  I 
often  despair  of  the  reformation  of  this  land,  which  saw  never  any- 
thing, but  the  high  places  of  their  fathers',  and  the  renmants  of 
Babylon's  pollutions ;  and  except  that,  "  not  by  might,  nor  by 
power,  but  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,"  I  should  think,  God  hath 
not  yet  thought  it  time  for  England's  deliverance  :  for  the  truth  is, 
the  best  of  them  almost  have  said,  "A  half-reformation  is  very  fair 
at  the  first :"  which  is  no  other  thing  than,  "  It  is  not  yet  time  to 
build  the  house  of  the  Lord :"  and  for  that  cause,  many  houses, 
great  and  fair  in  the  land,  are  laid  desolate. 

Multitudes  of  Anabaptists,  Antinomians,  Familists,  Separatists, 
are  here.  The  best  of  the  people  are  of  the  Independent  way. 
As  for  myself,  I  know  no  more,  if  there  be  a  sound  Christian  (set- 
ting aside  some,  yea,  not  a  few  learned,  some  zealous  and  faithful 

1  Proved. 


496  Rutherford's  letters. 

ministers,  whom  I  have  met  with,)  at  London,  (though  I  doubt 
not  but  there  are  many,)  than  if  I  were  in  Spain ;  wliich  maketh 
me  bless  God,  that  the  communion  of  saints,  how  desirable  soever, 
yet  is  not  the  thing,  even  that  great  thing,  Christ  and  remission 
of  sins.  If  Jesus  were  unco,'  as  his  members  are  here,  I  should 
be  in  a  sad  and  heavy  condition. 

The  House  of  Peers  are  rotten  men,  and  hate  our  Commission- 
ers and  our  cause  both  :  the  life  that  is,  is  in  the  House  of  Com- 
mons, and  many  of  them  also  have  their  religion  to  choose.  The 
sorrows  of  a  travailing  woman  are  come  on  the  land.  Our  army 
is  lying  about  York,  and  have  blocked  up  them  of  Newcastle,  and 
six  thousand  Papists  and  Malignants,  with  Mr.  Thomas  Sydserf, 
and  some  Scottish  prelates;  and  if  God  deliver  them  into  their 
hands,  (considering  how  strong  the  Parliament's  armies  are,  how 
many  victories  God  hath  given  them  since  they  entered  into  cov- 
enant with  him,  and  how  weak  the  King  is,)  it  may  be  thought 
the  land  is  near  a  deliverance : — but  I  rather  desire  it,  than  be- 
lieve it. 

We  offered  this  day  to  the  Assembly  a  part  of  a  Directory  for 
worship,  to  shoulder  out  the  Service-book:'^  it  is  taken  into  con- 
sideration by  the  Assembly. 

Your  son  Lindsay  is  well ;  I  receive  letters  from  him  almost 
every  week. 

Yours,  at  all  obedience  in  God,  S.  R. 

London,  May  25. 


LETTER  CCCVH. 

TO     MISTRESS     TAYLOR. 


Mistress, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — Though  I 
have  no  relation  worldly  or  acquaintance  with  you,  yet,  (upon  the 
testimony  and  importunity  of  your  elder  son,  now  at  London 
where  1  am,  but  chiefly  because  I  esteem  Jesus  Christ  in  you  to 
be  in  place  of  all  relations,)  1  make  bold,  in  Christ,  to  speak  my 
poor  thoughts  to  you  concerning  your  son  lately  fallen  asleep  in 
the  Lord,  who  was  some  time  under  the  ministry  of  the  worthy 
servant  of  Christ,  my  fellow-laborer  Mr.  Blair,  by  whose  ministry 
I  hope  he  reaped  no  small  advantage.  I  know  that  grace  rooteth 
not  out  the  affections  of  a  mother,  but  putteth  them  on  His  wheel 
who  maketh  all  things  new,  that  they  may  be  refined :  therefore, 
sorrow  for  a  dead  child  is  allowed  to  you,  though  by  measure  and 
ounce-weights.  The  redeemed  of  the  Lord  have  not  a  dominion 
or  lordship  over  their  sorrow  and  other  affections,  to  lavish  out 
Christ's  goods  at  their  pleasure;  "For  ye  are  not  your  own,  but 
bought  with  a  price;"  and  your  sorrow  is  not  your  own,  nor  hath 
he  redeemed  you  by  halves ;  and,  therefore,  ye  are  not  to  make 

1  Strange.  2  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 


Rutherford's  letters.  497 

Christ's  cross  no  cross.  He  commandeth  you  to  weep  :  and  that 
princely  One  who  took  up  to  Heaven  with  him  a  man's  heart  to 
be  a  compassionate  High-Priest,  became  your  Fellow  and  Com- 
panion on  earth,  by  weeping  for  the  dead,  (John  xi,  35.)  And, 
therefore,  ye  are  to  love  that  cross,  because  it  was  once  on  Christ's 
shoulders  before  you :  so  that  by  his  own  practice,  he  hath  over- 
gilded and  covered  your  cross  with  the  Mediator's  lustre.  The 
cup  ye  drink  was  at  the  lip  of  sweet  Jesus,  and  he  drank  of  it; 
and  so  it  hath  a  smell  of  his  breath,  and  I  conceive  that  ye  love 
it  not  tiie  worse  that  it  is  thus  sugared :  therefore,  drink  and  be- 
lieve the  resurrection  of  your  son's  body.  If  one  coal  of  Hell 
could  fall  off  the  exalted  Head,  Jesus — Jesus  the  Prince  of  the 
kings  of  the  earth — and  burn  me  to  ashes,  knowing  I  were  a 
partner  with  Christ,  and  a  fellow-sharer  with  him,  (though  the 
unworthiest  of  men,)  I  think  that  I  should  die  a  lovely  death  in 
that  fire  Avith  him.  The  worst  things  of  Christ,  even  his  cross, 
have  much  of  Heaven  from  himself;  and  so  hath  your  Christian 
sorrow,  being  of  kin  to  Christ  in  that  kind.  If  your  sorrow  were 
a  bastard,  and  not  of  Christ's  house,  (because  of  the  relation  ye 
have  to  him  in  conformity  to  his  death  and  sufferings,)  I  should 
the  more  compassionate  your  condition :  but  kind  and  compas- 
sionate Jesus,  at  every  sigh  you  give  for  the  loss  of  your  now 
glorified  child,  (so  I  believe,  as  is  meet,)  with  a  man's  heart  crieth, 
"  Half  mine." 

I  was  not  a  witness  to  his  death,  being  called  out  of  the  king- 
dom;  but,  if  ye  will  credit  those  whom  I  do  credit,  (and  I  dare 
not  lie,)  he  died  comfortably.  It  is  true,  he  died  before  he  did  so 
much  service  to  Christ  on  earth,  as  I  hope  and  heartily  desire  that 
your  son  Mr.  Hugh,  (very  dear  to  me  in  Jesus  Ciirist,)  will  do. 
But  that  were  a  real  matter  of  sorrow,  if  this  were  not  to  counter- 
balance it,  that  he  hath  changed  service-houses,  but  hath  not 
changed  service  or  master,  (Rev.  xxii.  3,)  "And  there  shall  be  no 
more  curse :  but  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb  shall  be  in 
it ;  and  his  servants  shall  serve  him."  What  he  could  have  done 
in  this  lower  house,  he  is  now  upon  that  same  service  in  the 
higher  house  ;  and  it  is  all  one,  it  is  the  same  service  and  the 
same  Master,  only  there  is  a  change  of  conditions.  And  ye  are 
not  to  think  it  a  bad  bargain  for  your  beloved  son,  where  he  hath 
gold  for  copper  and  brass,  eternity  for  time.  I  believe  that  Christ 
hath  taught  you,  (for  I  give  credit  to  such  a  witness  of  you,  as 
your  son  Mr.  Hugh,)  not  to  sorrow  because  he  died.  All  the  knot  ^ 
must  be,  "  He  died  too  soon,  he  died  too  young,  he  died  in  the 
morning  of  his  life."  This  is  all;,  but  sovereignty  must  silence 
your  thoughts.  I  was  in  your  condition  ;  I  had  but  two  children, 
and  both  are  dead  since  I  came  hither.  Tlie  supreme  and  abso- 
lute Former  of  all  things,  giveth  not  an  account  of  any  of  his 
matters.  The  good  Husbandman  may  pluck  his  roses,  and  gather 
in  his  lilies  at  midsummer,  and,  for  aught  I  dare  say,  in  the  be- 
ginning of  the  first  summer  month ;  and  he  may  transplant 
1  All  that  prevents  the  line  of  this  dispensation  from  running  smoothly. 

32 


498  Rutherford's  letters. 

young  trees  out  of  the  lower  ground  to  the  higher,  where  they 
may  have  more  of  the  sun,  and  more  free  air,  at  any  season  of 
the  year.  What  is  that  to  you  or  me?  the  goods  are  his  own. 
The  Creator  of  time  and  winds  did  a  merciful  injury,  (if  I  dare 
borrow  the  word,)  to  nature,  in  landing  the  passenger  so  early. 
They  love  the  sea  too  well,  who  complain  of  a  fair  wind  and  a 
desirable  tide,  and  a  speedy  coming  ashore ;  especially  a  coming 
ashore  in  that  land  where  all  the  inhabitants  have  everlasting  joy 
upon  their  heads.  He  cannot  be  too  early  in  Heaven.  His  twelve 
hours  were  not  short  hours.  And  withal,  if  ye  consider  this,  had 
ye  been  at  his  bed-side  and  should  have  seen  Christ  coming  to 
him,  ye  would  not,  ye  could  not  have  adjourned  Christ's  free  love, 
who  would  want  him  no  longer. 

And  dying  in  another  land,  where  his  mother  could  not  close 
his  eyes,  is  not  much.  Who  closed  Moses'  eyes?  and  who  put  on 
his  winding-sheet  ?  For  aught  I  know,  neither  father  nor  mother, 
nor  friend,  but  God  only.  And  there  is  as  expeditious,  fair,  and 
easy  a  way  betwixt  Scotland  and  Heaven,  as  if  he  had  died  in 
the  very  bed  he  was  born  in.  The  whole  earth  is  his  Father's ; 
any  corner  of  his  Father's  house  is  good  enough  to  die  in. 

It  may  be  that  the  living  child,  (I  speak  not  of  Mr.  Hugh,)  is 
more  grief  to  you  than  the  dead.  Ye  are  to  wait  on,  if  at  any- 
time God  will  give  him  repentance,  Christ  waited  as  long  possi- 
bly on  you  and  me,  certainly  longer  on  me ;  and  if  he  should 
deny  repentance  to  him,  I  could  say  something  to  that ;  but  I 
hope  better  things  of  him. 

It  seemeth  that  Christ  will  have  this  world  your  step-dame.  I 
love  not  your  condition  the  worse ;  it  may  be  a  proof  that  ye  are 
not  a  child  of  this  lower  house,  but  a  stranger.  Christ  seeth  it 
not  good  only,  but  your  only  good,  to  be  led  thus  to  Heaven. 
And  think  this  a  favor,  that  he  hath  bestowed  on  you  free,  free 
grace,  that  is,  mercy  without  hire ; — ye  paid  nothing  for  it.  And 
who  can  put  a  price  upon  anything  of  royal  and  pricely  Jesus 
Christ  ?  And  God  hath  given  to  you  to  suffer  for  him  the  spoiling 
of  your  goods.  Esteem  it  as  an  act  of  free  grace  also.  Ye  are 
no  loser,  having  himself;  and  I  persuade  myself,  that  if  ye  could 
prize  Christ,  nothing  could  be  bitter  to  you. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Your  brother,  and  wellwisher,  S.  R. 

London, 1645. 


LETTER  CCCVIII. 

TO     BARBARA     HAMILTON, 


Worthy  Friend, — Grace  be  to  you. — I  do  unwillingly  write 
unto  you  of  that  which  God  hath  done  concerning  your  son-in- 
law  ;  only  I  believe,  ye  look  not  below  Christ,  and  the  highest  and 
most  supreme  act  of  Providence,  which  moveth  all  wheels.     And, 


Rutherford's  letters.  499 

certainly,  what  came  clown  enacted  and  concluded  in  the  great 
book  before  the  throne,  and  signed  and  subscribed  with  the  Hand 
which  never  did  wrong,  should  be  kissed  and  adored  by  us.  We 
see  God's  decrees,  when  they  bring  forth  their  fruits,  all  actions, 
good  and  ill,  sweet  and  sour,  in  their  time ;  but  we  see  not  pres- 
ently the  after-birth  of  God's  decree,  namely,  his  blessed  end,  and 
the  good  that  he  bringeth  out  of  the  womb  of  his  holy  and  spot- 
less counsel.  We  see  his  working,  and  we  sorrow.  The  end  of 
his  counsel  and  working  lieth  hidden,  and  underneath  the  ground, 
and  therefore,  we  cannot  believe.  Even  amongst  men,  we  see 
hewn  stones,  timber,  and  an  hundred  scattered  parcels  and  pieces 
of  an  house,  all  under-tools,'  hammers,  and  axes,  and  saws :  yet 
the  house,  the  beauty  and  ease  of  so  many  lodgings  and  ease- 
rooms,2  we  neither  see  nor  understand  for  the  present ;  these  are 
but  in  the  mind  and  head  of  the  builder,  as  yet.  We  see  red  earth, 
unbroken  clods,  furrows  and  stones  ;  but  we  see  not  summer  lilies, 
roses,  and  the  beauty  of  a  garden.  If  ye  give  the  Lord  time  to 
work,  (as  often  he  that  believeth  not  maketh  haste,  but  not  speed,) 
his  end  is  under  ground  ;  and  ye  shall  see  it  was  your  good,  that 
your  son  hath  changed  dwelling-places,  but  not  his  Master.  Christ 
thought  good  to  have  no  more  of  his  service  here  ;  yet,  (Rev. 
xxii.  3,)  "  His  servants  shall  serve  him."  He  needeth  not  us  nor 
our  service,  either  on  earth  or  in  heaven.  But  ye  are  to  look  to 
Him  who  giveth  the  hireling  both  his  leave  ^  and  his  wages,  for 
his  naked  aim  and  purpose  to  serve  Christ,  as  well  as  for  his 
labors.  It  is  put  up  in  Christ's  account  that  such  a  laborer  did 
sweat  forty  years  in  Christ's  vineyard  ;  howbeit  he  got  not  leave 
to  labor  so  long,  because  He  who  accepteth  of  the  will  for  the 
deed,  counteth  so.  None  can  teach  the  Lord  to  lay  an  account — 
he  numbereth  the  drops  of  rain,  and  knoweth  the  stars  by  their 
names, — it  would  take  as  much  studying  as  to  give  a  name  to 
every  star  in  the  firmament,  great  or  small. 

See  Lev.  x.  3,  "  And  Aaron  held  his  peace."  Ye  know  his  two 
sons  were  slain,  whilst  they  offered  strange  fire  to  the  Lord.  Com- 
mand your  thoughts  to  be  silent.  If  the  soldiers  of  Newcastle 
had  done  this,  ye  might  have  stomached ;  but  the  weapon  was  in 
another  hand.  Hear  the  rod  what  it  preacheth,  and  see  the  name 
of  God,  (Micah  vi.  9  ;)  and  know  that  there  is  somewhat  of  God 
and  Heaven  in  the  rod.  The  majesty  of  the  unsearchable  and 
bottomless  ways  and  judgments  of  God  is  not  seen  in  the  rod,  and 
the  seeing  of  them  requireth  the  eyes  of  the  man  of  wisdom.  If 
the  sufferings  of  some  other  with  you  in  that  loss  could  ease  you, 
ye  want  them  not.  But  He  can  do  no  wrong,  He  cannot  halt ; 
His  goings  are  equal,  who  hath  done  it.  I  know  our  Lord  aimeth 
at  mortification  ;  let  him  not  come  in  vain  to  your  house,  and  lose 
the  pains  of  a  merciful  visit,  (xod,  the  Founder,  never  melteth  in 
vain,  howbeit  to  us  he  seemeth  often  to  lose  both  fire  and  metal. 
But  I  know  ye  are  more  in  this  work  than  I  can  be.  There  is  no 
cause  to  faint  or  be  weary. 

1  Lesser  tools.  *  Rooms  for  repose.  s  Discharge. 


500  Rutherford's  letters. 

Grace  be  with  you ;  and  the  rich  consolations  of  Jesus  Christ 
sweeten  your  cross,  and  support  you  under  it.     I  rest, 

Yours,  in  his  Lord  and  Master,  S.  R. 

London,  Oct.  15,  1645. 


LETTER  CCCIX. 


TO      MISTRESS      HUME 


Loving  Sister, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — If  ye 
have  anything  better  than  the  husband  of  your  youth,  ye  are 
Jesus  Christ's  debtor  for  it ;  pay  not  then  your  debts  with  grudg- 
ing. Sorrow  may  diminish  from  the  sweet  fruit  of  righteousness  ; 
but  quietness,  silence,  submission,  and  faith,  put  a  crown  upon 
your  sad  losses.  Ye  know  whose  voice  the  voice  of  a  crying  rod 
is,  (Micah  vi.  9.)  The  name  and  majesty  of  the  Lord  is  written 
on  the  rod  ;  read  and  be  instructed.  Let  Christ  have  the  room  of 
the  husband.  He  hath  now  no  need  of  you,  or  of  your  love ;  for 
be  enjoyeth  as  much  of  the  love  of  Christ,  as  his  heart  can  be  ca- 
pable of.  I  confess  that  it  is  a  dear-bought  experience,  to  teach 
you  to  undervalue  the  creature  ;  yet  it  is  not  too  dear,  if  Christ 
think  it  so.  I  know,  that  the  disputing  of  your  thoughts  against 
his  going  thither,  the  way  and  manner  of  his  death,  the  instru- 
ments, the  place,  the  time,  will  not  ease  your  spirits,  except  ye  rise 
higher  than  second  causes,  and  be  silent  because  the  Lord  hath 
done  it.  If  we  measure  the  goings  of  the  Ahiiighty  and  his  ways, 
the  bottom  whereof  we  see  not,  we  quite  mistake  God.  Oh,  how 
little  a  portion  of  God  do  we  see  !  He  is  far  above  our  ebb  ^  and  nar- 
row thoughts.  He  ruled  the  world  in  wisdom,  ere  we,  creatures 
of  yesterday,  were  born,  and  will  rule  it  when  we  shall  be  lodging 
beside  the  worms  and  corruption.  Only  learn  heavenly  wisdom, 
self-denial,  and  mortification  by  this  sad  loss.  I  know  that  it  is 
not  for  nothing,  (except  ye  deny  God  to  be  wise  in  all  he  doeth,) 
that  ye  have  lost  one  in  earth.  There  hath  been  too  little  of  your 
love  and  heart  in  Heaven,  and,  therefore,  the  jealousy  of  Christ 
hath  done  this.  It  is  a  mercy  that  he  contendeth  with  you  and 
all  your  lovers.  I  should  desire  no  greater  favor  for  myself  than 
that  Christ  laid  a  necessity,  and  took  on  such  bonds  upon  himself: 
— "Such  a  one  I  must  have,  and  such  a  soul  I  cannot  live  in 
heaven  without,"  (John  x.  16,)  And,  believe  it,  it  is  incompre- 
hensible love,  that  Christ  saith,  "If  I  enjoy  the  glory  of  my 
Father,  and  the  crown  of  Heaven  far  above  men  and  angels,  I 
must  use  all  means,  though  ever  so  violent,  to  have  the  company 
of  such  a  one  forever  and  ever."  If,  with  the  eyes  of  wisdom,  as 
a  child  of  wisdom,  ye  justify  your  mother,  the  Wisdom  of  God, 
(whose  child  ye  are,)  ye  will  kiss  and  embrace  this  loss,  and  see 
much  of  Christ  in  it.  Believe  and  submit ;  and  refer  the  income  of 
the  consolations  of  Jesus,  and  the  event  of  the  trial  to  your  heavenly 

1  Shallow. 


Rutherford's  letters.  501 

Father,  who  numbereth  all  youi*  hairs.  And  put  Christ  into  his 
own  room  in  your  love ;  it  may  be  he  hath  either  been  out  of  liis 
own  place,  or  in  a  place  of  love,  inferior  to  his  worth.  Repair 
Christ  in  all  his  wrongs  done  to  him,  and  love  him  for  a  Husband  ; 
and  He  that  is  a  husband  to  the  widow,  will  be  that  to  you  which 
he  hath  taken  from  you. 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  sympathizing  brother,  S.  R. 

London  Oct.  15,  1645. 


LETTER  CCCX. 

TO     THE      VISCOUNTESS     KEN  MURE. 

Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  your  Ladyship. — 
Though  Christ  lose  no  time ;  yet,  when  sinful  men  drive  his 
chariot,  the  wheels  of  his  chariot  move  slowly.  The  woman  Zion, 
as  soon  as  she  travailed,  brought  forth  her  children  ;  yea,  (Isa. 
Ixvi.  7,)  "  Before  she  travailed,  she  brought  forth  ;  before  her  pain 
came,  she  was  delivered  of  a  man  child  ;"  yet  the  deliverance  of 
the  people  was  with  the  woman's  going  with  child  seventy  years — 
that  is  more  than  nine  months.  There  be  many  oppositions  in 
carrying  on  the  work  ;  but  I  hope  that  the  Lord  will  build  his  own 
Zion,  and  evidence  to  us  that  it  is  done,  "not  by  might  nor  by 
power,  but  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord." 

Madam,  I  have  heard  of  your  infirmities  of  body,  and  sickness. 
I  know  the  issue  shall  be  mercy  to  you  ;  and  that  God's  purpose, 
which  lieth  hidden  under  ground  to  you,  is  to  commend  the 
sweetness  of  his  love  and  care  to  you  from  your  youth.  And  if 
all  the  sad  losses,  trials,  sicknesses,  infirmities,  griefs,  heaviness 
and  inconstancy  of  the  creature  be  expounded,  (as  sure  I  am 
they  are,)  the  rods  of  the  jealousy  of  an  Husband  in  Heaven,  con- 
tending with  all  your  lovers  on  earth,  (though  there  were  millions 
of  them,)  for  your  love,  to  fetch  more  of  your  love  home  to  Heaven, 
to  make  it  single,  unmixed  and  chaste,  to  the  Fairest  in  Heaven 
and  earth,  to  Jesus  the  Prince  of  ages,  ye  will  forgive  (to  borrow 
that  word,)  every  rod  of  God,  and  "  not  let  the  sun  go  down  on 
your  wrath,"  against  any  messenger  of  your  afflicting  and  correct- 
ing Father.  Since  your  Ladyship  cannot  but  see  that  the  mark 
at  which  Christ  hath  aimed,  these  twenty-four  years  and  above, 
is,  to  have  the  company  and  fellowship  of  such  a  sinful  creature, 
in  Heaven  with  him  for  all  eternity ;  and,  because  he  will  not, 
(such  is  the  power  of  his  love,)  enjoy  his  Father's  glory,  and  that 
crown  due  to  him  by  eternal  generation,  without  you,  by  name, 
(John  xvii.  24 ;  x.  16;  xiv.  3;)  therefore,  madam,  believe  no  evil 
of  Christ :  hsten  to  no  hard  reports  that  his  rods  make  of  him  to 
you :  he  hath  loved  you,  and  washed  you  from  your  sins — and 
what  would  ye  have  more?  Is  that  too  little,  except  he  adjourn 
all  crosses,  till  ye  be  where  ye  shall  be  out  of  all  capacity  to  sigh 


502  Rutherford's  letters. 

or  be  crossed?  I  hope  that  ye  can  desire  no  more,  no  greater,  nor 
more  excellent  suit,  than  Christ,  and  the  fellowship  of  the  Lamb 
for  evermore.  And  if  that  desire  be  answered  in  Heaven,  (as  I  am 
sure  it  is,  and  ye  cannot  deny  but  it  is  made  sure  to  you,)  the 
want  of  these  poor  accidents,  of  a  living  husband,  of  many  chil- 
dren, of  an  healthful  body,  of  a  life  of  ease  in  the  world,  without 
one  knot  in  the  rush,  are  nobly  made  up,  and  may  be  comfortably 
borne. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  your  Ladyship. 

Your  Ladyship's,  at  all  obedience  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

London,  Oct.  IG,  1645. 


LETTER  CCCXL 

TO     BARBARA     HAMILTON. 

Loving  Sister, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  have 
heard  with  grief,  that  Newcastle  hath  taken  one  more  in  a  bloody 
account,  than  before,  even  your  son-in-law,  and  my  friend ;  but  I 
hope  ye  have  learned  that  much  of  Christ  as  not  to  look  to  wheels 
rolled  round  about  on  earth.  Earthen  vessels  are  not  to  dispute 
with  their  Former.  Pieces  of  sinning  clay,  may,  by  reasoning  and 
contending  with  the  Potter,  mar  the  work  of  Him  "  who  hath  his 
fire  in  Zion,  and  his  furnace  in  Jerusalem  ;"  as  bullocks  sweating 
and  wresthng  in  the  furrow,  make  their  yoke  more  heavy.  In  quiet- 
ness and  rest  ye  shall  be  saved.  If  men  do  anything  contrary  to 
your  heart,  we  may  ask  both,  "Who  did  it?"  and  "What  is 
done  ?"  and  "  Why  ?"  When  God  hath  done  any  such  thing,  we 
are  to  inquire,  "  Who  hath  done  it?"  and  to  know  that  this  com- 
eth  from  the  Lord,  who  is  "  wonderful  in  counsel ;"  but  we  are 
not  to  ask  "What?"  or  "Why?"  If  it  be  from  the  Lord,  as  cer- 
tainly there  is  no  evil  in  the  city  without  him,  (Amos  iii.  6,)  it  is 
enough  ;  the  fairest  face  of  his  spotless  way  is  but  coming,  and  ye 
are  to  believe  his  works  as  well  as  his  word.  Violent  death  is  a 
sharer  with  Christ  in  his  death,  which  was  violent.  It  maketh 
not  much  what  way  we  go  to  Heaven :  the  happy  home  is  all, 
where  the  roughness  of  the  way  shall  be  forgotten.  He  is  gone 
home  to  a  Friend's  house,  and  made  welcome ;  and  the  race  is 
ended  :  time  is  recompensed  with  eternity,  and  copper  with  gold. 
God's  order  is  in  wisdom.  The  husband  goeth  home  before  the 
wife  ;  and  the  throng  of  the  market  shall  be  over  ere  it  be  long, 
and  another  generation  where  we  now  are ;  and  at  length,  an 
empty  house,  and  not  one  of  mankind  shall  be  upon  the  earth  ; 
within  the  sixth  part  of  an  hour  after,  the  earth  and  the  works 
that  are  therein  shall  be  burnt  up  with  fire.  I  fear  more  that 
Christ  is  about  to  remove,  when  he  carrieth  home  so  much  of  his 
plenishing'  beforehand.     We  cannot  teach  the  Almighty  knowl- 

1  Furniture. 


Rutherford's  letters.  503 

edge.  When  he  was  directing  ihe  bullet  against  his  servant,  to 
fetch  out  the  soul,  no  wise  man  could  cry  to  God,  "  Wrong, 
wrong,  Lord,  for  he  is  thine  own."  There  is  no  mist  over  His 
eyes  who  is  '•'  wonderful  in  counsel."  If  Zion  be  builded  with 
your  son-in-law's  blood,  the  Lord,  (deep  in  counsel,)  can  glue  to- 
gether the  stones  of  Zion  with  blood,  and  with  that  blood  which  is 
precious  in  his  eyes.  Christ  hath  fewer  laborers  in  his  vineyard 
than  he  had,  but  some  more  witnesses  for  his  Cause  and  the  Lord's 
Covenant  with  the  Three  Nations.  What  is  Christ's  gain  is  not 
your  loss.  Let  not  that  which  is  his  holy  and  wise  will,  be  your 
unbelieving  sorrow. 

Though  I  really  judge  that  I  had  interest  in  his  dead  servant ; 
yet,  because  he  now  liveth  to  Christ,  I  quit  the  hopes  which  I  had 
of  his  successful  laboring  in  the  ministry.  I  know  he  now  praiseth 
the  grace  that  he  was  to  preach  :  and  if  there  were  a  better  thing 
on  his  head  now  in  Heaven  than  a  crown,  or  anything  more  ex- 
cellent than  Heaven,  he  would  cast  it  down  before  His  feet  who 
sitteth  on  the  throne.  Give  glory,  therefore,  to  Christ,  as  he  now 
doeth,  and  say,  "  Thy  will  be  done." 

The  grace,  and  consolation  of  Christ  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

London,  Nov.  15,  1645. 


LETTER  CCCXn. 

TO    A    CHRISTIAN    FRIEND,    UPON    THE    DEATH    OP    HIS    WIFE. 

Worthy  Friend, — I  desire  to  suffer  with  you,  in  the  loss  of  a 
loving  and  good  wife,  now  gone  before,  (according  to  the  method 
and  order  of  Him,  of  whose  understanding  there  is  no  searching 
out,)  whither  ye  are  to  follow.  He  that  made  yesterday  to  go 
before  this  day,  and  the  former  generation,  in  birth  and  life,  to  have 
been  before  this  present  generation,  and  hath  made  some  flowers 
to  grow  and  die  and  wither  in  the  month  of  May,  and  others  in 
June,  cannot  be  challenged^  in  the  order  he  hath  made  of  things 
without  souls  ;  and  some  order  he  must  keep  also  here,  that  one 
might  bury  another ;  therefore,  I  hope,  ye  shall  be  dumb  and 
silent,  because  the  Lord  hath  done  it.  What  creatures  or  under- 
causes  do  in  sinful  mistakes,  are  ordered  in  wisdom  by  your  Father, 
at  whose  feet  your  own  soul  and  your  Heaven  lieth,  and  so  the 
days  of  your  wife.  If  the  place  she  hath  left  were  any  other  than 
a  prison  of  sin,  and  the  home  she  is  gone  to  any  other  than  where 
her  Head  and  Saviour  is  King  of  the  land,  your  grief  had  been 
more  rational.  But  I  trust  your  faith  of  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead  in  Christ  to  glory  and  inmiortality,  will  lead  you  to  suspend 
your  longing  for  her,  till  the  morning  and  dawning  of  that  day, 
when  the  Archangel  shall  descend  with  a  shout,  to  gather  all  the 

*  Found  fault  with. 


504  Rutherford's  letters. 

prisoners  out  of  the  grave  up  to  himself.     To  beheve  this  is  best 
for  you  ;  and  to  be  silent,  because  He  hath  done  it,  is  your  wisdom. 

It  is  much  to  come  out  of  the  Lord's  school  of  trial  wiser  and 
more  experienced  in  the  ways  of  God,  and  it  is  our  happiness 
when  Christ  openeth  a  vein,  tliat  he  taketh  nothing  but  ill  blood 
from  his  sick  ones.  Christ  hath  skill  to  do,  and,  (if  our  corruption 
mar  not,)  the  art  of  mercy  in  correcting.  We  cannot  of  ourselves 
take  away  the  tin,  the  lead,  and  the  scum  that  remaineth  in  us  ; 
and  if  Christ  be  not  Master-of-work,  and  if  the  furnace  go  its 
lone,'  (he  not  standing  nigh  the  melting  of  his  own  vessel,)  the 
labor  were  lost,  and  the  Founder  should  melt  in  vain.  God 
knoweth  some  of  us  have  lost  much  fire,  sweating  and  pains  to 
our  Lord  Jesus ;  and  the  vessel  is  almost  marred,  the  furnace  and 
rod  of  God  spilled,^  and  day-light  burnt,  and  the  reprobate  metal 
not  taken  away,  so  as  some  are  to  answer  to  the  Majesty  of  God 
for  the  abuse  of  many  good  crosses,  and  rich  afflictions  lost  with- 
out the  quiet  fruit  of  righteousness : — and  it  is  a  sad  thing  when 
the  rod  is  cursed,  that  never  fruit  shall  grow  on  it.  And  except 
Christ's  dew  fall  down,  and  his  summer-sun  shine,  and  his  grace 
follow  afflictions,  to  cause  them  to  bring  forth  fruit  to  God,  they 
are  so  fruitless  to  us,  that  our  evil  ground — rank  and  fat  enough 
for  briers — casteth  up  a  crop  of  noisome  weeds.  "The  rod,"  (as 
the  prophet  sailh,  Ezek.  vii.  10,  11,)  "  blossometh,  pride  buddetli 
forth,  violence  riseth  up  into  a  rod  of  wickedness  :" — and  all  this 
hath  been  my  case  under  many  rods,  since  I  saw  you. 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

London,  1645. 


LETTER  CCCXIIL 

TO     A     CHRISTIAN     BROTHER. 

Reverend,  and  beloved  in  the  Lord, — It  may  be  that  I 
have  been  too  long  silent,  but  I  hope  that  ye  will  not  impute  it  to 
forgetfulness  of  you. 

As  I  have  heard  of  the  death  of  your  daughter,  with  heaviness 
of  mind  on  your  behalf;  so  am  I  much  comforted,  that  she  hath 
evinced  to  yourself  and  other  witnesses  the  hope  of  the  Resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead.  As  sown  corn  is  not  lost,  (for  there  is  more 
hope  of  that  which  is  sown  than  of  that  wliich  is  eaten,  1  Cor. 
XV.  42,)  so  also  is  it  in  the  Resurrection  of  the  dead ;  the  body 
"is  sown  in  corruption,  it  is  raised  in  incorruption  ;  it  is  sown  in 
dishonor,  it  is  raised  in  glory."  I  hope  that  ye  wait  for  the  crop 
and  harvest,  (1  Thes.  iv.  14,)  "  for  if  we  beheve  that  .Tesus  died 
and  rose  again,  even  so  them  also  who  sleep  in  Jesus  will  God 
bring  with  him."     Then  they  are  not  lost  who  are  gathered  into 

1  By  itself  alone.  2  Cost  in  vain.  3  Spoiled. 


Rutherford's  letters.  505 

that  Congregation  of  the  First-born,  and  the  General  Assembly 
of  the  Saints.  Though  we  cannot  outrun  nor  overtake  them 
that  are  gone  before,  yet  we  shall  quickly  follow  them  ;  and  the 
difference  is,  that  she  hath  the  advantage  of  some  months  or 
years  of  the  crown,  before  you  and  her  mother.  And  we  do  not 
take  it  ill,  if  our  children  outrun  us  in  the  life  of  grace ;  why 
then  are  we  sad,  if  they  outstrip  us  in  the  attainment  of  the  life 
of  glory  ?  It  would  seem  that  there  is  more  reason  to  grieve  that 
children  live  behind  us,  than  that  they  are  glorified  and  die  before. 
All  the  difference  is  in  some  poor  hungry  accidents  of  time,  less 
or  more,  sooner  or  later ;  so  the  godly  child,  though  young,  died 
an  hundred  years  old  ;  and  ye  could  not  now  have  bestowed  her 
better,  though  the  choice  was  Christ's,  not  yours. 

And  I  am  sure,  sir,  ye  cannot  now  say,  that  she  is  married 
against  the  will  of  her  parents.  She  might  more  readily,  if  alive, 
fall  into  the  hands  of  a  worse  husband :  but  can  ye  think  that 
she  could  have  fallen  into  the  hands  of  a  better  ?  And  if  Christ 
marry  with  your  house,  it  is  your  honor,  not  any  cause  of  grief, 
that  Jesus  should  portion  any  of  yours,  ere  she  enjoy  your  portion 
— is  it  not  great  love?  The  patrimony  is  more  than  any  other 
could  give  ;  as  good  a  husband  is  impossible ;  to  say  a  better,  is 
blasphemy.  The  King  and  Prince  of  ages  can  keep  them  better 
than  ye  can  do.  While  she  was  alive,  ye  could  intrust  her  to 
Christ,  and  recommend  her  to  his  keeping  ;  now  by  an  after-faith 
ye  have  resigned  her  unto  Him  in  whose  bosom  do  sleep  all  that 
are  dead  in  the  Lord.  Ye  would  have  lent  her  to  glorify  the 
Lord  upon  earth,  and  he  hath  borrowed  her,  (with  promise  to  re- 
store her  again,  1  Cor.  xv.  53  ;  1  Thes.  iv.  15,  16,)  to  be  an  organ 
of  the  immediate  glorifying  of  himself  in  Heaven.  Sinless  glori- 
fying of  God  is  better  than  sinful  glorifying  of  him.  And  sure 
your  prayers  concerning  her  are  fulfilled.  I  shall  desire,  if  the 
Lord  shall  be  pleased  the  same  way  to  dispose  of  her  mother,  that 
ye  have  the  same  mind.  Christ  cannot  multiply  injuries  upon 
you;  if  the  fountain  be  the  love  of  God,  (as  I  hope  it  is,  )  ye  are 
enriched  with  losses. 

Ye  knew  all  I  can  say  better,  before  I  was  in  Christ,  than  I  can 
express  it.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  Christ  Jesus,  S.  R. 

London,  Jan.  6,  1646. 


LETTER  CCCXIV. 

TO     A     CHRISTIAN     GENTLEWOJIAN. 

Mistress, — Grace,   mercy,  and   peace  be  to  you. — If  death 

which  is  before  you  and  us  all,  were  any  other  thing  than  a  friendly 

dissolution,  and  a  change,  not  a  destruction  of  life,  it  would  seem 

a  hard  voyage,  to  go  through  such  a  sad  and  dark  trance,'  so 

1  Long,  narrow  passage. 


506  Rutherford's  letters. 

thorny  a  valley,  as  is  the  wages  of  sin.  But  I  am  confident,  the 
way  ye  know,  though  your  foot  never  trod  in  that  black  shadow. 
The  loss  of  life  is  gain  to  you.  If  Christ  Jesus  be  the  Period,  the 
End  and  Lodging-home,  at  the  end  of  your  journey,  there  is  no 
fear,  ye  go  to  a  Friend.  And  since  ye  have  had  a  communion 
with  him  in  this  life,  and  he  hath  a  pawn  or  pledge  of  yours, 
even  the  largest  share  of  your  love  and  heart,  ye  may  look  death  . 
in  the  face  with  joy.  If  the  heart  be  in  Heaven,  the  remnant  of '^ 
you  cannot  be  kept  the  prisoner  of  the  Second  death.  But  though 
he  be  the  same  Christ  in  the  other  life,  that  ye  found  him  to  be 
here,  yet  he  is  so  far  in  his  excellency,  beauty,  sweetness,  irradia- 
tions and  beams  of  majesty,  above  what  he  appeared  here,  when 
he  is  seen  as  he  is,  that  ye  shall  misken  '  him,  and  he  shall  appear 
a  new  Christ.  And  his  kisses,  breathings,  embracements,  the 
perfume,  the  ointment  of  his  name  poured  out  on  you,  shall  ap- 
pear to  have  more  of  God,  and  a  stronger  smell  of  Heaven,  of 
eternity,  of  a  Godhead,  of  majesty  and  glory  there  than  here  ;  as 
water  at  the  fountain,  apples  in  the  orchard  and  beside  the  tree, 
have  more  of  their  native  sweetness,  taste  and  beauty,  than  when 
transported  to  us  some  hundred  miles. 

I  mean  not  that  Christ  can  lose  any  of  his  sweetness  in  the 
carrying,  or  that  he  in  his  Godhead  and  loveliness  of  presence, 
can  be  changed  to  the  worse,  betwixt  the  little  spot  of  the  earth 
that  ye  are  in,  and  the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  far  above  all 
heavens  :  but  the  change  will  be  in  you,  when  ye  shall  have  new 
senses,  and  the  soul  shall  be  a  more  deep  and  more  capacious  ves- 
sel, to  take  in  more  of  Christ ;  and  when  means,  the  chariot,  the 
Gospel,  that  he  is  now  carried  in,  and  ordinances  that  convey  him, 
shall  be  removed.  Sure  ye  cannot  now  be  said  to  see  him  face  to 
face ;  or  to  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  highest  fountain,  or  to  take 
in  seas  and  tides  of  fresh  love  immediately,  without  vessels  mid- 
ses,2  or  messengers,  at  the  Fountain  itself,  as  ye  will  do  a  few 
days  hence,  when  ye  shall  be  so  near  as  to  be  with  Christ,  (Luke 
xxiii.  43  ;  John  xvii.  24;  Phil.  i.  23 ;  1  Thes.  iv.  17.) 

Ye  would,  no  doubt,  bestow  a  day's  journey,  yea,  many  days' 
journey  on  earth,  to  go  up  to  Heaven,  and  fetch  down  anything 
of  Clirist ;  how  much  more  may  ye  be  willing  to  make  a  journey 
to  go  in  person  to  Heaven,  (it  is  not  lost  time,  but  gained  eternity,) 
to  enjoy  the  full  Godhead? — and  then,  in  such  a  manner  as  he  is 
there,  not  in  his  week-days'  apparel,  as  he  is  here  with  us,  in  a 
drop  or  the  tenth  part  of  a  night's  dewing  of  grace  and  sweetness; 
but  he  is  there  in  his  marriage-robe  of  glory,  richer,  more  costly, 
more  precious,  in  one  hem  or  button  of  that  garment  of  Fountain- 
majesty  than  a  million  of  worlds.  Oh,  the  well  is  deep!  Ye 
shall  then  think  that  preachers,  and  sinful  ambassadors  on  earth, 
did  but  spilP  and  mar  his  praises,  when  they  spoke  of  him,  and 
preached  his  beauty.  Alas  !  we  but  make  Christ  black  and  less 
lovely,  in  making  such  insignificant,  and  dry,  and  cold,  and  low 
expressions  of  his  highest  and  transcendent  super-excellency  to 
1  Not  recognize.  2  Mediums.  3  Spoil 


Rutherford's  letters.  507 

the  daughters  of  Jerusalem.  Sure,  I  have  often,  for  my  own  part, 
sinned  in  this  thing.  No  doubt  angels  do  not  fulfil  their  task 
according  to  their  obligation,  in  that  Christ  kept  their  feet  from 
falling  with  the  lost  devils ;  though  I  know  they  are  not  behind 
in  going  to  the  utmost  of  created  power — but  there  is  sin  in  our 
praising,  and  sin  in  the  quantity,  besides  other  sins.  But  I  must 
leave  this ;  it  is  too  deep  for  me.  Go  and  see,  and  we  desire  to  go 
with  you  ;  but  we  are  not  masters  of  our  own  diet.  If  in  that  last 
journey  ye  tread  on  a  serpent  in  the  way,  and  thereby  wound 
your  heel,  as  Jesus  Christ  did  before  you,  the  print  of  the  wound 
shall  not  be  known  at  the  resurrection  of  the  just. 

Death  is  but  an  awsome '  step  over  time  and  sin  to  sweet  Jesus 
Christ,  who  knew  and  felt  the  worst  of  death  ;  for  death's  teeth 
hurt  him.  We  know  death  hath  no  teeth  now,  no  jaws,  for  they 
are  broken.  It  is  a  free  prison,  citizens  pay  nothing  for  the  grave ; 
the  jailer,  who  had  the  power  of  death,  is  destroyed  : — praise  and 
glory  be  to  the  First-begotten  of  the  dead. 

The  worst  possible  that  may  be,  is,  that  ye  leave  behind  you, 
children,  husband,  and  the  Church  of  God  in  miseries;  but  ye 
cannot  get  them  to  Heaven  with  you  for  the  present.  Ye  shall 
not  miss  them,  and  Christ  cannot  miscount  one  of  the  poorest  of 
his  lambs.  No  lad,  no  girl,  no  poor  one  shall  be  a-missing,  ere  ye 
see  them  again,  in  the  day  that  the  Son  shall  render  up  the 
Kingdom  to  his  Father. 

The  evening  and  the  shadow  of  every  poor  hireling  is  coming. 
The  sun  of  Christ's  Church  in  this  life  is  declining  low.  Not  a 
soul  of  the  militant  company  will  be  here  within  a  few  generations ; 
our  Husband  will  send  for  them  all.  It  is  a  rich  mercy  that  we 
are  not  married  to  time,  longer  than  the  course  be  finished.  Ye 
may  rejoice,  that  ye  got  not  to  Heaven  till  ye  knew  that  Jesus  is 
there  before  you ;  that  when  ye  come  thither,  at  your  first  entry 
ye  may  feel  the  smell  of  his  ointments,  his  myrrh,  aloes,  and 
cassia.  And  this  first  salutation  of  his,  Avill  make  you  find  it  is  no 
uncomfortable  thing  to  die.  Go  and  enjoy  your  gain  ;  live  on 
Christ's  love  while  ye  are  here,  and  all  the  way.  As  for  the 
Church  which  ye  leave  behind  you,  the  government  is  upon 
Christ's  shoulders,  and  he  will  plead  for  the  blood  of  his  saints. 
The  bush  hath  been  burning  above  five  thousand  years,  and  we 
never  yet  saw  the  ashes  of  this  fire:  yet  a  little  while,  and  the 
vision  shall  not  tarry;  it  will  speak  and  not  lie.  I  am  more  afraid 
of  my  duty,  than  of  the  Head,  Christ's  government.  He  cannot 
fail  to  bring  judgment  to  victory.  Oh,  that  we  could  wait  for  our 
hidden  life  !  Oh,  that  Christ  would  remove  the  covering,  draw 
aside  the  curtain  of  time,  and  rend  the  Heavens,  and  come  down ! 
Oh,  that  shadows  and  night  were  gone,  that  the  day  would  break, 
and  that  he  who  feedeth  among  the  lilies,  would  cry  to  his  heav- 
enly trumpeters,  "  Make  ready,  let  us  go  down  and  fold  together  the 
four  corners  of  the  world,  and  marry  the  bride !" — His  grace  be 
with  you. 

I  Awful. 


508  Rutherford's  letters. 

Now,  if  I  have  found  favor  with  you,  and  if  ye  judge  me  faith- 
ful, my  last  suit  to  you  is  tliat  ye  would  leave  me  a  legacy,  and 
that  is,  that  my  name  may  be  at  the  very  last  in  your  prayers  ;  as 
I  desire  also,  it  may  be  in  the  prayers  of  those  of  your  Christian 
acquaintance  with  whom  ye  have  been  intimate. 

Your  brother,  in  his  own  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

London,  Jan. 9, 1646. 


LETTER  CCCXV. 

TO     MY     LADY     KENMURE. 

Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — It  is  the  least  of 
the  princely  and  royal  bounty  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  pay  a  king's 
debts,  and  not  to  have  his  servants  at  a  loss.  His  gold  is  better 
than  yours,  and  his  hundred-fold  is  the  income  and  rent  of  Heaven, 
and  far  above  your  revenues  :  ye  are  not  the  first  who  have  casten 
up  your  accounts  that  way.  Better  have  Christ  your  factor  than 
any  other ;  for  he  tradeth  to  the  advantage  of  his  poor  servants. 
But  if  the  hundred-fold  in  this  life  be  so  well  told, — as  Christ  can- 
not pay  you  with  miscounting,  or  deferred  hope, — oh,  Avhat  must 
the  rent  of  that  Land  be  !  which  rendereth  every  day  and  hour  of 
the  years  of  long  eternity,  the  whole  rent  of  a  year,  yea,  of  more 
than  thousand  thousands  of.  ages,  even  the  weighty  income  of  a 
rich  kingdom,  not  every  summer  once,  but  every  moment.  That 
sum  of  glory  will  take  you  and  all  the  angels  telling.'  To  be  a 
tenant  to  such  a  Landlord,  where  every  berry  and  grape  of  the 
large  field  beareth  no  worse  fruit  than  glory,  fulness  of  joy,  and 
pleasures  that  endure  for  evermore  !  I  leave  it  to  yourself  to 
think  what  a  summer,  what  a  soil,  what  a  garden  must  be  there ; 
and  what  must  be  the  commodities  of  that  highest  land,  where 
the  sun  and  the  moon  are  under  the  feet  of  the  inhabitants. 
Surely  the  land  cannot  be  bought  with  gold,  blood,  banishment, 
loss  of  father  and  mother,  husband,  wife,  children. 

We  but  dwell  here,  because  we  can  do  no  better.  It  is  need, 
not  virtue,  to  be  sojourners  in  a  prison ;  to  weep  and  sigh,  and, 
alas  !  to  sin  sixty  or  seventy  years  in  a  land  of  tears.  The  fruits 
that  grow  here  are  all  seasoned  and  salted  with  sin.  Oh,  how 
sweet  is  it,  that  the  company  of  the  first-born  should  be  divided 
into  two  great  bodies  of  an  army,  and  some  in  their  country,  and 
some  in  the  way  to  their  country  !  If  it  were  no  more  than  once 
to  see  the  face  of  the  Prince  of  this  good  land,  and  to  be  feasted 
for  eternity  with  the  fatness,  sweetness,  dainties  of  the  rays  and 
beams  of  matchless  glory,  and  incomparable  fountain-love,  it  were 
a  well-spent  journey  to  creep  hands  and  feet  through  seven  deaths 
and  seven  hells,  to  enjoy  him  up  at  the  well-head.  Only  let  us 
not  weary — the  miles  to  that  land  are  fewer  and  shorter  than 
1  To  take  one  telling,  to  require  all  one's  powers  to  tell. 


Rutherford's  letters.  509 

when  we  first  believed.  Strangers  are  not  wise  to  quarrel  with 
their  host,  and  complain  of  their  lodging.  It  is  a  foul  way,  but  a 
fajr  home.  Oh,  that  I  had  but  such  grapes  and  clusters  out  of 
the  land  as  I  have  sometimes  seen  and  tasted  in  the  place  whereof 
your  Ladyship  maketh  mention  !  but  the  hope  of  it  in  the  end  is  a 
heartsome  *  convoy  in  the  way.  If  I  see  little  more  of  the  gold 
till  the  race  be  ended,  I  dare  not  quarrel.  It  is  the  Lord  ! — I  hope 
his  chariot  will  go  through  these  Three  Kingdoms,  after  our  suffer- 
ing shall  be  accomplished. 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  Ladyship's,  in  Jesus  Christ,  S.  R. 

London,  Jan.  26,  1646. 


LETTER  CCCXVI. 

TO     MR.     J.     G. 


Reverend,  and  dear  Brother, — I  shall  with  my  soul  de- 
sire the  peace  of  these  kingdoms,  and  I  do  believe  it  will  at  last 
come,  as  a  river  and  as  the  mighty  waves  of  the  sea ;  but,  oh, 
that  we  were  ripe  and  in  readiness  to  receive  it !  The  preserving 
of  two  or  three,  or  four  or  five  berries,  in  the  outmost  boughs  of  the 
olive-tree,  after  the  vintage,  is  like  to  be  a  great  matter,  ere  all  be 
done ;  yet  I  know  that  a  cluster  in  both  kingdoms  shall  be  saved, 
for  a  blessing  is  in  it.  But  it  is  not,  I  fear,  so  near  to  the  dawning 
of  the  day  of  salvation,  but  the  clouds  must  send  down  moe 
showers  of  blood  to  water  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord,  and  to  cause 
it  to  blossom.  Scotland's  scum  is  not  yet  removed ;  nor  is  England's 
dross  and  tin  taken  away;  nor  the  filth  of  our  blood  "purged  by 
the  spirit  of  judgment,  and  the  spirit  of  burning" — but  I  am"  too 
much  on  this  sad  subject. 

As  for  myself,  I  do  esteem  nothing  out  of  Heaven,  and  next  to 
a  communion  with  Jesus  Christ,  more,  than  to  be  in  the  hearts  and 
prayers  of  the  saints.  I  know  that  he  feedeth  there  among  the 
lilies,  till  the  day  break :  but  I  am  at  a  low  ebb,  as  to  any  sensible 
communion  with  Christ ;  yea,  as  low  as  any  soul  can  be,  and  do 
scarce  know  where  I  am ;  and  do  now  make  it  a  question,  if  any 
can  go  to  Him  whodwelleth  in  light  inaccessible,  through  nothing 
but  darkness?  Sure,  all  that  come  to  Heaven,  have  a  stock  in 
Christ ;  but  I  know  not  where  mine  is.  It  cannot  be  enough  for 
me  to  believe  the  salvation  of  others,  and  to  know  Christ  to  be  the 
Honeycomb,  the  Rose  of  Sliaron,  the  Paradise  and  Eden  of  the 
saints  and  first-born  written  in  Heaven,  and  not  to  see  after  the 
borders  of  that  Good  Land.  But  what  shall  I  say  ?  Either  this 
is  the  Lord  making  grace  a  new  creation,  where  there  is  pure 
nothing  and  sinful  nothing  to  work  upon,  or  I  am  gone. 

I  should  count  ray  soul  engaged  to  yourself,  and  others  there 

1  Gladsome. 


510  Rutherford's  letters. 

with  you,  if  ye  would  but  cany  to  Christ  for  me  a  letter  of  cyphers ' 
and  nonsense,  (for  I  know  not  now  to  make  language  of  my  con- 
dition;)  only  showing  that  I  have  need  of  his  love:  for  I  know 
many  fair  and  washen*^  ones  stand  now  in  white  before  the  throne, 
who  were  once  as  black  as  I  am.  If  Christ  pass  his  word  to  wash 
a  sinner,  it  is  less  to  him,  than  a  word  to  make  fair  angels  of  black 
devils  !  only  let  the  art  of  free  grace  be  engaged,  I  have  not  a 
cautioner  3  to  give  surety,  nor  doth  a  Mediator,  such  as  he  is  in  all 
perfection,  need  a  mediator  :  but  what  I  need,  he  knoweth.  Only, 
it  is  his  depth  of  wisdom,  to  let  some  pass  millions  of  miles  over 
score  in  debt,  that  they  may  stand,  between  the  winning  and  the 
losing,  in  need  of  more  than  ordinary  free  grace.  Christ  hath 
been  multiplying  grace  by  mercy  above  these  five  thousand  years  ; 
and  the  latter-born  heirs  have  so  much  greater  guiltiness,  that 
Christ  hath  passed  moe  experiments  and  multiplied  essays  of 
heart-love  on  others,  by  misbelieving,  after  it  is  past  all  question, 
many  hundreds  of  ages,  that  Christ  is  the  undeniable  and  now 
uncontroverted  Treasurer  of  multiplied  redemptions.  So  now  he 
is  saying,  "  The  more  of  the  disease  there  is,  the  more  of  Physi- 
cian's art  of  grace  and  tenderness  there  must  be."  Only,  I  know, 
that  no  sinner  can  put  infinite  grace  to  it,  so  as  the  Mediator  shall 
have  difficulty  or  much  ado,  to  save  this  or  that  man : — millions 
of  hells  of  sinners  cannot  come  near  to  exhaust  infinite  grace. 

I  pray  you,  (remembering  my  love  to  your  wife,  and  friends 
there,)  let  me  find  that  I  have  solicitors  there  amongst  your  ac- 
quaintance ;  and  forget  not  Scotland. 

Your  brother,  in  Jesus  Christ,  S.  R. 

London,  Jan.  30, 1646. 


LETTER    CCCXVII. 

TO      MY      LADY      KENMURE. 

Madam, — It  is  too  like  that  the  Lord's  controversy  with  these 
two  nations  is  but  yet  beginning,  and  that  we  are  ripened  and 
white  for  the  Lord's  sickle. 

For  the  particular  condition  that  your  Ladyship  is  in,  another 
might  speak,  (if  they  would  say  all.)  of  more  sad  things.  If  there 
was  not  a  Fountain  of  free  grace  to  water  dry  ground,  and  an 
uncreated  Wind  to  breathe  on  withered  and  dry  bones,  we  were 
gone.  The  wheels  of  Christ's  chariot  to  pluck  us  out  of  the 
womb  of  many  deaths,  are  winged  like  eagles.  All  I  have,  is,  to 
desire  to  believe,  that  Christ  will  show  all  good-will  to  save;  and 
as  for  your  Ladyship,  I  know  that  our  Lord  Jesus  carrieth  on  no 
design  against  you,  but  seeketh  to  save  and  redeem  you.  He 
lieth  not  in  wait  for  your  falls,  except  it  be  to  take  you  up.  His 
way  of  redeeming  is  ravishing  and  taking ;  there  are  more  mir- 

1  Nothings.  2  Washed.  3  Surety. 


Rutherford's  letters.  511 

acles  of  glorified  sinners  in  Heaven,  than  can  be  on  earth.     Noth- 
ing of  you,  madam,  nay,  not  even  your  leaf,  can  wither. 

Verily,  it  is  a  king's  life  to  follow  the  Lamb.  But  when  ye  see 
him  in  his  own  country  at  home,  ye  will  think  ye  never  saw  him 
before :  "  He  shall  be  admired  of  all  them  that  believe,"  (2  Thes. 
1.  10.)  Ye  may  judge  how  far  all  your  now  sad  days,  and  toss- 
ings,  changes,  losses,  wants,  conflicts,  shall  then  be  below  you. 
Ye  look  to  the  cross, — now  it  is  above  your  head  and  seemeth  to 
threaten  deatb,  as  having  a  dominion  ;  but  it  shall  then  be  so  far 
below  your  thoughts,  or  your  thoughts  so  far  above  it,  that  ye 
shall  have  no  leisure  to  lend  one  thought  to  old-dated  ^  crosses,  in 
youth,  in  age,  in  this  country  or  in  that,  from  this  instrument  or 
from  another ;  except  it  be  to  the  heightening  of  your  consolation, 
being  now  got  above  and  beyond  all  these. 

Old  age,  and,  "waxing  old  as  a  garment,"  is  written  on  the 
fairest  face  of  the  creation,  (Psal.  cii.  26.)  Death,  from  Adam  to 
the  Second  Adam's  appearance,  playeth  the  king  and  reigneth 
over  all.  The  prime  Heir  died  ;  his  children,  whom  the  Lord 
hath  given,  follow  him  :  and  we  may  speak  freely  of  the  life 
which  is  here ;  were  it  Heaven,  there  were  not  much  gain  in  god- 
liness— but  there  is  a  rest  for  the  people  of  God.  Christ-man  pos- 
sesseth  it  now  one  thousand  six  hundred  years  before  many  of 
his  members  ;  but  it  weareth  not  out. 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  Ladyship's,  in  Christ  Jesus,  S.  R. 

LondoQ,  Feb.  16,  1646. 


LETTER  CCCXVHL 

TO     THE     LADY     ARDROSS. 

Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — It  hath  seemed 
good,  as  I  hear,  to  Him  who  hath  appointed  the  bounds  for  the 
number  of  our  months,  to  gather  in  a  sheaf  of  ripe  corn,  in  the 
death  of  your  Christian  mother,  into  his  garner.  It  is  the  more 
evident  that  winter  is  near,  when  apples,  without  violence  of  wind, 
fall  of  their  own  accord  off  the  tree.  She  is  now  above  the  win- 
ter, with  a  little  change  of  place,  not  of  a  Saviour;  only  she  en- 
joyeth  Him  now,  without  messages  and  in  his  own  immediate 
presence,  from  whom  she  heard  by  letters  and  messengers  before. 
I  grant  that  death  is  to  her  a  very  new  thing,  but  Heaven  was 
prepared  of  old ;  and  Christ, — as  enjoyed  in  his  highest  throne, 
and  as  loaded  with  glory,  and  incomparably  exalted  above  men 
and  angels,  having  such  a  heavenly  circle  of  glorified  harpers  and 
musicians  above,  compassing  the  throne  with  a  song, — is  to  her  a 
new  thing  ;  but  so  new,  as  the  first  summer-rose,  or  the  first  fruits 
of  that  heavenly  field ;  or  as  a  new  paradise  to  a  traveller,  broken 

1  Antiquated. 


512  Rutherford's  letters. 

and  worn  out  of  breath  with  the  sad  occurrences  of  a  long  and 
dirty  way. 

Ye  may  easily  judge,  madam,  what  a  large  recompense  is  made 
to  all  her  service,  her  walking  with  God,  and  her  sorrows,  with 
the  first  cast  of  the  soul's  eye  upon  the  shining  and  admirably 
beautiful  face  of  the  Lamb  that  is  in  the  midst  of  that  fair  and 
white  army  which  is  there,  and  with  the  first  draught  and  taste 
of  the  Fountain  of  life,  fresh  and  new  at  the  well-head  ;  to  say 
nothing  of  the  enjoying  of  that  face,  without  date,  for  more  than 
this  term  of  life  which  we  now  enjoy.  And  it  cost  her  no  more 
to  go  thither,  than  to  suffer  death  to  do  her  this  piece  of  service : 
for  by  Him  who  was  dead,  and  is  alive,  she  was  delivered  from 
the  Second  Death.  What  then  is  the  First  death  to  the  Second '? 
Not  a  scratch  of  the  skin  of  a  finger,  to  the  endless  Second  Death. 
And  now  she  sitteth  for  eternity  mail-free, ^  in  a  very  considerable 
land,  which  hath  more  than  four  summers  in  the  year.  Oh,  what 
spring-time  is  there  !  Even  the  smelling  of  the  odors  of  that 
great  and  eternally  blooming  Rose  of  Sharon  forever  and  ever ! 
What  a  singing  life  is  there  !  There  is  not  a  dumb  bird  in  all 
that  large  field  ;  but  all  sing  and  breathe  out  heaven,  joy,  glory, 
dominion,  to  the  High  Prince  of  that  new-found  Land.  And,  ver- 
ily, the  land  is  the  sweeter,  that  Jesus  Ciuist  paid  so  dear  a  rent 
for  it,  and  he  is  the  glory  of  the  Land :  all  which,  I  hope,  doth 
not  so  much  mitigate  and  allay  your  grief  for  her  part,  (as  truly 
this  should  seem  sufficient,)  as  the  unerring  expectation  of  the 
dawning  of  that  day  upon  yourself,  and  the  hope  ye  have  of  the 
fruition  of  that  same  King  and  Kingdom  to  your  own  soul.  Cer- 
tainly the  hope  of  it,  when  things  look  so  dark-like  on  both  king- 
doms, must  be  an  exceedingly  great  quickening  to  languishing 
spirits,  who  are  far  from  home  while  we  are  here.  What  misery, 
to  have  both  a  bad  way  all  the  day,  and  no  hope  of  lodging  at 
night ;  but  he  hath  taken  up  your  lodging  for  you. 

I  can  say  no  more  now ;  but  I  pray  that  the  very  God  of  peace 
may  establish  your  heart  to  the  end.     1  rest, 
Madam,  Your  Ladyship's, 
At  all  respective  2  obedience  in  the  Lord,  S.  R. 

London,  Feb.  24,  1G46. 


LETTER  CCCXIX. 

TO    M.    O. 


Sir, — I  can  write  nothing  for  the  present  concerning  these 
times,  whatever  others  may  think,  but  that  which  speaketh  wrath 
and  judgment  to  these  kingdoms.  If  ever  ye,  or  any  of  that 
land,  received  the  Gospel  in  truth,  (as  I  am  confident  ye  and  they 
did,)  there  is  here  a  great  departure  from  that  faith,  and  our  suf- 

1  Rent-free.  2  Respectful 


Rutherford's  letters.  513 

ferings  are  not  j^et  at  an  end.  However,  I  dare  testify  and  die  for 
it,  that  once  Chiist  was  revealed  in  the  power  of  his  excellency 
and  glory  to  the  saints  there,  and  in  Scotland,  of  which  I  was  a 
witness.  I  pray  God  that  none  deceive  you,  or  take  the  crown 
from  you.  Hell,  or  the  gates  of  Hell,  cannot  ravel,  mar,  nor  undo, 
what  Christ  hath  once  done  amongst  you.  It  may  be.  that  I  am 
incapable  of  new  liglit,  and  cannot  receive  that  spirit  whereof 
some  vainly  boast ;  but  that  "  which  was  from  the  beginning, 
which  we  have  heard,  which  we  have  seen  with  our  eyes,  which 
we  have  looked  upon,  and  our  hands  have  handled,"  even  "  the 
word  of  life,"  (IJohn  i.  1,)  hath  been  declared  to  you.  Thousands 
of  thousands,  walking  in  that  light  and  that  good  old  way,  have 
gone  to  Heaven,  and  are  now  before  the  throne.  Truth  is  but 
one,  and  hath  no  numbers.  Christ  and  Antichrist  are  both  now 
in  the  camp,  and  are  come  to  open  blows.  Christ's  poor  ship 
saileth  in  the  sea  of  blood,  the  passengers  are  so  sea-sick  of  a 
high  fever,  that  they  miscall^  one  another:  Christ,  I  hope,  will 
bring  the  broken  bark  to  land.  I  had  rather  swim  for  life  and 
death  on  an  old  plank,  or  a  broken  board,  to  land  with  Christ, 
than  enjoy  the  rotten  peace  we  have  hitherto  had.  It  is  like  that 
the  Lord  will  take  a  severe  course  with  us,  to  cause  the  children 
of  the  family  to  agree  together.  I  conceive  that  Christ  hath  a 
great  design  of  free  grace  to  these  lands;  but  his  wheels  must 
move  over  mountains  and  rocks.  He  never  yet  wooed  a  bride  on 
earth  but  in  blood,  in  fire,  and  in  the  wilderne.^s.  A  cross  of  our 
own  choosing,  honeyed  and  sugared  with  consolations,  we  cannot 
have.  I  think  not  much  of  a  cross,  when  all  the  children  of  the 
house  weep  with  me  and  for  me;  and  to  suffer  when  we  enjoy 
the  communion  of  the  saints,  is  not  much  ;  but  it  is  hard  when 
saints  rejoice  in  the  suffering  of  saints,  and  redeemed  ones  hurt, 
yea,  even  go  nigh  to  hate,  redeemed  ones. 

I  confess,  I  imagined,  there  had  no  more  been  such  an  affliction 
on  earth,  or  in  the  world,  as  that  one  elect  angel  should  fight 
against  another;  but,  for  contempt  of  the  communion  of  saints, 
we  have  need  of  new-born  crosses,  scarce  ever  heard  of  before. 
The  saints  are  not  Christ ;  there  is  no  misjudging  in  him,  there  is 
much  in  us  ;  and  a  doubt  it  is,  if  we  shall  have  fully  one  heart, 
till  we  shall  enjoy  one  Heaven.  Our  star-hght  hideth  us  from 
ourselves,  and  hideth  us  from  one  another,  and  Christ  from  us  all 
— but  he  will  not  be  hidden  from  us.  I  shall  wish  that  all  the 
sons  of  our  Father  in  that  land  were  of  one  mind,  and  that  they 
be  not  shaken  nor  moved  from  the  truth  once  received.  Christ 
was  in  that  Gospel,  and  Christ  is  the  same  now  that  he  was  in 
the  prelates'  time.  That  Gospel  cannot  sink ;  it  will  make  you 
free,  and  bear  you  out.  Christ,  the  subject  of  it,  is  the  chosen  of 
God  ;  and  cometh  from  Bozrah,  with  garments  dyed  in  blood.  Ire- 
land and  Scotland  both  must  be  his  field,  in  which  he  shall  feed 
and  gather  lilies.  Suppose,  (which  yet  is  impossible,)  that  some 
had  an  eternity  of  Christ  in  Ireland,  and  a  sweet  summer  of  the 
i  Call  abusive  names, 

33 


514  Rutherford's  letters. 

Gospel,  and  a  feast  of  fat  things  for  evermore  in  Ireland,  and  that 
one  should  never  come  to  Heaven,  it  should  be  a  desirable  life  : 
the  King's  spikenard,  Christ's  perfume,  his  apples  of  love,  his  oint- 
ments, even  down  in  this  lower  house  of  clay,  are  a  choice  heaven. 
Oh  !  what  then  is  the  King  in  his  own  land  ?  where  there  is  such 
a  throne,  so  many  kings'  palaces,  ten  thousand  thousands  of 
crowns  of  glory,  that  want  heads  yet  to  fill  them  !  Oh,  so  much 
leisure  as  shall  be  there  to  sing!  Oh,  such  a  Tree  as  groweth 
there  in  the  midst  of  that  Paradise,  where  the  inhabitants  sing 
eternally  under  its  branches  !  To  look  in  at  a  window,  and  see 
the  branches  burdened  with  the  apples  of  life — to  be  the  last  man 
that  shall  come  in  thither,  were  too  much  for  me. 

I  pray  you  to  remember  me  to  the  Christians  there ;  and  re- 
member our  private  covenant.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  friend,  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

London,  April  17,  1646. 


LETTER  CCCXX. 

TO     EARLSTON,     ELDER. 


Sir, — I  know  that  ye  have  learned  long  ago,  ere  I  knew  any- 
thing of  Christ,  that  if  we  had  the  cross  at  our  own  election,  we 
would  either  have  law-surety  for  freedom  from  it,  or  then,i  we 
would  have  it  honeyed  and  sugared  with  comforts,  so  as  the  sweet 
should  over-master  the  gall  and  wormwood.  Christ  knoweth  how 
to  breed  the  sons  of  his  house,  and  ye  will  give  him  leave  to  take 
his  own  way  of  dispensation  with  you  ;  and,  though  it  be  rough, 
forgive  him :  he  defieth  you  to  have  as  much  patience  to  him,  as 
he  hath  borne  to  you.  I  am  sure  that  there  cannot  a  dram- 
weight  of  gall  be  less  in  your  cup :  and  ye  would  not  desire  he 
should  both  afflict  you,  and  hurt  your  soul.  When  his  people 
cannot  have  a  providence  of  silk  and  roses,  they  must  be  content 
with  such  an  one  as  he  carveth  out  for  them.  Ye  would  not  go 
to  Heaven  but  with  company  ;  and  ye  may  perceive  that  the  way 
of  those  who  went  before  you  was  through  blood,  sufferings,  and 
many  afflictions ;  nay,  Christ,  the  Captain,  went  in  over  the  door- 
threshold  of  Paradise,  bleeding  to  death.  I  do  not  think  but  ye 
have  learned  to  stoop,  though  ye  (as  others,)  be  naturally  stiff; 
and  that  ye  have  found  that  the  apples  and  sweet  fruits,  which 
grow  on  that  crabbed  tree  of  the  cross,  are  as  sweet  as  it  is  sour  to 
bear  it:  especially  considering,  that  Christ  hath  borne  the  whole 
complete  cross,  and  that  his  saints  bear  but  bits  and  chips:  as  the 
apostle  saith,  "The  remnants,"  or  "leavings'"^  of  the  cross. 

I  judge  you  ten  thousand  times  happy,  that  ever  ye  were  grace's 
debtor :  for  certainly  Christ  hath  engaged  you  over  head  and  ears 
to  free  grace :  and  take  the  debt  with  you  to  eternity,  Immanuel's 

»  Otherwise.  2  Col.  i.  24. 


Rutherford's  letters.  515 

highest  Land,  where  ye  find  before  you  a  houseful  of  Christ's  ever- 
lasting debtors — the  less  shame  to  you.  Yea,  and  this  lower  king- 
dom of  grace  is  but  Christ's  hospital  and  guest-house  of  sick  folks, 
whom  the  brave  and  noble  Physician,  Christ,  hath  cured,  upon  a 
venture  of  life  and  death.  And,  if  ye  be  near  the  water-side,  (as 
I  know  ye  are,)  all  that  I  can  say  is  this,  sir,  that  I  feel  by  the 
smell  of  that  land  which  is  before  you,  that  it  is  a  goodly  country, 
and  it  is  well  paid  for  to  your  hand  ;  and  He  is  before  you  who 
will  heartily  welcome  you.  Oh,  to  suck  those  breasts  of  full  con- 
solation above,  and  to  drink  Christ's  new  wine  up  in  his  Father's 
house,  is  some  greater  matter  than  is  believed  :  since  it  was  brewed 
from  eternity  for  the  Head  of  the  house,  and  so  many  thousand 
crowned  kings.  Rubs  in  the  way,  where  the  lodging  is  so  good, 
are  not  much. 

He  that  brought  again  from  the  dead  the  Great  Shepherd  of  the 
sheep,  by  the  blood  of  the  Eternal  Covenant,  estabhsh  you  to  the 
end. 

Your  friend  and  servant,  in  Christ  Jesus,  S.  R. 

London,  May  15,  1646. 


LETTER    CCCXXL 


TO    HIS    REVEREND    AND    WORTHY    BROTHER,    MR.    GEORGE 
GILLESPIE. 

Reverend,  and  dear  Brother, — I  cannot  speak  to  you  : — 
the  way  ye  know ;  the  passage  is  free  and  not  stopped  ;  the  print 
of  the  footsteps  of  the  Forerunner  is  clear  and  manifest ;  many 
have  gone  before  you.  Ye  will  not  sleep  long  in  the  dust  before 
the  day  break.  It  is  a  far  shorter  piece  of  the  hinder-end  of  the 
night  to  you  than  to  Abraham  and  Moses  ;  beside  all  the  time  of 
their  bodies  resting  under  corruption,  it  is  as  long  yet  to  their  day 
as  to  your  morning-light  of  awaking  to  glory  ;  though  their  spirits, 
having  the  advantage  of  yours,  have  had  now  the  fore-start  of  the 
shore  before  you. 

I  dare  say  nothing  against  his  dispensation.  I  hope  to  follow 
quickly.  The  heirs,  that  are  not  there  before  you,  are  posting 
with  haste  after  you,  and  none  shall  take  your  lodging  over  your 
head.  Be  not  heavy.  The  life  of  faith  is  now  called  for  :  doing 
was  never  reckoned  in  your  accounts,  (though  Christ  in  and  by 
you  hath  done  more,  than  by  twenty,  yea,  an  hundred  gray-haired 
and  godly  pastors ;)  believing  now  is  your  last.  Look  to  that  word, 
(Gal.  ii.  20,)  "Nevertheless  I  hve,  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in 
me."  Ye  know  the  I  that  liivelh,  and  the  I  that  liveth  not ;  it  is 
not  single  ye  that  live.  Christ  by  law  liveth  in  the  broken  debtor ; 
it  is  not  a  life  by  doing  or  holy  walking,  but  the  living  of  Christ 
in  you.  If  ye  look  to  yourself  as  divided  from  Christ,  ye  must  be 
more  than  heavy.  All  your  wants,  dear  brother,  be  upon  him  : 
ye  are  his  debtor ;  grace  must  sum  and  subscribe  your  accounts 


516  Rutherford's  letters. 

as  paid.  Stand  not  upon  items,  and  small  or  little  sanctification. 
Ye  know  that  inherent  holiness  must  stand  by,  when  imputed  is 
all.  I  fear  the  clay  house  is  a  taking  down  and  undermining : 
but  it  is  nigh  the  dawning  ;  look  to  the  east,  the  dawning  of  the 
glory  is  near.  Your  Guide  is  good  company,  and  knoweth  all  the 
miles,  and  the  ups  and  downs  in  the  way  : — the  nearer  the  morn- 
ing the  darker. 

Some  travellers  see  the  city  twenty  miles  off,  and  at  a  distance: 
and  yet  within  the  eighth  part  of  a  mile  they  cannot  see  it.  It  is 
all  keeping,  that  ye  would  now  have,  till  ye  need  it ;  and  if  sense 
and  fruition  come  both  at  once,  it  is  not  your  loss.  Let  Christ 
tutor  you  as  he  thinketh  good  ;  ye  cannot  be  marred  nor  miscarry 
in  his  hand.  Want  is  an  excellent  qualification  ;  and  "  no  money, 
no  price,"  to  you,  (who,  I  know,  dare  not  glory  in  5^our  own  right- 
eousness,) is  fitness  warrantable  enough  to  cast  yourself  upon  Him 
who  justifieth  the  ungodly.  Some  see  the  gold  once,  and  never 
again  till  the  race's  end  ;  it  is  coming  all  in  a  sum  together ;  when 
ye  are  in  a  more  gracious  capacity  to  tell  it  than  now.  "Ye  are 
not  come  to  the  mount  that  burneth  with  fire,  or  unto  blackness, 
darkness,  and  tempest;  but  ye  are  come  to  Mount  Zion,  unto  the 
city  of  the  living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  and  to  an  innu- 
merable company  of  angels,  to  the  General  Assembly  and  Church 
of  the  first-born  which  are  written  in  Heaven,  and  to  God  the  Judge 
of  all,  and  to  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  and  to  Jesus  the 
Mediator  of  the  New  Covenant,  and  to  the  blood  of  sprinkling," 
etc. 

Ye  must  leave  the  wife  to  a  more  choice  Husband,  and  the 
children  to  a  better  Father. 

If  ye  leave  any  testimony  to  the  Lord's  work  and  Covenant, 
against  both  Malignants,  and  Sectaries,  (which  I  suppose  may  be 
needful,)  let  it  be  under  your  hand,  and  subscribed  before  faithful 
witnesses. 

Your  loving  and  afflicted  brother,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  Sept.  27,  1648. 


LETTER   CCCXXII. 

TO     MISTRESS     GILLESPIE. 

Dear  Sister, — I  have  heard  how  the  Lord  hath  visited  you, 
in  removing  the  child  Archibald.  I  hope  ye  see  that  the  setting 
down  of  the  weight  of  your  confidence  and  affection  upon  any 
created  thing,  whether  husband  or  child,  is  a  deceiving  thing  ;  and 
that  the  Creature  is  not  able  to  bear  the  weight,  but  sinketh  down 
to  very  nothing  under  your  confidence.  And,  therefore,  ye  are 
Christ's  debtor  for  all  providences  of  this  kind,  even  in  that  he 
buildeth  an  hedge  of  thorns  in  your  way :  for  so  ye  see  that  his 
gracious  intention  is  to  save  you,  (if  I  may  say  so,)  whether  ye 


Rutherford's  letters.  517 

will  or  not.  It  is  a  rich  mercy  that  the  Lord  Christ  will  be  Master 
of  your  will  and  of  your  delights,  and  that  his  way  is  so  fair  for 
landing  of  husband  and  children  beforehand  in  the  country 
whitherto  ye  are  journeying.  No  matter  how  little  ye  be  engaged 
to  the  world,  since  ye  have  such  experience  of  cross  dealing  in  it. 
Had  ye  been  a  child  of  the  house,  the  world  would  have  dealt 
more  warmly  with  its  own.  There  is  less  of  you  out  of  Heaven, 
in  that  the  child  is  there,  and  the  husband  is  there,  but  much 
more  that  your  Head,  Kinsman,  and  Redeemer  doth  fetch  home 
such  as  are  in  danger  to  be  lost.  And  from  this  time  forward, 
fetch  not  your  comforts  from  such  broken  cisterns  and  dry  wells  : 
if  the  Lord  pull  at  the  rest,  ye  must  not  be  the  creature  that  will 
hold  when  he  draweth. 

Truly,  to  me  your  case  is  more  comfortable  than  if  the  fire-side 
were  well  plenished  ^  with  ten  children.  The  Lord  saw  that  ye 
were  able,  by  his  grace,  to  bear  the  loss  of  husband  and  child : 
and  that  ye  are  that*^  weak  and  tender  as  not  to  be  able  to  stand 
under  the  jnercy  of  a  gracious  husband,  living  and  flourishing  in 
esteem  with  authority,  and  in  reputation  for  godliness  and  learn- 
ing :  for  he  knoweth  the  weight  of  these  mercies  would  crush  you 
and  break  you  ;  and  as  there  is  no  searching  out  of  his  under- 
standing, so  he  hath  skill  to  know  what  providence  will  make 
Christ  dearest  to  you  ;  and  let  not  your  heart  say,  "  It  is  an  ill- 
waled^  dispensation."  Sure  Christ,  who  hath  seven  eyes,  had 
before  him  the  good  of  a  living  husband  and  children  for  Margaret 
Murray,  and  the  good  of  a  removed  husband  and  children  trans- 
lated to  glory  ;  now  that  he  hath  opened  his  decree  to  you,  say, 
"  Christ  hath  made  for  me  a  wise  and  gracious  choice,  and  I  have 
not  one  word  to  say  to  the  contrary."  Let  not  your  heart  charge 
anything,  nor  unbelief  libel  injuries  vipon  Christ  because  he  will 
not  let  you  alone,  nor  give  you  leave  to  play  the  idolatress  with 
such  as  have  not  that  right  to  your  love  that  Christ  hath.  I 
should  wish  that,  at  the  reading  of  this,  ye  may  fall  down  and 
make  a  surrender  of  those  that  are  gone,  and  of  those  that  are 
yet  alive,  to  him :  and  for  you,  let  him  have  all ;  and  wait  for 
himself,  for  he  will  come,  and  will  not  tarry.  Live  by  faith,  and 
the  peace  of  God  guard  your  heart.     He  cannot  die  whose  ye  are. 

My  wife  suffereth  with  you  ;  and  remembereth  her  love  to  you. 
Your  brother,  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  August  14,  1649. 


LETTER  CCCXXIII. 

TO    THE    WORTHY,  AND    MUCH    HONORED    COL.  GILBERT    KER. 

Much  honored,  and  truly  Worthy, — I  hope  I  shall  not 
need  to  show  you,  that  ye  are  in  greater  hazard  from  yourself  and 
1  Replenished.  2  So,  3  Ill-selected. 


518  Rutherford's  letters. 

your  own  spirit,  which  should  be  watched  over, — that  your  actings 
for  God  may  be  clean,  spiritual,  purely  for  God,  for  the  Prince  of 
the  kings  of  the  earth, — than  ye  can  be  in  danger  from  your  ene- 
mies. Oil,  how  hard  is  it,  to  get  the  intentions  so  cut  olF  from, 
and  raised  above  the  creature,  as  to  be  without  mixture  of  creature 
and  carnal  interest,  and  to  have  the  soul  in  heavenly  actings,  only 
eying  Himself,  and  acting  from  love  to  God,  revealed  to  us  in 
Jesus  Christ!  Ye  will  find  yourself,  your  delights,  your  solid 
glory,  (far  above  the  air  and  breathings  of  mouths,  and  the  thin, 
short,  poor  applauses  of  men,)  before  you  in  God.  All  the  crea- 
tures, all  the  swords,  all  the  hosts  in  Britain,  and  in  this  poor  globe 
of  the  habitable  world,  are  but  under  him  single  cyphers  making 
no  number  of  the  product  being  nothing  but  painted  men,  and 
painted  swords  in  a  brod,^  without  influence  from  him.  And, 
oh,  what  of  God  is  in  Gideon's  sword,  when  it  is  the  sword  of  the 
Lord  ! 

1  wish  a  sword  from  Heaven  to  you,  and  orders  from  Heaven  to 
you  to  go  out,  and  as  much  peremptoriness  of  a  heavenly  will,  as 
to  say,  and  abide  by  it,  "  I  will  not,  I  shall  not  go  out  unless  thou 
goest  with  me."  I  desire  not  to  be  rash  in  judging;  but  I  am  a 
stranger  to  the  mind  of  Christ,  if  our  adversaries  who  have  un- 
justly invaded  us,  be  not  now  in  the  camp  of  those  that  make  war 
with  the  Lamb.  But  the  Lamb  shall  overcome  them  at  length ; 
for  he  is  the  Lord  of  lords,  and  King  of  kings,  and  they  who  are 
with  him  are  called,  and  chosen  and  faithful.  And  though  ye 
and  I  see  but  the  dark  side  of  God's  dispensations  this  day  towards 
Britain,  yet  the  fair,  beautiful,  and  desirable  close  of  it  must  be  the 
confederacy  of  the  nations  of  the  world  with  Britain's  Lord  of 
armies.  And  let  me  die  in  the  comforts  of  the  faith  of  this,  that 
a  throne  shall  be  set  up  for  Christ  in  this  island  of  Britain,  (which 
is,  and  shall  be,  a  garden  more  fruitful  of  trees  of  righteousness, 
and  which  payeth,  and  shall  pay  more  thousands  to  the  Lord  of 
the  vineyard,  than  is  paid  in  thrice  the  bounds  of  Great  Britain 
upon  earth,)  and  then  there  can  be  neither  papist,  prelate,  malig- 
nant, nor  sectary,  who  dare  draw  a  sword  against  Him  that  sitteth 
upon  the  throne. 

Sir,  I  shall  wish  a  clean  army,  so  far  as  may  be,  that  the  shout 
of  a  King  who  hath  many  crowns,  may  be  among  you ;  and  that 
ye  may  tight  in  faith,  and  prevail  with  God  first.  Think  it  your 
glory  to  have  a  sword  to  act,  and  suffer,  and  die,  (if  it  please  him,) 
so  being  ye  may  add  anything  to  the  declarative  glory  of  Christ, 
the  Plant  of  renown,  Immanuel,  God  with  us :  happy  and  thrice 
blessed  are  they  by  whose  actings,  or  blood,  or  pain,  or  loss,  the 
diadems  and  rubies  of  his  highest  and  most  glorious  crown,  (whose 
ye  are,)  shall  glister  and  shine  in  tiiis  quarter  of  the  habitable 
world.  Though  he  need  not  Gilbert  Ker,  nor  his  sword  ;  yet  this 
honor  have  ye  with  his  redeemed  soldiers,  to  call  Christ  High  Lord- 
General,  of  whom  ye  hope  for  pay,  and  all  arrears  well  told.  Go 
on,  worthy  sir,  in  the  courage  of  faith,  follow-in  the  Lamb ;  make 

1  Board. 


Rutherford's  letters.  519 

not  haste  unbelievingly  ;  but  in  hope  and  silence  keep  the  watch- 
tower,  and  look  out.  He  will  come  in  his  own  time ;  his  salva- 
tion shall  not  tarry,  he  will  place  salvation  in  Britain's  Zion  for 
Israel's  glory. 

His  good-will  who  dwelt  in  the  bush,  and  it  burned  not,   be 
yours,  and  with  you. 

I  am  yours,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  Aug.  10,  1650. 


LETTER  CCCXXIV. 

TO    THE    WORTHY,    AND    MUCH     HONORED    COL.    GILBERT    KER. 

Much  honored,  and  worthy  Sir, — What  I  wrote  to  you 
before,  I  spake  not  upon  any  private  warrant.  I  am  where  I  was. 
Cromwell  and  his  army,  (I  shall  not  say,  but  there  may  be,  and 
are,  several  sober  and  godly  among  them,  who  have  either 
joined  through  misinformation,  or  have  gone  alongst  with  the  rest 
in  the  simplicity  of  their  hearts,  not  knowing  anything,)  fight  in 
an  unjust  cause,  against  the  Lord's  secret  ones  ;  and  now,  to  the 
trampling  of  the  worship  of  God,  and  persecuting  the  people  of 
God  in  England  and  Ireland,  he  hath  brought  upon  his  score  the 
blood  of  the  people  of  God  in  Scotland.  I  entreat  you,  dear  sir, 
as  ye  desire  to  be  serviceable  to  Jesus  Christ,  whose  free  grace 
prevented  you,  when  ye  w^ere  his  enemy,  go  on  without  fainting, 
equally  eschewing  all  mixtures  with  Sectaries^  and  Malignants  ;« 
neither  of  the  two  shall  ever  be  instrumental  to  save  the  Lord's 
people,  or  build  his  house.  And,  without  prophesying,  or  speak- 
ing further  than  He  whose  I  am,  and  whom  I  desire  to  serve  in 
the  Gospel  of  his  Son,  shall  warrant,  I  desire  to  hope  and  to  be- 
lieve there  is  a  glory  and  a  majesty  of  the  Prince  of  the  kings  of 
the  earth,  that  shall  shine  and  appear  in  Great  Britain,  which 
shall  darken  all  the  glory  of  men,  confound  Sectaries  and  Malig- 
nants, and  rejoice  the  spirits  of  the  followers  of  the  Lamb,  and 
dazzle  the  eyes  of  the  beholders. 

Sir,  I  suppose  that  God  is  to  gather  Malignants  and  Sectaries, 
ere  all  be  done,  as  sheaves  in  a  barn-floor ;  and  to  bid  the  Daugh- 
ter of  Zion  arise,  and  thresh.  I  hope  that  ye  will  mix  with  none 
of  them.  I  am  abundantly  satisfied,  that  our  army,  through  the 
sinful  miscarriage  of  men,  hath  fallen  ;  and  dare  say,  it  is  a  bet- 
ter and  a  more  comfortable  dispensation  than  if  the  Lord  had 
given  us  the  victory  and  the  necks  of  the  reproachers  of  the  way 
of  God,  because  he  hath  done  it.  For — 1.  More  blood,  blasphemies, 
cruelty,  treachery,  must  be  upon  the  accounts  of  the  men,  whose 
land  the  Lord  forbid  us  to  invade.  2.  Victory  is  such  a  burden- 
ing and  weighty  mercy,  that  we  have  not  strength  to  bear  it  as 
yet.  3.  That  was  not  the  army,  nor  Gideon's  three  hundred,  by 
>  Independents.  2  Chevaliers. 


520  RUTHERFORD  S    LETTERS. 

whom  he  is  to  save  us  ; — we  must  have  one  of  our  Lord's  carving". 
4.  Our  enemies,  on  both  sides,  are  not  enough  hardened,  nor  we 
enouo-h  mortified  to  muhitude,  valor  and  creatures. 
Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Your  friend  and  servant, 

In  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  Sept.  5,  1650. 


LETTER  CCCXXV. 


A  Letter  from  Mr.  Samuel  Rutherford  to  Mr.  William 
Guthrie,  when  the  army  was  at  Stirling^  after  the  defeat  at 
Dunbar,^  and  the  godly  in  the  West  were  falsely  branded 
with  intended  com/pUance  ivith  the  iisnrpers,  about  the  time 
when  those  debates  and  that  difference  concerning  the  Public 
Resolutions,  arose. 

Reverend  Brother, — I  did  not  dream  of  such  shortness  of 
breath,  and  fainting  in  the  way  toward  our  country :  I  thought 
that  I  liad  no  more  to  do  than  die  in  my  nest,  and  bow  down  ray 
sinful  head,  and  let  Him  put  on  the  crown,  and  so  end.  I  have 
suffered  much;  but  that  is  the  thickest  darkness,  and  the  straitest 
step  of  the  way  I  have  yet  trodden.  I  see  more  suffering  yet  be- 
hind, and  I  fear  from  the  keepers  of  the  vine.  Let  me  obtain  of 
you,  that  you  would  press  upon  the  Lord's  people,  that  they  would 
stand  far  off  from  these  merchants  of  souls,  come  in  amongst  you. 
If  the  way  revealed  in  the  word  be  that  way,  we  then  know  that 
these  soul-cowpers  ^  and  traffickers  sliow  not  the  way  of  salva- 
tion. Alas !  alas  !  poor  I  am  utterly  lost,  my  share  of  Heaven 
is  gone,  and  my  iiope  is  perished,  and  I  am  cut  off  from  the  Lord, 
if  hitherto  out  of  the  wa3^  But  I  dare  not  judge  kind  Christ ; 
for,  if  it  may  be  but  permitted,  (with  reverence  to  his  greatness 
and  highness,  be  it  spoken,)  I  will,  before  witnesses,  produce  his 
own  hand,  that  he  said,  "  This  is  the  way,  walk  thou  in  it," — and 
he  cannot  except  against  his  own  seal.  I  profess  that  I  am  al- 
most broken  and  a  little  sleepy,  and  would  fain  put  off  this  body  : 
but  this  is  my  infirmity,  who  would  be  under  the  shadow  and 
covert  of  that  Good  Land,  once  to  be  without  the  reach  and  blast 
of  the  terrible  One.  But  I  am  a  fool :  there  is  none  that  can 
overbid,  or  take  my  lodging  over  my  head,  since  Christ  hath  taken 
it  for  me. 

Dear  brother,  help  me,  and  get  me  the  help  of  their  prayers 
who  are  with  you,  in  whom  is  my  delight.  You  are  much  sus- 
pected of  intended  compliance ;  I  mean  not  of  you,  only,  but  of 
all  the  people  of  God  with  you.  It  is  but  a  poor  thing,  the  fulfil- 
ling of  my  joy  ;  but  let  me  obtest  all  the  serious  seekers  of  his 
face,  his  secret  sealed  ones,  by  the  strongest  consolations  of  the 

1  On  September  3rd,  1650.  2  Soul-jobbers. 


Rutherford's  letters.  521 

Spirit,  by  the  gentleness  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  Plant  of  renown, 
by  your  last  accounts,  and  appearing  before  God,  when  the  white 
throne  shall  be  set  up,  be  not  deceived  with  their  fair  words. 
Though  my  spirit  be  astonished  at  the  cunning  distinctions,  which 
are  found  out  in  the  matters  of  the  Covenant,  that  help  may  be 
had  against  these  men ;  yet  my  heart  trembleth  to  entertain  the 
least  thought  of  joining  with  those  deceivers. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you.     Amen. 

Your  own  brother,  in  our  common  Lord  and  Saviour,     S.  R. 
St.  Andrew's. 


LETTER  CCCXXVL 

TO   THE    WORTHY,    AND    MUCH    HONORED    COL.    GILBERT    KER. 


Much  honored,  and  worthy  Sir, — It  is  worthy  of  con- 
sideration, that  the  Lord  may,  and  often  doth  call  to  a  work,  and 
yet  hide  himself,  and  try  the  faith  of  his  own.  If  I  conceive 
aright,  the  Lord  hath  called  you  to  act  against  that  enemy ;  and 
the  withdrawers  of  their  sword,  in  my  weak  apprehension,  add 
their  zeal  unto,  and  take  upon  them  the  guilt  of  that  unjust  in- 
vasion of  this  land  made  by  Cromwell's  army,  and  of  the  blood 
of  the  Lord's  people  in  this  kingdom ;  since  the  sword,  put  into 
the  hand  of  his  children,  is  to  execute  wrath  and  vengeance  upon 
evil-doers.  The  Lord's  time  of  appearing  for  his  broken  land  is 
reserved  to  the  breathings  of  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  such  as  came 
upon  Gibeon  and  Samson ;  and  that  is  an  act  of  princely  and 
royal  sovereignty  in  God.  Ye  are,  sir,  to  lay  hold  on  opportuni- 
ties of  Providence,  and  to  wait  for  him. 

As  for  your  particular  treating  by  yourselves  with  the  invaders 
of  our  land,  I  have  no  mind  to  it,  and  do  look  upon  their  way 
as  a  carrying  on  of  the  Mystery  of  Iniquity,  (for  Babylon  is  a 
seat  of  many  names.)  Sir,  let  this  controversy  stand  undecided 
till  the  Second  Appearance  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  our  appeal 
lie  before  the  throne  undiscussed  till  that  day.  I  hope  to  lie  down 
in  the  grave  in  tli^  faith  of  the  justness  of  our  cause.  I  speak 
nothing  of  the  maintaining  the  greatness  of  men,  not  subordinate 
to  the  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth.  I  judge  that  the  blood 
of  the  witnesses  of  Jesus  is  found  upon  the  skirts  of  this  society, 
as  well  as  in  Babylon's  skirts.  I  believe  that  the  way  of  the 
Lord  is  Colonel  Gilbert  Ker's  strength  and  glory ;  and  I  should  be 
content  to  want  my  part  of  him,  (which  is,  I  confess,  precious 
and  dear  in  Christ,)  so  that  he  be  spent  in  the  service  of  Him 
who  will  anon  make  inquisition  for  the  blood  of  the  truly  godly, 
which  these  men  have  shed,  after  fair  warning  that  they  were 
the  godly  of  Scotland. 

Worthy  sir,  believe,  faint  not,  set  your  shoulder  under  the 
glory  of  Jesus,  that  is  misprised  in  Scotland,  and  give  a  testimony 


522  Rutherford's  letters. 

for  him — he  hath  many  names  in  Scotland,  who  shall  walk  with 
him  in  white.  This  despised  Covenant  shall  ruin  Malignants, 
Sectaries,  and  Atheists.  Yet  a  little  while,  and  behold  he  cometh, 
and  wallceth  in  the  greatness  of  his  strength,  and  his  garments 
dyed  with  blood.  Oh,  for  the  sad  and  terrible  day  of  the  Lord 
upon  England,  their  ships  of  Tarshish,  their  fenced  cities,  etc., 
because  of  a  broken  Covenant !  , 

A  conference  with  the  enemy,  not  to  hinder  acting,  (Oh,  that 
the  Lord  would  thereby,  or  by  some  other  way,  remove  the  cloud 
that  is  over  you,)  if  authority  should  concur,  were  to  be  desired ; 
but  it  can  hardly  be  expected :  however,  in  the  way  of  duty,  and 
in  the  silence  of  faith,  go  on ;  if  ye  perish,  ye  are  the  first  of  the 
creation  with  whom  the  Lord  hath  taken  that  dispensation.  I 
should  humbly  desire  you,  sir,  to  look  to  that,  "Dying,  and  be- 
hold we  live ;  killed  all  the  day  long,  and  yet  more  than  conquer- 
ors." There  shall  be  the  heat  and  warmness  of  life  in  your 
graves  and  buried  bones ;  but  look  not  for  the  Lord's  coming  the 
higher  way  only,  for  he  may  come  the  lower  way.  Oh,  how 
little  of  God  do  we  see,  and  how  mysterious  is  he !  Christ  known 
is  amongst  the  greatest  secrets  of  God.  Keep  yourself  in  the 
love  of  God,  and,  in  order  to  that,  as  far  in  obedience  and  subjec- 
tion to  the  King,  (whose  salvation  and  true  happiness  my  soul 
desireth,)  and  to  every  ordinance  of  man  for  the  Lord's  sake,  and 
to  the  fundamental  laws  of  this  kingdom,  as  your  Lord  requireth. 
Sir,  ye  are  in  the  hearts  and  prayers  of  the  Lord's  people  in  this 
kingdom,  and  in  the  other  two.  The  Lord  hath  said,  "  There  is 
a  blessing  in  the  cluster  of  grapes,  destroy  it  not." 

Grace,  grace  be  upon  the  head  of  him  that  is  separated  from 
his  brethren  ;  and  the  good-will  of  Him  that  dwelt  in  the  bush, 
be  with  you. 

Your  servant,  in  his  sweet  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Perth,  Nov.  23,  1650. 


LETTER  CCCXXVII. 


TO    THE    MUCH    HONORED,    AND    TRULY   WORTHY    COLONEL    GIL- 
BERT   KER. 

(Habakkuk  ii.  3,  4.) 

Much  honored,  and  worthy  Sir, — Your  chains  now  shine 
as  much  for  Christ,  the  cause  being  his,  as  your  sword  was  made 
famous  in  acting  for  that  cause ;  and  blessed  are  such  as  can  wil- 
lingly tender  to  Christ  both  action  and  blood,  doing  and  suffering. 
Resisting  unto  blood  is  little  for  that  precious  and  never-enough 
exalted  Redeemer,  who,  when  ye  were  a-buying,  gave  blood  some- 
what dearer  than  ye  gave  for  him,  even  the  blood  of  God,  (Acts 
XX.  28.)  I  know  a  man,  who,  upon  the  receipt  of  a  letter,  that  ye 
were  killed  and  the  people  of  God  destroyed,  wished  that  he  might 


Rutherford's  letters.  523 

be  quickly  under  the  wall  of  the  higher  palace,  from  under  the 
dint  of  the  storm,  and  who  longed  to  have  the  weather-beaten  and 
crazy  bark  safely  landed  in  that  harbor  of  eternal  quietness. 

What  further  service  Christ  hath  for  you,  I  know  not;  it  is 
enough,  that  in  your  captivity  ye  offer  your  service  to  Christ — but, 
if  I  see  anything,  it  looketh  like  a  merciful  defeat.  I  see  the  no- 
bles and  the  State  falling  off  from  Christ,  and  the  night  coming 
upon  the  prophets,  which  we  should  pray  to  prevent :  because  it  is 
a  rare  thing  to  see  a  fallen  star  win  ^  ever  up  again  to  the  firmament 
to  shine.  And  what  if  this  be  the  thick  darkness  going  before 
the  break  of  day?  Sure,  sir,  the  sun  shall  rise  upon  Scotland  ; 
but  if  I  shall  see  it,  or  how  near  it  is  to  that  day,  I  leave  that  to 
Him,  even  unto  Jehovah,  who  "createlh  upon  every  dwelling- 
place  in  Mount  Zion,  and  upon  her  assemblies  a  cloud,  and  a 
smoke  by  day,  and  the  shining  of  a  flaming  fire  by  night."  But, 
sir,  "  the  wilderness  shall  rejoice  and  blossom  as  a  rose :"  and 
happy  he,  who  hath  a  bone  or  an  arm,  to  put  the  crown  upon  the 
head  of  our  highest  King  whose  chariot  is  paved  with  love.  Were 
there  ten  thousand  millions  of  heavens  created  above  these  high- 
est Heavens,  and  again  as  many  above  them,  and  as  many  above 
them  till  angels  were  wearied  with  counting,  it  were  but  too  low 
a  seat  to  fix  the  princely  throne  of  that  Lord  Jesus,  (whose  ye  are,) 
above  them  all :— created  heavens  are  too  low  a  seat  of  majesty 
for  him.  Since  then,  there  is  none  equal  to  your  Master  and 
Prince  who  hath  chosen  out  for  you  amongst  many  sufferings  for 
sin,  that  only  cross,  which  cometh  nearest  in  likeness  to  his  own 
cross,  watered^  with  consolation,  take  courage,  and  comfort  your- 
self in  Him  who  hath  chosen  you  to  glory  hereafter,  and  to  con- 
formity with  him  here.  We  fools  would  have  a  cross  of  our  own 
choosing,  and  would  have  our  gall  and  wormwood  sugared,  our 
fire  cold,  and  our  death  and  grave  warmed  with  heat  of  life  ;  but 
He  who  hath  brought  many  children  to  glory,  and  lost  none,  is 
our  best  Tutor.  I  wish  that  when  I  am  sick,  he  may  be  keeper 
and  comforter.  I  judge  it  a  blessed  fall,  that  we  are  forfeited  heirs, 
broken  and  out  of  credit,  and  that  Christ  is  become  a  Tutor  in  the 
place  of  Free-will,  and  that  we  are  no  more  our  own.  I  am  broken 
and  wasted  with  the  wrath  that  is  on  the  land,  and  have  been 
much  tempted  with  a  design  to  have  a  pass  from  Christ,  which  if 
I  had,  I  would  not  stay  to  be  a  witness  of  our  defection,  for  no 
man's  entreaty.  But  I  know  it  is  my  softness  and  weakness,  who 
would  ever  be  ashore,  when  a  fit  of  sea-sickness  cometh  on  :  though 
I  know  I  shall  come  soon  enough  to  that  desirable  country,  and 
shall  not  be  displaced, — none  shall  take  my  lodging. 

Sir,  many  eyes  are  upon  you,  and  the  godly  are  exceedingly 
refreshed,  that  ye  listen  not  to  the  ways  of  many  about  you,  who 
with  fair  words  make  merchandise  of  souls.  Sir,  if  the  way  you 
are  in,  be  not  the  way  of  Christ,  then  woe  to  me,  for  I  am  eternally 
lost ;  but  truly,  the  Lord  Christ's  dealings  with  Colonel  Gilbert 
Ker  hath  proven^  to  me,  that  the  New  Testament  and  the  Cov- 
1  Get.  2  Plated.  3  Proved, 


524  Rutherford's  letters. 

enant  of  Grace  is  a  piece,  that  a  solemn  meeting  and  assembly 
of  all  created  angels,  join  all  their  wits  together,  could  not  have 
devised.  Since,  sir,  ye  paid  nothing  for  the  change  that  Christ 
made,  and  ye  will  take  that  debt  of  free  grace  to  Heaven  with  you, 
(for  what  was  Christ  Jesus  indebted  to  you,  more  than  to  all  your 
kindred  and  name  !)  therefore,  since  ye  are  made  his  ow^n,  follow 
no  other  way.  What  is  my  salvation,  though  I  should  lay  it  in 
pawn,  (it  is  but  a  poor  pledge,)  that  this,  this  only  is  the  way?  but 
Christ  is  surety  himself,  that  it  is  the  way.  The  Forerunner  went 
before  you,  and  he  is  safely  landed,  and  there  is  a  fair  company 
before  you  ot  such  as  "  have  come  out  of  great  tribulation,  and 
have  washed  their  garments,  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood 
of  the  Lamb  ;"  to  whom  these  promises  are  now  performed,  "  He 
that  overcometh,  shall  eat  of  the  Tree  of  life,  that  is  in  the  midst 
of  the  Paradise  of  God  ;  and  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from 
their  eyes ;  and  there  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow,  nor 
crying,  neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain.  He  that  sitteth  on 
the  throne  shall  dwell  among  them  ;  they  shall  hunger  no  more, 
neither  thirst  any  more,  neither  shall  the  sun  light  on  them,  nor 
any  heat ;  for  the  Lamb,  that  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,  shall 
feed  them,  and  shall  take  them  unto  living  fountains  of  waters." 

I  may,  sir,  possibly  keep  you  from  better  work.  The  God  of 
peace,  that  brought  again  from  the  dead  the  Great  Shepherd  of 
the  sheep,  through  the  blood  of  the  Eternal  Covenant,  make  you 
perfect. 

Yours,  in  Jesus  Christ,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  Jan.  7,  1651. 


LETTER  CCCXXVIIL 


TO    THE    MUCH    HONORED,    AND    TRULY    WORTHY    COLONEL    GIL- 
BERT   KER. 

Much  honored,  and  worthy  Sir, — I  have  heard  of  your 
continued  captivity  in  England,  as  well  as  in  this  atHicted  land ; 
but,  go  where  ye  will,  ye  cannot  go  from  under  your  Shadow, 
which  is  broader  than  many  kingdoms.  Ye  change  lodging  and 
countries;  but  the  same  Lord  is  before  you;  if  ye  were  carried 
away  captive  to  the  other  side  of  the  sun,  or  as  far  as  the  rising  of 
the  morning  star.  It  is  spoken  to  your  Mother,  who  hath  yet  re- 
ceived no  bill  of  divorce,  which  was  written  to  Judah,  (Micah  iv.  10,) 
"  Be  in  pain,  and  labor  to  bring  forth,  O  Daughter  of  Zion,  like  a 
woman  in  travail :  for  now  shall  thou  go  forth  out  of  the  city,  and 
thou  shalt  dwell  in  the  field,  and  thou  shalt  go  even  to  Babylon, 
there  shalt  thou  be  delivered :  there  the  Lord  shall  redeem  thee 
from  the  hand  of  thine  enemies."  England  shall  be  accountable 
for  you,  to  render  you  back  ;  (Isa.  xliii.  6,)  "  I  will  say  to  the 
north, '  Give  up  ;'  and  to  the  south,  '  Keep  not  back.'  "  It  is  a  ser- 
mon that  flesh  and  blood  laugheth  at ;  (Ezek.  xxxvii.  4,)  "  Proph- 


Rutherford's  letters.  525 

"esy  upon  these  dry  bones,  and  say  unto  them,  '  O  ye  dry  bones, 
hear  the  word  of  the  Lord  !'  "  It  is  a  preaching  to  the  cold  grave  : 
"  Thus  saith  tlie  Lord  unto  the  bones,  '  Behold,  I  will  cause  breath 
to  enter  into  yon.  and  ye  shall  live.  And  I  will  lay  sinew^s  upon 
you,  and  bring  flesh  upon  you,  and  cover  you  with  skin,  and  put 
breath  in  you,  and  ye  shall  live.'"  (Rev.  xx.  13,)  "And  the  sea 
gave  up  the  dead  that  were  in  it."  Berwick  nuist  render  back 
the  Scottish  captives,  and  Colonel  Gilbert  Ker  with  them.  (Isa. 
xliii.  14,)  "  For  thus  saith  the  Lord,  your  Redeemer,  the  Holy  One 
of  Israel,  '  For  your  sake,  I  have  sent  to  Babylon,  and  have 
brought  down  all  their  nobles,  and  the  Chaldeans,  whose  cry  is  in 
the  ships.'"  (Deut.  xxx.  4,)  "If  any  of  them  be  driven  out  to  the 
utmost  parts  of  Heaven,  from  thence  will  the  Lord  thy  God  gather 
thee,  and  from  thence  wnll  he  fetch  thee."  (Zech.  viii.  7,  8,) 
"  Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  '  Behold,  I  will  save  my  people 
from  the  east  countr}^,  and  from  the  w^est  country  ;  and  I  will 
bring  them,  and  they  shall  dwell  in  the  midst  of  Jerusalem,  and 
they  shall  be  my  people,  and  I  will  be  their  God,  in  truth  and  in 
righteousness.' "  Sir,  ye  are  both  booked  by  the  Lord  who  writeth 
up  the  people,  (Psal.  Ixxxvii.  5,  6,)  and  counted  to  the  Lord  as 
one  of  the  house  and  stock,  (Psal.  xxii.  30.)  Fear  not,  faint  not, 
all  your  hairs  are  numbered. 

It  is  the  desire  of  the  people  of  God,  that  as  your  bonds  hitherto 
have  been  exemplar}^,  to  the  strengthening  of  the  feeble,  and  to 
the  stopping  of  the  mouth  of  the  adversary,  without  any  declining 
to  the  right  or  left  hand  ;  so  your  sufferings,  in  (he  place  ye  now 
go'lo,  may  be,  (as  we  are  confident  in  the  Lord  of  you,  and  in 
humility  boast  of  his  grace  in  you,)  savory,  convincing,  and  like 
unto  this  honorable  cause,  that  will  prevail  in  Britain,  contrary  to 
all  the  machinations  and  counsels  of  devils  and  men  :  and  though 
there  were  no  other  ink  in  the  pen  I  now  write  with,  but  some 
dewing  of  ray  last  cooling  blood,  this  I  purpose,  (His  grace  whose 
I  am,  enabling  me,)  to  stand  to.  Sir,  w^e  desire  to  adore  no  instru- 
ments ;  yet  we  conceive  the  shining  and  rays  of  grace,  from  the 
Fountain,  Jesus  Christ  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead,  bestowed  on 
sinful  men,  hold  forth  the  good  thoughts  of  Christ  to  this  poor 
land,  whose  multiplied  graves,  and  whose  souls  under  the  allar, 
slain  by  Sectaries  and  Malignants,  cry  aloud  to  Heaven. 

I  see  nothing,  sir,  if  the  Lord  be  not  near,  though  I  dare  not 
say  how  soon,  to  awake  for  the  year  of  Zion's  controversy  ;  (Isa. 
xxxiv.  5,)  "For  my  sword  shall  be  bathed  in  Heaven."  Behold, 
it  shall  come  down  upon  England,  and  on  the  residue  of  his  ene- 
mies in  Scotland.  Woe  is  me  for  England  !  That  land  shall  be 
soaked  with  blood,  and  their  dust  made  fat  with  fatness ;  that 
pleasant  land  shall  be  a  wilderness,  and  on  the  dust  of  their  land 
pitch  ;  a  judgment  upon  their  walled  towns,  their  pleasant  fields, 
their  strong  ships,  etc.,  if  they  do  not  repent. 

Ye  have  not,  I  conceive,  seen  such  searching  and  tr)dng  times 
as  now  these  are ;  and  yet  the  question  will  be  drawn  to  a  more 
narrow  state,  and  multitudes  will  yet  leave  the  Cause ;  for  we 


526  Rutherford's  letters. 

took  all  into  the  covenant  that  offered  to  build  with  us  ;  but  Christ* 
must  have  but  a  small  remnant ;  few  nobles,  if  any,  few  ministers, 
few  professors,  though  our  way  standeth  unchanged,  (2  Cor.  vi.  8, 
9.)  "By  honor  and  dishonor,  by  good  report  and  evil  report :  as 
deceivers,  and  yet  true ;  as  unknown,  and  yet  well  known  ;  as 
dying,  and  behold  we  live  ;  as  chastened,  and  yet  not  killed." 
Neither  is  this  your  condition  alone,  but  the  experienced  lot  of  all 
the  saints  that  have  gone  before  you.  It  is  one  and  the  same 
cross  of  Christ ;  but  there  be  sundry  faces  and  diverse  circum- 
stances in  the  same  remnant,  the  sufferings  of  Christ  and  yours. 
Sir,  to  be  delivered  to  soldiers,  and  in  captivity,  looketh  like  His 
suffering  of  whom  Isaiah  saith,  (chap.  liii.  8,)  "He  was  taken 
from  prison,  and  from  judgment ;"  yea,  and  taken  bound,  (John 
xviii.  12.)  When  the  cause  is  the  truth  of  God,  the  lustre  and 
face  of  suffering  is  so  much  the  more  lovely,  that  it  hath  the  hue 
and  color  of  Christ's  sufferings  who  endured  contradiction  of  sin- 
ners, and  despised  the  shame.  Oh  it  is  a  great  word,  "  Christ 
shamed,  and  Christ  abased  !"  But  thus  was  the  Head,  and  so  are 
the  members  dealt  with  in  the  world :  and  truly  anything  of 
Christ,  even  the  worst  of  him,  (to  speak  so,)  his  reproach  and 
shame,  are  lovely.  Though  superstitious  love  to  the  material  cross 
he  suffered  upon  be  foolery,  and  doting  upon  the  holy  grave  be 
cursed  idolatry :  yet  is  there  a  communion  with  him  in  his  suffer- 
ings most  desirable ;  (1  Pet.  iv.  13,)  "  But  rejoice,  in  as  much  as 
ye  are  partakers  of  Christ's  sufferings:"  in  which  sense  the  cup 
that  his  lip  touclied  hath  the  sweeter  taste,  even  though  death 
were  in  it ;  the  grave,  because  he  did  lie  in  it,  is  so  much  the 
softer,  and  the  more  refreshful'  a  bed  of  rest;  and  that  part  of 
the  sky  and  clouds  that  the  Beloved  shall  break  through,  and  come 
to  judgment,  is  as  lovely  a  piece  of  the  created  heaven  as  any  is, 
if  we  may  love  the  ground  he  goeth  on  the  better — but  all  this  is 
to  be  understood  in  a  spiritual  manner. 

The  Lord  calleth  you,  sir,  upon  whom  the  Spirit  of  God  and  his 
glory  resteth,  to  put  your  soul's  Amen  to  this  dispensation;  and 
requireth  of  us,  that  our  desires  follow  the  now-declared  decree  of 
God,  concerning  the  desolation  of  our  sinful  land,  so  many  ways 
guilty  of  a  despised  Gospel,  and  a  broken  Covenant,  and  that  with 
all  submission.  Certainly  no  man  hath  failed  more  in  this  thing, 
than  he  who  writeth  to  you;  for  I  liave  brought  my  health  into 
great  hazard,  and  tormented  my  spirit  with  excessive  grief,  for  our 
present  provocations,  and  the  rendings  of  our  kirk ;  and  I  see  it  is 
a  challenging '^  of,  and  a  bold  pleading  against  him  upon  whose 
shoulder  the  government  is,  (Isa.  xxii.  22.)  The  Father  hath  put 
a  glorious  trust  upon  Christ;  (ver.  23,)  "And  I  will  fasten  him  as 
a  nail  in  a  sure  place,  and  he  shall  be  for  a  glorious  throne  to  his 
Father's  house,  (ver.  24,)  "  And  they  shall  hang  upon  him  all  the 
glory  of  his  Father's  house,  the  offspring  and  the  issue,  all  vessels 
of  small  quantity ;  from  the  vessels  of  cups  even  to  all  the  vessels 
of  flagons."  Our  unbelieving  apprehensions  do  so  quarrel  at  the 
'  Refreshing.  2  Accusing. 


Rutherford's  letters.  527 

prosperity  of  enemies  in  an  evil  cause,  that  we  wrestle  with  de- 
feats, spoiling,  captivity  of  the  godly,  killing  of  his  people,  the 
wasting  of  our  land,  starving  and  famishing  of  the  kingdom, 
which  is  worse  than  the  sword  ;  but  this  is  a  sinful  contradicting 
of  the  Lord's  revealed  decree.  His  wisdom  saith,  "  Spoiling  and 
desolation  is  best  for  Scotland,"  and  we  say,  "  Not ;"  and  so  accuse 
Christ  of  misgovernment,  and  of  not  being  true  to  the  trust  put 
upon  him.  But  since  he  doth  not  drag  the  government  at  his 
heels,  but  hath  it  upon  his  shoulder;  and  since  the  Nail  fastened 
in  a  sure  place  cannot  be  broken,  nor  can  the  smallest  vessel  fail 
to  find  sweet  security  in  dependence  upon  him ;  since  all  the 
weight  of  Heaven  and  earth,  of  redeemed  saints  and  confirmed 
angels  is  upon  his  shoulder,  I  am  a  fool,  and  brutish  to  imagine, 
that  I  can  add  anything  to  Christ's  special  care  of,  and  tenderness 
to  his  people.  He  who  keepeth  the  basins  and  knives  of  his 
house,  and  bringeth  the  vessels  again  to  the  Second  Temple, 
(Ezra  i.  8,  9,  10,)  must  have  a  more  tender  care  of  his  redeemed 
ones,  than  of  a  spoon,  or  of  Peter's  old  shoes,  which  yet  must  not 
be  lost  in  his  captivity,  (Acts  xii.  8.)  Oh,  for  grace  to  suffer  Christ 
to  tutor  his  own  minors  and  young  heirs !  But  we  cannot  endure 
to  be  under  the  actings  of  his  government ;  we  love  too  much  to 
be  our  own.  Oh,  how  sweet  to  be  wholly  Christ's,  and  wholly  in 
Christ !  to  be  out  of  the  creature's  owning,  and  made  complete  in 
Christ ;  to  live  by  faith  in  Christ;  and  to  be  once  for  all  clothed 
with  the  created  majesty  and  glory  of  the  Son  of  God,  wherein  he 
maketh  all  his  friends  and  followers  sharers ;  to  dwell  in  Immanuel's 
high  and  blessed  land,  and  live  in  that  sweetest  air,  where  no  wind 
bloweth,  but  the  breathings  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  no  seas  nor  floods 
flow,  but  the  pure  waters  of  life,  that  proceedeth  from  under  tlie 
throne,  and  from  the  Lamb ;  no  planting,  but  the  Tree  of  life, 
that  yieldeth  twelve  manner  of  fruits  every  month  !  What  do  we 
here  but  sin  and  suffer?  Oh,  when  shall  the  nights  be  gone,  the 
sliadows  flee  away,  and  the  morning  of  that  long,  long  day,  with- 
out cloud  or  night,  dawn  !  The  Spirit  and  the  bride  say,  *'  Come." 
Oh,  when  shall  the  Lamb's  wife  be  ready,  and  the  Bridegroom 
say,  "  Come  1" 

Worthy  sir,  I  mind  you  to  the  Hearer  of  prayer ;  Oh,  help  me 
in  that  kind ! 

The  Spirit  of  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 

Yours,  in  his  only,  only  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  May  14,  1651. 


LETTER  CCCXXIX. 


TO    THE    WORTHY,  AND    MUCH    HONORED    COL.  GILBERT    KER. 

Much  honored,  and  worthy  Sir, — I  know  not  why  the  peo- 
ple of  God  should  not  take  notice  of  the  bonds  of  any  who  have 
blood  in  readiness  to  be  let  out  for  his  cause  ;  and  I  judge  it  was 


528  Rutherford's  letters. 

not  you,  that  ye  died  not  in  the  undecided  controversy  which  the 
Lord  of  the  whole  earth  hath  with  the  men  whom  he  liath  sent 
against  us. 

Dear,  and  much  honored  in  the  Lord,  let  me  entreat  you  to  be 
far  from  the  thoughts  of  leaving  this  land, — I  see  it,  and  find  •  it, 
that  the  Lord  hath  covered  the  whole  land  witli  a  cloud  in  his 
anger :  but  though  I  have  been  tempted  to  the  like,  I  had  rather 
be  in  Scotland,  beside  angry  Jesus  Christ,  knowing  that  he  mindeth 
no  evil  to  us,  than  in  any  Eden  or  garden  in  the  earth, — if  we  can 
remain  united  with  the  Lord's  remnant  in  the  land.  He  layeth 
up  wrath  for  all  sorts  of  adversaries  in  Britain.  Though  I  should 
never  see  the  glory  of  bis  glistering  sword  in  Britain,.!  would  be 
solaced  in  the  innocent  thouglits,  (far  from  revenge,)  that  the  saints 
shall  dip  their  feet  in  the  blood  of  the  slain  of  the  Lord.  And 
trul}^,  sir,  I  suppose  that  ye  cannot  but  come  to  these  thoughts  and 
weak  desires  before  the  Hearer  of  pra3^ers,  for  as  little  as  ye  think 
of  and  value  yourself.  For  me,  if  I  could  mind  you  in  your  bonds, 
I  purpose  not  to  stand  to  the  account  ye  give,  or  thoughts  ye  have 
of  yourself;  though  I  knew  ye  are  not  a  whit  more  or  less  before 
Him  who  weigheth  his  own  according  to  the  weight  of  imputed 
righteousness,  for  my  apprehensions.  Christ  cannot  mistake 
you, — men  may — and  the  calculation  and  esteem  of  free  grace 
maketh  you  to  be  what  you  are.  I  hope  to  see  you  an  everlast- 
ingly obliged  debtor  to  Him  whom  ye  shall  praise,  but  never  pay. 
And  truly  ye  have  no  riches  but  that  debt;  and  I  know  that  ye 
love  to  be  engaged  to  Jesus  Christ,  the  most  excellent  of  creditors  : 
much  joy  and  sweetness  may  3^e  have  in  standing  written  in  his 
book.  I  desire  to  do  it  myself,  and  I  would  have  you  also  highly 
to  esteem  the  design  of  Christ,  who  hath  raised  the  riches  of  the 
glory  of  so  much  grace  above  the  circle  of  the  Heaven  of  heavens, 
out  of  very  nothings :  and  contrived  his  thoughts  of  love  so,  that 
lumps  of  glorified  clay  should  stand  before  him,  for  all  ages,  the 
burdens  and  loaden  debtors  of  free,  eternally  free  grace.  Sir,  ye 
cannot  cast  the  count  of  the  rents  of  your  so  great  inheritance  of 
glory.     Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  servant,  in  his  own  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Edinburgh,  May  18,  1G51. 


LETTER  CCCXXX. 

TO     MY     LADY     KENMURE. 


Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — We  are  fallen  in 
winnowing  and  trying  times.  I  am  glad  that  your  breath  serveth 
you  to  run  to  the  end,  in  the  same  condition  and  wav  wherein  ye 
have  walked  these  twenty  years  past :  it  is  either  the  way  of  peace, 
or  we  are  yet  in  our  sins,  and  have  missed  the  way.     The  Lord, 

1  Feel. 


Rutherford's  letters.  529 

it  is  true,  hath  stained  the  pride  of  all  our  glory ;  and  now,  last  of 
all,  the  sun  hath  gone  down  upon  many  of  the  prophets :  but 
stumble  not,  men  are  but  men,  and  God  appeareth  more  and  more 
to  be  God,  and  Christ  is  still  Christ. 

Madam,  a  stronger  than  I  am,  had  almost  stumbled  me  and 
cast  me  down ;  but,  oh,  what  mercy  is  it,  to  discern  between  what 
is  Christ's  and  what  is  man's,  and  what  way  the  hue,  color,  and 
lustre  of  gifts  of  grace  dazzle  and  deceive  our  weak  eyes  !  Oh,  to 
be  dead  to  all  things  that  are  below  Christ,  were  it  even  a  created 
heaven  and  created  grace !  Holiness  is  not  Christ ;  nor  are  the 
blossoms  and  flowers  of  the  Tree  of  life  the  tree  itself  Men  and 
creatures  may  wind  themselves  between  us  and  Christ ;  and, 
therefore,  the  Lord  hath  done  much  to  take  out  of  the  way  all 
betwixt  him  and  us.  There  are  not  in  our  way  now  kings,  nor 
armies,  nor  nobles,  nor  judicatories,  nor  strongholds,  nor  watch- 
men, nor  godly  professors.  The  fairest  things,  and  most  eminent 
in  Britain,  are  stained,  and  have  lost  their  lustre  ;  only,  only  Christ 
keepeth  his  greenness  and  beauty,  and  remaineth  what  he  was. 
Oh  !  if  he  were  more  and  more  excellent  to  our  apprehensions  than 
ever  he  was,  (whose  excellency  is  above  all  apprehensions,)  and 
Btill  more  and  more  sweet  to  our  taste.  I  care  for  nothing,  if  so  be 
that  I  were  nearer  to  him  ;  and  yet  he  fleeth  not  from  me  ;  I  flee 
from  him,  but  he  pursueth.  I  hear  that  your  Ladyship  hath  the 
same  esteem  of  the  despised  Cause  and  Covenant  of  our  Lord,  that 
ye  had  before.  Madam,  hold  you  there.  I  dare  and  would  gladly 
breathe  out  my  spirit  in  that  way,  with  a  nearer  communion  and 
fellowship  with  the  Father  and  the  Son,  and  would  seek  no  more, 
but  that  I  might  die  believing:  and  also  I  would  hope,  that  the 
earth  should  not  cover  the  blood  of  the  godly  slain  in  Scotland  ; 
but  that  the  Lord  will  make  inquisition  for  their  blood,  when  the 
suflferings  of  the  saints  in  these  lands  shall  be  fulfilled. 

Tho  good-will  of  Him  that  dwelt  in  the  bush  be  with  you. 
Your  Ladyship's, 
At  all  observance,  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R, 

Glasgow,  Sept.  28,  1651. 


LETTER  CCCXXXI. 


FOR   THE    RIGHT    HONORABLE,    AND    CHRISTIAN    LADY,    THE 
LADY    KENMURE. 

Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — The  Lord  is 
gracious  who  keepeth  your  Ladyship  in  the  furnace,  when  many 
put  out  their  hand  to  iniquity  one  way  or  other.  We  are  now 
shouldering  and  casting  down  one  another  in  the  dark,  and  the 
godly  are  hidden  from  the  godly.  We  make  our  own  chains  heav- 
ier by  joining  with  the  Lord's  enemies  ;  hence  new  sufferings  to 
all  that  dare  not  say  a  confederacy  to  those  to  whom  this  people 

34 


530  Rutherford's  letters. 

say  a  confederacy,  nor  fear  their  fear.  As  that  is  my  exercise 
now,  who  am  not  very  far  from  being  my  lone,' — though  I  know 
in  Whom  I  have  beheved,  at  least,  I  should  know, — in  this  place ; 
so  I  am  afraid  that  the  godly  there  comply  with  those  declared 
enemies  of  God.  It  will  be  our  strength  to  walk  between  enemies 
and  Malignants  on  either  side.  This  is  the  day  of  Jacob's  trouble, 
yet  these  dry  bones  can,  and  must  live.  I  know  not  if  I  shall  see 
it,  but  I  hope  to  take  this  quietness  and  silence  of  faith,  in  the 
midst  of  the  noises  of  the  alarm  for  war,  to  the  grave  with  me, 
that  the  Lord  will  build  upon  the  Church  of  Britain  and  Ireland 
a  palace  of  silver,  inclosed  with  boards  of  cedar. 

Dear  madam,  faint  not,  the  night  is  almost  gone  ;  for  the  vision 
is  yet  for  an  appointed  time,  but  at  the  end  it  shall  speak,  and  not 
lie ;  though  it  tarry,  wait  for  it,  because  it  will  surely  come,  and 
not  tarry.  Madam,  weary  not ;  none  can  outbid  your  lodging  in 
Heaven  ;  there  is  more  given  for  it  by  Him  who  hath  bespoken  it 
for  Jean  Campbell,  and  taken  it  for  her,  than  any  can  offer : — the 
ransom  of  blood  standeth. 

My  wife  remembereth  her  respects  to  your  Ladyship.  The 
child  is  well.     Mrs.  Gillespie  is  well,  we  hear,  but  is  not  here. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  his  own  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  Jan.  28,  1653. 


LETTER  CCCXXXII. 

FOR      GRIZZEL      FULLERTON. 

Mistress, — Remembering  well  what  relation  I  had  to  your 
dear  mother,  (now  blessed  and  perfected  with  glory,)  and  being 
confident  that  yourself  looketh  that  way,  which,  except  I  be  eter- 
nally lost,  is  the  way  of  peace  and  of  life ;  I  should  be  ungrateful 
to  forget  those,  whom,  by  the  covenant  of  the  Lord,  1  cannot  but 
remember  to  God. 

I  shall  speak  nothing  to  you  of  the  present  sad  di-fferences  ;  but 
if  I  have,  or  ever  had,  any  nearness  to  God,  that  other  way,  which 
I  trust  I  shall  never  follow,  is  the  way  of  man.  And,  for  the 
present  powers,  I  suffer  from  them,  and  look  for  more.  God  hath 
a  controversy  with  them  ;  and,  my  soul,  enter  not  into  their 
secrets.  Only,  I  would  beseech,  request,  and  obtest  you,  in  the 
Lord,  and  by  your  appearance  before  Christ,  to  follow  the  way  of 
the  Lord,  and  the  steps  trod  by  the  gracious  in  that  place,  which 
the  Lord  followed  with  life  and  power.  My  heart  is  filled  with 
sorrow,  considering  what  communion  with  God  some  of  that 
country  had,  and  how  much  they  were  in  edifying  and  helping 
one  another  in  his  way,  and  how  little  of  that  there  is  now  in  that 
country.  Your  mother  kept-in^  life  in  that  place,  and  quickened 
»  By  myself  alone.  a  Preserved. 


^      Rutherford's  letters.  531 

many  about  her  to  the  seeking  of  God.  My  desire  to  you  is,  that 
ye  should  succeed  her  in  that  way,  and  be  letting-  a  word  fall  to 
your  brethren  and  others,  that  may  encourage  them  to  look 
toward  the  way  of  God  : — you  will  have  need  of  it  ere  it  be  long-. 
See  how  you  may  have  a  gracious  minister,  and  no  neutral  there, 
to  succeed  and  follow  the  servant  of  God,  now  asleep  in  the  Lord. 
There  is  a  great  and  wide  difference  between  a  name  of  godliness, 
and  the  power  of  godliness :  that  is  hottest  when  there  are  fewest 
witnesses.  The  deadness  upon  many,  and  the  defection  of  the 
land,  is  great.     Blessed  are  they  who  seek  the  Lord  and  his  face. 

I  shall  entreat  you  to  remember  me  to  your  husband,  and  all 
friends.     I  desire  to  forget  none  who  are  in  Christ. 

Your  brother,  in  the  Lord,  S.  R. 

Edinburgh,  March  14,  1653. 


LETTER  CCCXXXin. 


TO     MY     LADY     KENMURE. 


Madam, — Grace,  mercy,  and  peace  be  to  you. — I  know  that  ye 
think  of  an  out-going,  and  that  your  quartering  in  time,  and  your 
abode  in  this  life,  is  short ;  "  for  we  flee  away  as  a  shadow."  The 
decHning  of  the  sun,  and  the  lengthening  of  the  shadow,  say  that 
our  journey  is  short  and  near  the  end.  I  speak  it,  because  I  have 
warnings  of  my  removal.  Madam,  I  know  not  any  against  whom 
the  Lord  is  not:  for  he  is  against  "the  proud  and  lofty;  the  day 
of  the  Lord  is  upon  all  the  cedars,  upon  all  the  high  mountains, 
upon  every  high  tower,  and  upon  every  fenced  wall,  upon  all  the 
ships  of  Tarshish,  and  upon  all  pleasant  pictures."  I  know  not 
anything  comparable  to  a  nearness  and  spiritual  communion  with 
the  Father  and  the  Son  Christ.  There  is  much  deadness  and 
witlieredness  upon  many  spirits,  sometimes  near  to  God  ;  and  I 
wish  the  Lord  have  not  more  to  say  and  to  do  against  the  land. 

Ye  have,  madam,  in  your  accounts,  mercies,  deliverances,  rods, 
warnings,  plenty  of  means,  consolations  when  refuge  failed,  when 
ye  looked  on  the  right  hand  and  behold  no  man  would  know  you 
nor  care  for  your  soul,  when  young  and  weak  manifestations  of 
God,  the  out-goings  of  the  Lord  for  you,  experiences,  answers  from 
the  Lord  ;  by  all  which,  ye  may  be  comforted  now,  and  confirmed 
in  the  certain  hope,  that  grace,  free  grace,  in  a  fixed  and  established 
suiety,  shall  perfect  that  good  work  in  you.  Happy  they  who  see 
not  and  yet  believe. 

Grace,  grace  eternally  in  our  Lord  Jesus  be  with  you. 

Yojus,  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

Edinburgh,  May  27,  1653. 


532  Rutherford's  letters. 


LETTER  CCCXXXIV. 

FOR    THE    RIGHT    HONORABLE,    AND    TRULY    WORTHY    GILBERT 

KER. 

Much  honored  in  the  Lord, — How  it  is  with  you,  may 
appear  by  your  letters  to  some  with  us :  but  it  is  the  complaint  of 
not  a  few  of  such,  as  were  in  Christ  before  me,  that  most  of  us 
inhabit  and  dwell  in  a  parched  land.  The  people  of  the  Lord  are 
like  a  land  not  rained  upon.  Though  some  dare  not  deny  that 
this  is  the  garden  of  the  Beloved,  and  the  vineyard  that  the  Lord 
doth  keep,  and  water  every  moment ;  yet,  oh,  where  are  the  some- 
times' quickening  breathings  and  influences  from  Heaven,  that 
have  refreshed  his  hidden  ones?  The  causes  of  his  withdrawings 
are  unknown  to  us.  One  thing  cannot  be  denied,  but  that  ways 
of  high  sovereignty,  and  dominion  of  grace,  are  far  out  of  the 
sight  of  angels  and  men  ;  yea,  and  so  above  the  fixed  way  of  free 
promises,  such  as,  "  This  do,  and  he  shall  breathe  and  blow  upon 
his  garden  ;"  as  he  hath  put  forth  a  declaration  to  his  hidden  ones 
in  Scotland,  that  smarting,  wrestlings,  prayings,  complaining, 
gracious  missing,  cannot  earn  the  visits  from  on  high,  nor  fetch 
down  showers  upon  the  desert.  It  may  be,  when  we  are  saying 
in  our  graves,  "  Our  bones  are  dry,  and  our  hope  gone,"  that  tem- 
poral and  spiritual  deliverance  may  come  both  together ;  and  that 
he  will  cause  us  feel,  both  the  one  way  and  the  other,  the  good  of 
His  reign  who  shortly  cometh  to  the  throne  ;  (Psal.  Ixxii.  6,)  "  He 
shall  come  down  like  rain  upon  the  mown  grass ;  as  showers  that 
water  the  earth."  (Ver.  7,)  "  In  his  days  shall  the  righteous  flour- 
ish; and  abundance  of  peace,  so  long  as  the  moon  endureth." 
(Ver.  12,)  "  He  shall  deliver  the  needy  when  he  crieth,  and  the 
poor  also,  and  him  that  hath  no  helper."  (Ver.  14,)  "  He  shall 
redeem  their  soul  from  deceit  and  violence  ;  and  precious  shall  their 
blood  be  in  his  sight."  And  though  we  cannot  pray  home  a  sweet 
season  that  way,  yet  Christ  must  bring  summer  with  him  when 
he  cometh.  (Ver.  16,)  "  There  shall  be  an  handful  of  corn  in 
the  earth  upon  the  top  of  the  mountains  ;  the  fruit  thereof  shall 
shake  like  Lebanon."  I  know  not  if  I  apply  prophecies  as  I  would, 
rather  than  as  they  are.  When  the  one  Shepherd  is  set  over  them, 
even  He  who  shall  stand, — Oh,  how  much  do  we  lie,— and  feed  in 
the  strength  of  the  Lord,  the  isles, — and  this  the  greatest  of  them, 
— which  wait  for  his  law,  are  to  look  for  that,  (Ezek.  xxxiv.  26,) 
"  And  I  will  make  them,  and  the  places  round  about  my  hill,  a 
blessing  ;  and  I  will  cause  the  shower  to  come  down  in  his  season  : 
there  shall  be  showers  of  blessing."  How  desirable  must  every 
drop  of  such  a  shower  be  !  And,  (Hos.  xiv.  5,)  "I  will  be  as  the 
dew  to  Israel :  he  shall  grow  as  the  lily,  and  cast  forth  his  roots 
as  Lebanon."   (Ver.  6,)  "  His  branches  shall  spread,  and  his  beauty 

'  Former,  occasional. 


Rutherford's  letters.  533 

shall  be  as  the  olive-tree,  and  his  smell  as  Lebanon,"  And,  (Isaiah 
Iv.  13,)  "  Instead  of  the  thorn  shall  come  up  the  fii-tree,  and  in- 
stead of  the  brier  shall  come  up  the  myrtle-tree  ;  and  it  shall  be 
to  the  Lord  for  a  name,  for  an  everlasting  sign  that  shall  not  be 
cut  off."  (Isaiah  xli.  19,)  "  I  will  plant  in  the  wilderness  the  cedar, 
the  shittah-tree,  and  the  oil-tree."  (Isaiah  xliv.  3,)  "  I  will  pour 
water  upon  him  that  is  thirsty,  and  floods  upon  the  dry  ground : 
I  will  pour  my  Spirit  upon  thy  seed,  and  my  blessing  upon  thine 
offspring,"  And  it  shall  be  no  lost  labor,  nor  fruitless  husbandry  ; 
(ver.  4,)  "  they  shall  spring  up  as  among  the  grass,  as  willows  by 
the  water-courses."  But,  when  this  shall  be  in  Scotland, — and  it 
must  be, — is  better  to  believe  than  prophesy  ;  and  quietly  to  hope 
and  sit  still, — for  that  is  yet  our  strength, — than  to  quarrel  with 
him,  that  the  wheels  of  this  chariot  move  leisurely. 

Yet  this  can  hardly  say  anything  to  us  who  do  so  much  please 
ourselves  in  our  deadness,  and  are  almost  gone  from  godly  thirst 
and  missing  too,  being  half-satisfied  with  our  witheredness.  No 
doubt  we  have  marred  his  influences,  and  have  not  seconded  nor 
smiled  upon  his  actings  upon  us,  nor  have  we  been  much  of  his 
strain  who,  (Psalm  cxix.,)  doth  eight  times  breathe  out  that  suit, 
"duicken  me,  quicken  me."  So  much  are  w^e  desirous  to  be 
acted  upon  by  the  Lord  as  blocks  and  stones ;  and  so  prodigal  are 
we  of  his  motions,  as  if  they  were  no  better  to  be  husbanded :  but 
it  is  good,  that  it  is  not  in  our  power  to  blast  and  undo  his  breath- 
ings ;  but  his  wind  bloweth  where  he  listeth.  Could  we  but  learn 
and  cast  a  quiet  spirit  under  the  dewings  and  showerings  of  Him 
that  every  moment  watereth  his  vineyard,  how  happy  and  blessed 
were  we  !  We  neither  open,  nor  do  we  discern  his  knocking,  nor 
feel  his  hand  put  in  through  the  keyhole,  nor  can  we  give  any 
spiritual  account  of  the  walkings  and  motions  of  Christ,  when  he 
standeth  behind  the  wall,  when  he  cometh  skipping  over  the 
mountains,  when  he  cometh  to  his  garden  and  feasteth,  when  he 
feedeth  among  the  lilies,  when  his  spikenard  casteth  a  smell, 
when  he  knocketh  and  withdraweth,  and  is  nowhere  to  be  found. 
Oh,  how  little  a  portion  of  God  do  we  see  !  How  little  study  we 
God !  how  rarely  read  we  God,  or  are  versed  in  the  lively  appre- 
hensions of  that  great  unknown  All  in  All,  the  glorious  Godhead, 
and  the  Godhead  revealed  in  Christ !  We  dwell  far  from  the 
well,  and  complain  but  dryly  of  our  dryness  and  dulness :  we  are 
rather  dry  than  thirsty. 

Sir,  there  may  be  artificial  pride  in  this  humility ;  but  for  me,  I 
neither  know  what  He  is,  nor  his  Son's  name,  nor  where  he 
dwelleth.  I  hear  a  report  of  Christ  great  enough,  and  that  is  all. 
Oh  !  what  is  nearness  to  him?  what  is  that,  to  be  "in  God,"  to 
"dwell  in  God?"  What  a  house  must  that  be  !  (1  John  iv.  13.) 
How  far  are  some  from  their  house  and  home  ?  how  ill  acquaint ' 
with  the  rooms,  mansions,  safety,  and  sweetness  of  holy  security 
to  be  found  in  God  !  Oh,  what  estrangement !  what  wandering  ! 
what  frequent  conversing  with  self  and  the  creature  !     "  Is  not 

1  Acquainted. 


534  Rutherford's  letters. 

here  the  bed  shorter  than  that  a  man  can  stretch  himself  on  it? 
and  the  covering  narrower  than  that  he  can  wrap  himself  in  it?" 
(Isaiah  xxviii.  20.)  When  shall  we  attain  to  a  Hving  in  only, 
only  God  !  and  be  estranged  from  all  the  poor  created  nothings, 
the  painted  shadow-beings  of  yesterday  ;  which,  an  hour  and  less 
before  creation,  were  dark  waste  negatives,  and  empty  nothings, 
and  should  so  have  been  for  eternity,  had  the  Lord  suffered  them 
to  lie  there  forever  ?  It  is  He,'  the  great  "  He  who  sitteth  upon 
the  circle  of  the  earth,"  (of  the  world,)  "and  the  inhabitants 
thereof  are  as  grasshoppers  ;  that  stretcheth  out  the  Heavens  as 
a  curtain,  and  spreadeth  them  out  as  a  tent  to  dwell  in ;  that 
bringeth  the  princes  to  nothing,  and  maketh  the  judges  of  the 
earth  as  vanity."  (Isaiah  xl.  22,  23.)  And  He,  the  only  He,  and 
there  is  no  He  beside  him.  (Isaiah  xliii.  10,  II,  and  xlv.  5.)  Men 
or  angels  ! — they  are  not  any  of  them  a  he  to  him :  but  a  living, 
breathing,  dying  nothing  is  man  at  his  best,  a  sick  clay-vanity  ; 
and  the  angel  to  him  but  a  more  excellent,  living,  and  under- 
standing nothing.  Yet  we  live  at  a  distance  from  him,  and  we 
die  and  wither,  when  we  are  out  of  God,  Oh,  if*  we  knew  how 
nothing  we  are  without  him. 

Sir,  we  desire  to  mind  your  bonds ;  and  are  cheered  and  re- 
freshed, that  we  hear  of  any  of  his  manifestations,  and  his  out- 
goings, which  are  prepared  as  the  morning  to  you.  We  hope, 
nor  need  we  desire  you  not  to  faint,  and  are  confident  that  the 
anointing  that  abideth  in  you,  teacheth  you  so  much.  Wait  upon 
the  speaking  vision  :  "  behold  he  cometh,  behold  his  reward  is 
with  him,  and  his  work  before  him." 

The  only  wise  God  strengthen  you  with  all  might,  according 
to  his  glorious  power,  unto  all  patience  and  long-suffering  with 
joyfulness. 

Yours  at  all  observance,  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  July,  1653. 


LETTER   CCCXXXV. 

FOR     MR.     JOHN     SCOTT,     AT     OXNAM. 

Reverend,  and  dear  Brother, — No  man  oweth  more  to 
the  church  of  God  with  you,  than  poor  and  wretched  I :  but  when 
weakness  of  body,  and  the  Lord  by  it,  did  forbid  to  undertake  a 
lesser  journey  to  Edinburgh,  I  am  forbidden  far  more  to  journey 
thither;  and  believe  it,  nothing  besides  this  doth  hinder.  I  am 
unable  to  overtake  what  the  Lord  hath  laid  upon  me  here  ;  and, 
therefore,  I  desire  to  submit  to  sovereignty,  and  must  be  silent.  If 
my  prayers  and  best  desires  to  the  Lord  could  contribute  anything 
for  promoting  of  his  work,  my  soul's  desire  is,  that  the  wilderness, 
and  that  place  to  which  I  owe  my  first  breathing,  in  which  I  fear 

'  He  is  often  used,  in  the  Scottish  dialect,  as  vsn  in  Hebrew,  as  a  name  of  God. 
2  That. 


Rutherford's  letters.  535 

Christ  was  scarce  named  as  touching  any  leahty  or  power  of  god- 
Uness,  may  blossom  as  a  rose. 

So  desiring  and  praying  that  his  name  may  be  great  among 
you  ;  and  entreating  that  you  may  beUeve  that  the  names  of  the 
Lord's  adversaries  sliall  be  written  in  the  earth,  and  that  whoso 
will  not  come  up  of  all  the  families  of  the  earth  unto  Jerusalem, 
to  worship  the  King,  the  Lord  of  hosts,  even  upon  them  shall  be 
no  rain  ;  and  that  the  Lord  will  create  glory  upon  every  assembly 
in  Mount  Zion  ;  I  rest 

Your  own  brother,  in  the  Lord,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  June  15,  1G55. 


LETTER  CCCXXXVL 

TO     MY     LADY     KENMURE. 


Madam, — I  have  been  so  long  silent,  that  I  am  almost  ashamed 
now  to  speak.  I  hear  of  your  weakly  condition  of  body,  which 
speaketh  some  warning  to  you,  to  look  for  a  longer  life,  where  ye 
shall  have  more  leisure  to  praise  than  time  can  give  you  here.  It 
shall  be  loss  to  many  :  but  sure,  yourself,  madam,  shall  be  only  ' 
free  of  any  loss.  And  truly,  considering  what  days  we  are  now 
fallen  into,  if  sailing  were  not  serving  of  the  Lord,  (which  I  can 
hardly  attain  to,)  a  calm  harbor  were  very  good,  when  storms  are 
so  high.  The  Forerunner,  who  hath  landed  first,  must  help  to 
bring  the  sea-beaten  vessel  safe  to  the  port,  and  the  sick  passen- 
gers who  are  following  the  Forerunner,  safe  ashore.  Much  dead- 
ness  prevaileth  over  some  ;  but  there  is  much  life  in  Him  who  is 
the  Resurrection  and  the  Life,  to  quicken.  Oh,  what  of  our  hid 
Ufe  is  without  us,  and  how  little  and  poor  a  stock  is  in  the  hand 
of  some  !  Tho  only  wise  God  supply  what  is  wanting.  The 
more  ye  want,  and  the  more  your  joy  hath  run  on,  the  more  is 
owing  to  you  by  the  promise  of  grace.  Bygones  ^  of  waterings 
from  Heaven,  which  your  Ladyship  wanted  in  Kenmure,  Rusco, 
the  West,  Glasgow,  Edinburgh,  England,  etc.,  shall  all  come  in  a 
great  sum  together: — the  marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb  must  not 
be  marred  with  too  large  a  four-hours'^  refreshment.  Know, 
madam,  that  He  who  hath  tutored  you  from  the  breasts,  knoweth 
how  to  time  his  own  day-shinings,  and  love-visits. 

Grace,  that  runneth  on,  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  the  Lord,  at  all  observance,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's. 

1  Altogether.  2  By-passed  instances.  ^  Slight  afternoon's. 


536  Rutherford's  letters. 

LETTER  CCCXXXVII. 

TO      MY     LADY      KENMURE. 

Madam, — I  confess  tbat  I  have  cause  to  be  grieved  at  my  long 
silence,  or  laziness  in  writing.  I  am  also  afflicted  to  hear,  that 
such  who  were  debtors  to  your  Ladyship  for  better  dealing,  have 
served  you  with  such  prevarication.  Ye  know  that  crookedness 
is  neither  strong  nor  long  enduring;  and  ye  know  likewise,  that 
these  things  spring  not  out  of  the  dust.  It  is  sweet  to  look  upon 
the  lawless  and  sinful  stirrings  of  the  creatures,  as  ordered  by  a 
most  holy  Hand  in  Heaven.  Oh,  if'  some  could  make  peace  with 
God  !  It  would  be  our  wisdom,  and  afford  us  much  sweet  peace, 
if  oppressors  were  looked  upon  as  passive  instruments,  like  the 
saw  or  axe  in  the  carpenter's  hand  :  they  are  bidden,  (if  such  a  dis- 
tinction may  be  admitted,)  but  not  commanded  of  God,  (as  Shimei 
was,  2  Sam.  xvi.  10,)  to  do  what  they  do. 

Madam,  these  many  years  the  Lord  hath  been  teaching  you  to 
read  and  study  well  the  book  of  holy,  holy  and  spotless  sove- 
reignty, in  suffering  from  some  nigh-hand,^  and  some  far  off. 
Whoever  be  the  instruments,  the  replying  of  clay  to  the  Potter, 
the  Former  of  all,  is  unbeseeming  the  nothing-creature  :  I  hope 
that  he  will  clear  you  :  but,  when  Zion's  public  evils  lie  not  nigh 
some  of  us,  and  leave  no  impression  upon  our  hearts,  it  is  no  won- 
der that  we  be  exercised  with  domestic  troubles  : — but  I  know  that 
ye  are  taught  of  God  to  prefer  Jerusalem  to  your  chiefest  joy. 
Madam,  there  is  no  cause  of  fainting :  wait  upon  the  not-tarrying 
vision,  for  it  will  speak. 

The  only  wise  God  be  with  you,  and  God,  even  your  own  God, 
bless  you. 

Yours,  at  all  observance  in  God,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  June,  1657. 


LETTER  CCCXXXVIII. 


TO     MY     LADY     KENMURE 


Madam, — I  should  not  forget  you ;  but  my  deadness  under  a 
threatening  stroke,  both  of  a  falling  Church,  a  broken  Covenant,  a 
despised  Remnant,  and  craziness  of  body,  that  I  cannot  get  a  piece 
sickly  clay  carried  about  from  one  house  or  town  to  another,  lieth 
most  heavy  on  me.  The  Lord  hath  removed  Scotland's  crown, 
for  we  owned  not  his  crown.  We  fretted  at  his  catholic  govern- 
ment of  the  world,  and  fretted  that  he  would  not  be  ruled  and  led 
by  us,  in  breaking  our  adversaries :   and  he  maketh  us  to  suffer 

1  Oh,  that.  2  Near  at  hand. 


Rutherford's  letters.  537 

and  pine  away  in  our  iniquities,  under  the  broken  government  of 
his  house.  It  is  Hke  that  it  would  be  our  snare,  to  be  tried  with 
the  honor  of  a  peaceable  reformation  ;  we  might  mar  the  carved 
work  of  his  house,  worse  than  those  against  whom  we  cry  out. 
It  is  like  that  he  hath  bidden  us  lie  on  our  left-side  three  hundred 
and  ninety  days  ;  ^  and  yet,  so  astonishing  is  our  stupidity,  that  we 
moan  not  our  sore  side.  Our  gold  is  become  dim,  the  visage  of 
our  Nazarites  is  become  black,  the  sun  is  gone  down  on  our  seers, 
the  crown  is  fallen  from  our  head,  we  roar  like  bears.  Lord  save 
us  from  that,  "  He  that  made  them  will  not  have  mercy  on  them." 
The  heart  of  the  scribe  meditateth  terror.  Oh,  madam,  if '^  the 
Lord  would  help  us  to  more  self-judging,  and  to  make  sure  an 
interest  in  Christ !  Ah,  we  forget  eternity,  and  it  approacheth 
quickly. 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  Ladyship's,  at  all  obedience  in  the  Lord,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  Nov.  20,  1657. 


LETTER  CCCXXXIX. 


FOR    MR.     JOHN     SCOTT,     AT     O  X  N  A  M . 

Reverend,  and  dear  Brother, — I  saw  from  C.  K.  a  testi- 
mony of  your  presbytery  against  toleration,  in  which  ye  have  been 
instrumental :  the  Lord  give  strength  to  do  more.  I  think  it  both 
rare  and  necessary,  and  would  account  it  a  great  mercy,  if  there 
were  an  addition  of  a  postscript  from  divers  ministers  and  elders, 
out  of  all  the  shires  of  Scotland :  it  is  really  the  mind  of  all  the 
godly  and  tender  in  this  land.  It  is  believed  by  some,  that  the 
protesting  party  hath  quite  given  over  the  cause.  I  hope  it  is  not 
so ;  but  the  Lord  shall  be  yet  victorious  in  his  most  despised  ones. 
Our  darkness  is  great  and  thick,  and  there  is  much  deadness ;  yet 
the  Lord  will  be  our  light. 

Thus  recommending  you  to  His  grace  whose  ye  are,  I  am, 

Your  own  brother,  in  the  Lord,  S.  R. 

St,  Andrew's,  April  2,  1658. 


LETTER   CCCXL. 

FOR      MR.     JOHN     SCOTT,     AT     OXNAM. 

Dear  Brother, — Faint  not;  but  be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and 
in  the  power  of  his  might.  I  look  on  it  as  a  rich  mercy,  that  the 
Lord  is  with  you,  strengthening  you  to  quicken  fainters,  to  warm 
and  warn  any  that  are  cold  or  dead,  or  who  deaden  others  ;  believe 
that  it  will  be  your  peace  in  the  end.  The  times  are  sad  ;  yet  I 
persuade  myself  that  the  vision  will  not  tarry,  but  will  speak. 

1  Ezek.  iv.  2  That. 


538  Rutherford's  letters. 

The  Lord  will  loose  our  captive-bonds.  Oh,  blessed  he,  though 
alone,  who  is  found  fast  and  constant  for  the  desirable  interest  of 
Christ. 

My  Jiunible  advice  would  be,  that  you  see  to  the  placing  of  the 
deacon  and  the  ruling  elder,  or  to  anything  that  may  weaken  the 
discipline.  Our  Second  Book  of  Discipline  should  be  needed  ;  ses- 
sions purged.  Oh  !  catechizing  and  personal  visiting,  and  speak- 
ing to  them  sigillatim^  concerning  their  interest  in  Christ,  and  a-^ 
state  of  conversion,  is  little  in  practice.  The  practice  of  family 
fasts  is  scarce  known  to  be  an  ordinance  of  God.  It  were  good  that 
ye  should  confer  with  godly  brethren  in  private,  concerning  the 
promoting  of  godliness,  concerning  Christian  conference,  and 
praying  together,  worshipping  of  God  in  families,  and  solitary 
fasts. 

To  His  grace  who  can  direct,  quicken,  and  strengthen  you,  I 
commend  you,  and  am 

Your  loving  brother,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,    • 


LETTER  CCCXLL 


TO    MR.    JAMES    DURHAM,    MINISTER    OF    THE    GOSPEL    AT 
GLASGOW,    SOME    FEW    DAYS    BEFORE    HIS    DEATH. 

Sir, — I  would  ere  now  have  written  to  you,  had  I  not  known 
that  your  health,  weaker  and  weaker,  could  scarce  permit  you  to 
hear  or  read.  I  need  not  speak  much ;  tfie  way  ye  know,  and 
have  preached  to  others  the  skill  of  the  Guide,  and  the  glory  of  the 
home  beyond  death.  And  when  he  saith,  "  Come  and  see,"  it  will 
be  your  gain  to  obey,  and  go  out  and  meet  the  Bridegroom.  What 
accession  is  made  to  the  higher  house  of  his  Kingdom  should  not 
be  our  loss,  though  it  be  real  loss  to  the  Church  of  God  :  but  we 
count  one  way,  and  the  Lord  counteth  another  way.  He  is  infal- 
lible and  the  only  wise  God,  and  needeth  none  of  us.  Had  he 
needed  the  staying  in  the  body  of  Moses  and  the  prophets,  he 
could  have  taken  another  way.  Who  dare  bid  you  cast  your 
thoughts  back  on  wife  or  children,  when  he  hath  said,  "Leave 
them  to  me,  and  come  up  hither?"  Or  who  can  persuade  you  to 
die  or  live,  as  if  that  were  arbitrary  to  us,  and  not  His  alone  who 
hath  determined  the  number  of  your  months?  If  so  it  seem  good 
to  him,  follow  your  Forerunner  and  Guide.  It  is  an  unknown 
land  to  you,  who  were  never  there  before  ;  but  the  land  is  good, 
and  the  company  before  the  throne  desirable,  and  He  who  sitteth 
on  the  throne  is  his  lone^  a  sufficient  heaven. 

Grace,  grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  the  Lord,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  June  15,  1658. 
'  Severally,  one  by  one.  2  By  himself  alone. 


Rutherford's  letters.  539 

LETTER    CCCXLII. 

FOR     MR.     JOHN     SCOTT,     AT     O  X  N  A  M  . 

Reverend  and  dear  Brother, — Your  letter  that  came  unto 
me  of  August  2d,  to  be  at  Edinburgh  upon  August  2d,  was 
unknown  to  me  by  the  subscription;  but  since  it  was  written  for 
so  honorable  and  warrantable  a  truth  of  Christ,  as  a  testimony 
against  toleration,  if  my  health  would  have  permitted,  and  my 
daily  menacing  gravel,  I  should  have  come  to  Edinburgh.  What, 
either  counsel,  countenance,  or  clearing,  ye  could  have  had  from 
the  like  of  me,  I  cannot  say,  nor  dare  I  speak  much,  but  with  a 
reserve  of  the  help  of  his  grace.  I  desire  to  desire  and  purpose  by 
strength  from  above,  to  own  that  cause,  and  to  join  with  you  and 
some  in  this  Church,  besides  your  Presbytery,  who  will  own  that 
cause.  Be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his  might. 
This  cloud  will  over; '  could  we  live  by  faith,  and  wait  on  a  speak- 
ing and  a  seemingly  delaying  vision,  the  Lord  will  not  tarry. 

Grace  be  with  you.  Many  are  with  you,  but  there  is  One  who 
is  above  millions. 

Your  own  brother,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  August  8,  1658. 


LETTER  CCCXLIIL 

TO     MY     LADY     KENMURE. 

Madam, — I  am  ashamed  of  my  long  silence  to  your  Ladyship. 
Your  tossings  and  wanderings  are  known  to  Him  upon  whom  ye 
have  been  cast  from  the  breasts,  and  who  hath  been  your  God  of 
old.  The  temporal  loss  of  creatures,  dear  to  you  there,  may  be 
the  more  easily  endured,  that  the  gain  of  One  who  only  hath 
immortality  groweth. 

There  is  an  universal  complaint  of  deadness  of  spirit  on  all  that 
know  God.  He  that  writeth  to  you,  madam,  is  as  deep  in  this  as 
any,  and  is  afraid  of  a  strong  and  hot  battle  before  time  be  at  a 
close : — but  no  matter  if  the  Lord  crown  all  with  the  victorious 
triumphing  of  faith.  God  teacheth  us  by  terrible  things  in  right- 
eousness. We  see  many  things,  but  we  observe  nothing.  Our 
drink  is  sour.  Gray  hairs  are  here  and  there  on  us.  We  change 
many  lords  and  rulers :  but  the  same  bondage  of  soul  and  body 
remaineth.  We  live  little  by  faith,  but  nuich  by  sense,  according 
to  the  times,  and  by  human  polic3\  The  watchmen  sleep,  and 
the  people  perish  for  lack  of  knowledge.  How  can  we  be  enlight- 
ened, when  we  turn  our  back  on  the  Sun?  and,  must  we  not  be 

'  Pass  over. 


640  Rutherford's  letters. 

withered  when  we  leave  the  Fountain  ?  It  should  be  my  only 
desire  to  be  a  minister,  gifted  with  the  white  stone,  and  the  new 
name  written  on  it.  I  judge  it  were  fit,  (now  when  tall  professors, 
and  when  many  stars  fall  from  Heaven,  and  God  poureth  the  isle 
of  Great  Britain  from  vessel  to  vessel,  and  yet  we  sit  and  are 
settled  on  our  lees,)  to  consider,  (as  sometimes  I  do;  but,  ah  ! 
rarely,)  how  irrecoverable  a  woe  it  is  to  be  under  a  beguile '  in  the 
matter  of  eternity :  and  what  if  I,  who  can  have  a  subscribed  tes- 
timonial ^  of  many  who  shall  stand  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
Judge,  shall  miss  Christ's  approving  testimony,  and  be  set  upon 
the  left  hand  among  the  goats?  There  is  such  a  beguile,*  (Matt, 
vii.  22  :  xxv.  8,  9,  10,  11,  12 ;  Luke  xiii.  25,  26,  27.)  And  it  be- 
falleth  many,  and  what  if  it  befall  me  who  have  but  too  much 
art  to  cozen  my  own  soul  and  others  with  the  flourish  of  minis- 
terial or  country  holiness. 

Dear  Lady,  I  am  afraid  of  prevailing  security.  We  watch 
little,  (I  have  relation  mainly  to  myself,)  we  wrestle  little.  I  am 
like  one  travelling  in  the  night  who  seeth  a  spirit,  and  sweateth 
for  fear,  and  dareth  not  to  tell  it  to  his  fellow  for  fear  of  increasing 
his  own  fear.  However,  I  am  sure,  when  the  Master  is  nigh  his 
coming,  it  were  safe  to  write  over  a  double  and  a  new  copy  of  our 
accounts  of  the  sins  of  nature,  childhood,  youth,  riper  years,  and 
old  age.  What  if  Christ  have  another  written  representation  of 
me  than  I  have  of  myself? — sure  he  is  right : — and  if  it  contradict 
my  mistaking  and  sinfully  erroneous  account  of  myself,  ah  ! 
where  am  I  then?  But,  madam,  I  discourage  none  ;  I  know  that 
Christ  hath  made  a  new  marriage-contract  of  love,  and  sealed  it 
with  his  blood,  and  the  trembling  believer  shall  not  be  confounded. 

Grace  be  with  you. 

,Yours,  at  all  obedience,  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  May  26,  1659. 


LETTER   CCCXLIV. 

TO     MY     LADY     KENMURE. 

Madam, — I  should  be  glad  that  the  Lord  would  be  pleased  to 
lengthen  out  more  time  to  you,  that  ye  might,  before  your  eyes  be 
shut,  see  more  of  the  work  of  the  right  hand  of  the  Lord,  in  revi- 
ving  a  now  swooning  and  crushed  Land  and  Church.  Though  I 
was  lately  knocking  at  death's  gate,  yet  could  I  not  get  in,  but 
was  sent  iDack  for  a  time.  It  is  well  if  I  could  yet  do  any  service 
to  Him  ;  but,  ah,  what  deadness  lieth  upon  the  spirit ! — and  dead- 
ness  breedeth  distance  from  God.  Madam,  these  many  years  the 
Lord  hath  let  you  see  a  clear  difference  betwixt  those  who  serve 
God  and  love  his  name,  and  those  who  serve  him  not.  And  I 
judge  that  ye  look  upon  the  way  of  Christ  as  the  only  best  way, 

1  Beguilement,  delusion.  2  Certificate  of  character. 


Rutherford's  letters.  541 

and  that  ye  would  not  exchange  Christ  for  the  world's  god,  or 
their  Mammon,  and  that  ye  can  give  Christ  a  testimony  of  Chief 
among  ten  thousand.  True  it  is,  that  many  of  us  have  fallen 
from  our  first  love ;  but  Clnist  hath  renewed  his  first  love  of  our 
espousals  to  himself,  and  multiplied  the  seekers  of  God,  all  the 
country  over,  even  where  Christ  was  scarce  named,  east  and  west, 
south  and  north,  above  the  number  that  our  fathers  ever  knew. 
But,  ah  !  madam,  what  shall  be  done  or  said  of  many  fallen  stars, 
and  many  near  to  God  complying  wofully,  and  sailing  to  the  near- 
est shore?  Yea,  and  we  are  consumed  in  the  furnace,  but  not 
melted ;  burned,  but  not  purged  ;  our  dross  is  not  removed,  but 
our  scum  remaineth  in  us ;  and  in  the  furnace  we  fret,  we  faint, 
and,  (which  is  more  strange,)  we  slumber.  The  fire  burnetii 
round  about  us,  and  we  lay  it  not  to  heart.  Gray  hairs  are  upon 
us,  and  we  know  it  not. 

It  were  now  a  desirable  life  to  send  away  our  love  to  Heaven ; 
and  well  it  becometh  us  to  wait  for  our  appointed  change,  yet  so 
as  we  should  be  meditating  thus  : — ^"  Is  there  a  new  world  above 
the  sun  and  moon  ?  and  is  there  such  a  blessed  company  harping 
and  singing  hallelujahs  to  the  Lamb  up  above?  Why,  then,  are 
we  taken  with  a  vain  life  of  sighing  and  sinning  ?  Oh,  where  is 
our  wisdom,  that  we  sit  still  laughing,  eating,  sleeping  prisoners, 
and  do  not  pack  up  all  our  best  things  for  the  journey,  desiring 
always  to  be  clothed  with  our  house  from  above,  not  made  with 
hands  !"  Ah  !  we  savor  not  the  things  that  are  above,  nor  do  we 
smell  of  glory  ere  we  come  thither;  but  we  transact  and  agree 
with  time  for  a  new  lease  of  clay-mansions.  Behold  !  He  cometh. 
We  sleep,  and  turn  all  the  work  of  duties  into  dispute  of  events 
for  deliverance  ;  but  the  greatest  haste  to  be  humbled  for  a  broken 
and  a  buried  Covenant  is  first  and  last  forgotten :  and  all  our 
grief  is,  the  Lord  lingereth,  enemies  triumph,  godly  ones  suffer, 
atheists  blaspheme.  Ah!  we  pray  not;  but  wonder  that  Christ 
cometh  not  the  higher  way,  by  might,  by  power,  by  garments 
rolled  in  blood.  Wliat  if  he  come  the  lower  way?  Sure  we  sin 
in  putting  the  book  in  his  hand,  as  if  we  could  teach  the  Almighty 
knowledge.  We  make  haste  ;  we  believe  not.  Let  the  only  wise 
God  alone,  he  steereth  well;  he  draweth  straight  lines,  though  we 
think  and  say  they  are  crooked.  It  is  right  that  some  should  die 
and  their  breasts  full  of  milk  ;  and  yet  we  are  angry  that  God 
dealeth  so  with  them.  Oh,  if  I  could  adore  him  in  his  hidden 
ways,  when  there  is  darkness  under  his  feet,  and  darkness  in  his 
pavilion,  and  clouds  are  about  his  throne  !  Madam,  hoping,  be- 
lieving, patient  praying  is  our  life.     He  loseth  no  time. 

The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 

Yours,  at  all  obliged  observance,  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  Sept.  12,  1659. 

I  Oh,  that. 


542  Rutherford's  letters. 


LETTER  CCCXLV. 

to  his  reverend,  and  dear  brethren,  mr.  guthrie,  mr. 
traill,  and  the  rest  of  their  brethren  imprisoned 
in  the  castle  of  edinburgh. 

Reverend,  very  dear,  and  now  much  honored  Prison- 
ers FOR  Christ, — I  am,  as  to  the  point  of  light,  at  the  utmost 
of  persuasion  in  that  kind,  that  this  is  the  cause  of  Christ  which 
ye  now  suffer  for,  and  not  men's  interest.  If  it  be  for  men,  let  us 
leave  it ;  but  if  we  plead  for  God,  our  own  personal  safety  and 
man's  deliverance  will  not  be  peace.  There  is  a  salvation  called 
"the  salvation  of  God,"  which  is  cleanly,  pure,  spiritual,  unmixed, 
near  to  the  holy  word  of  God  ;  it  is  that  which  we  would  seek, 
even  the  favor  of  God  that  he  beareth  to  his  people ;  not  simple 
gladness,  but  the  gladness  and  goodness  of  the  Lord's  chosen. 
And  sure,  (though  1  be  the  weakest  of  his  witnesses,  and  unworthy 
to  be  among  the  meanest  of  them,  and  am  afraid  that  the  Cause 
be  hurt — but  it  cannot  be  lost — by  my  unbelieving  faintness,)  I 
would  not  desire  a  deliverance,  separated  from  the  deliverance  of 
the  Lord's  cause  and  people.  It  is  enough  to  me  to  sing,  when 
Zion  singeth  ;  and  to  triumph,  when  Christ  triumpheth.  I  should 
judge  it  an  unhappy  joy,  to  rejoice  when  Zion  sigheth.  "  Not  one 
hoof"  '  will  be  your  peace. 

If  Christ  doth  own  me,  let  me  be  in  the  grave  in  a  bloody  wind- 
ing-sheet, and  go  from  the  scaffold  in  four  quarters,  to  grave  or  no 
grave.  I  am  his  debtor  to  seal  with  sufferings  this  precious  truth  ; 
but,  oh  !  when  it  cometh  to  the  push,  I  dare  say  nothing,  consid- 
ering my  weakness,  wickedness,  and  faintness.  But  fear  not  ye. 
Ye  are  not,  ye  shall  not  be  alone,  the  Father  is  with  you.  It  was 
not  an  unseasonable,  but  a  seasonable  and  necessary  duty  ye  were 
about.  Fear  Him  who  is  Sovereign.  Christ  is  Captain  of  the 
castle  and  Lord  of  the  keys.  The  cooling  well-spring,  and  re- 
freshment from  the  promises,  are  more  than  the  frownings  of  the 
furnace.  I  see  snares  and  temptations  in  capitulating,  composing, 
ceding,  minching^  with  distinctions  of  circumstances,  formalities, 
compliments,  and  extenuations  in  the  cause  of  Christ.  A  long 
spoon,  the  broth  is  hell's  hot: 3— hold  a  distance  from  carnal  com- 
positions ;  and  much  nearness  to  the  Fountain,  to  the  favor  and 
refreshing  light  from  the  Father  of  lights  speaking  in  his  oracles; 
— this  is  sound  health  and  salvation.  Angels,  men,  Zion's  elders 
eye  us;  but  what  of  all  these?  Christ  is  by  us,  and  looketh  on 
us,  and  writeth  up  all.  Let  us  pray  more ;  and  look  less  to 
men. 

Remember  me  to  Mr.  Scott,  and  to  all  the  rest.     Blessings  be 

'  Exod.  X.  2G.  2  Mincing. 

3  In  allusion  to  the  Scottish  proverb—"  They  have  need  of  a  loner  spoon  who  sup 
with  the  Devil."  o    »-  r 


Rutherford's  letters.  543 

upon  the  head  of  such  as  are  separated  from  their  brethren.     Jo- 
seph is  a  fruitful  bough  by  a  well. 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Your  loving  brotlier  and  companion  in  the  Kingdom  and  Pa- 
tience of  Jesus  Christ,  •  S.  R. 
St.  Andrew's,  1660. 


LETTER  CCCXLVI. 


Mr.  Rutherford's  Judgment,  sent  to  some  Brethren,  about 
petitioning  His  Majesty  ^  after  his  return,  and  for  owning 
such  as  were  censured  while  about  that  so  necessary  a  duty. 

Reverend,  and  dear  Brethren, — It  is  a  matter  of  difficulty 
to  me  to  write  at  this  distance,  not  having  heard  your  debates.  It 
seemeth  that  the  Lord  calleth  us  to  give  information  to  the  King's 
Majesty  of  affairs.  The  Lord's  admirable  providence,  in  bringing 
him  to  his  throne,  and  laying  aside  others  who  were  enemies  to 
the  cause  and  sworn  Covenant  of  God,  so  that  now  the  govern- 
ment is  in  a  right  line,  is  to  be  adored  ;  and  I  judge,  (without  pre- 
scribing,) that  some  should  be  sent  to  His  Majesty  to  congratulate 
that  providence;  and  that  reason  of  our  being  so  slow  in  sending 
should  be  rendered. 

2.  We  should  write,  not  in  the  name  of  the  Kirk  of  Scotland, 
but  in  the  name  of  a  most  considerable  number  of  godly  ministers, 
elders  and  professors,  who  both  pray  for  the  king,  are  obedient  to 
his  laws,  and  are  under  the  oath  of  God — The  sworn  Reforma- 
tion. 

3.  It  is  better  now,  than  after  sentences  and  trouble,  to  have 
recourse  to  him  who  is  by  place  Parens  PatricB. 

4.  We  should  supphcate  in  all  humility  for  protection,  counte- 
nance, far  more  for  lawful  liberty  to  fear  the  bond  of  the  oath  of 
the  dreadful  and  most  high  Lord  ;  avouching  to  His  Majesty,  that 
the  Lord,  his  holy  name  being  interposed,  will  own  that  Covenant, 
and  bless  His  Majesty  with  a  happy  and  successful  reign,  in  the 
owning  thereof  and  kissing  of  the  Son  of  God.  And  when  the 
Lord  shall  be  pleased  to  grant  that  to  us.  which  concerneth 
religion,  the  beauty  of  his  house,  the  propagating  of  the  Gospel, 
the  government  of  the  Lord's  Kingdom,  without  popery,  prelacy, 
unwritten  traditions  and  ceremonies;  let  His  Majesty  try  our 
loyalty  with  what  commands  he  will  be  pleased  to  lay  on  us,  and 
see  if  we  be  found  rebellious. 

5.  We  should  disclaim  such  as  have  sinfully  complied  with  the 
late  usurpers  ;  produce  our  written  testimonies  against  them  ;  our 
not  accepting  of  offices  and  places  of  trust  from  them  ;  our  testi- 
monies against  their  usurpation,  covenant-breaking,  toleration  of 
all  religions,  corrupt  sectarian  ways,  for  which  the  Lord  hath 
broken  them. 

»  Charles  II. 


544  Rutherford's  letters. 

6.  We  are  represented  to  His  Majesty  as  such  as  would  not 
consent  that  the  remonstrance  of  the  western  forces  should  be 
condemned  by  the  Commission  of  the  General  Assembly  :  whereas 
1.  We  did  humbly  desire,  that  the  judicature  should  not  condemn 
nor  censure  that  Remonstrance,  till  the  gentlemen  were  heard, 
and  their  reasons  discussed.  2.  Whatever  demur  was  as  to  the 
banding  or  combining  part  of  it,  we  were  and  are  obliged  to  believe, 
that  they  had  no  sectarian  design  therein,  nor  levelling  intention. 
3.  They  are  gentlemen  most  loyal,  and  never  were  enemies  to  His 
Majesty's  royal  power ;  but  only  desired  that  security  might  be 
had  for  religion  and  the  people  of  God  ;  persons  disaffected  to  re- 
ligion and  the  sworn  Covenant  abandoned  ;  otherwise  they  were, 
and  still  are  willing  to  hazard  lives  and  estates,  for  the  just  great- 
ness and  safety  of  His  Majesty,  in  the  maiutenance  of  the  true 
religion,  Covenant,  and  cause  of  God.  The  only  difficulty  will 
be,  where  to  have  fit  men  to  send.  But  as  it  will  be  both  sin  and 
shame  for  us  to  desert  our  undeservedly  now  censured  brethren  ; 
so  it  will  be  our  sin  and  reproach  sinfully  to  comply  with  such 
things  and  courses,  as  we  testified  against,  and  confessed  to  God. 

I  can  say  no  more  at  present,  but  that  I  am 

Your  loving  brother,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  1660 


LETTER  CCCXLVn. 


Mr.  Rutherford's  Judgment  of  a  Draughty  or  rtiinute  of  a 
Petition,  to  have  been  presented  to  the  Conimittee  of  Estates, 
by  those  Ministers  ivho  were  then  jirisoners  in  the  Castle  of 
Edinburgh.,  for  that  other  well-known  j)etitio)i  to  His  Majesty, 
about  which  they  were,  xohen  seized  upon  and  made  prisoners. 

But  that  no  man  may  mistake  or  judge  amiss  of  persons  so  fixed  in  the  cause,  and 
faithful  in  their  generations ;  know,  that  this  Draught  was  not  sent  to  Mr. 
Rutherford,  as  a  paper  concluded  and  condescended  upon  among  these 
Brethren,  whose  love  to  truth  made  them  in  all  things,  so  tender,  that  they  were 
ever  fond  to  abstain  from  all  appearance  of  evil ;  but  it  was  more  like  the  sug- 
gestion of  some  other  men,  (wherein  was  laid  before  them  what  kind  of  ad- 
dress would  most  probably  please,  waving  the  just  measures  of  what  was  simply 
duty  in  their  circumstances,)  than  anything  flowing  from  themselves,  as  the  pro- 
duct of  a  mature  deliberation.  And  secondly,  know,  (which  confirmeth  what  was 
said,)  that  whatever  it  was,  or  whoever  gave  the  rise  to  it,  yet  it  was  never  made 
use  of,  nor  presented  to  the  Committee  of  Estates,  by  any  of  those  faithful  men, 
whose  praise,  for  their  fidelity,  fixedness,  real  and  untainted  integrity,  is  in  the 
churches  of  Christ. 

Dear  Brother, — I  am,  as  ye  know,  straitened  as  another  suf- 
fering man  ;  but  dare  not  petition  this  Committee  : — 

1.  Because  itdraweth  us  to  capitulate  with  such  as  have  the  ad- 
vantage of  the  mount,  the  Lord  so  disposing  for  the  present :  and 
to  bring  the  matters  of  Christ  to  yea  and  no,  (ye  being  prisoners, 
and  they  the  powers,)  is  a  hazard. 


Rutherford's  letters.  545 

2.  A  speaking  to  them  in  write, '  and  passing  in  silence  the 
sworn  Covenant,  and  tlie  cause  of  God,  which  is  the  very  present 
controversy,  is  contrary  to  the  practice  of  Christ  and  the  Apostles, 
who,  being  accused  or  not  accused,  avouched  Christ  to  be  the  Son 
of  God,  and  the  Messias,  and  that  the  dead  must  rise  again,  even 
when  the  adversary  misstated  the  question.  Yea,  silence  on  the 
cause  of  God,  which  adversaries  persecute,  seemeth  a  tacit  desert- 
ing of  the  cause,  when  the  state  of  the  question  is  known  to  be- 
holders : — and  I  know  that  tlie  brethren  intend  not  to  leave  the 
cause. 

3.  I  know  of  no  offence  that  you  have  given,  (I  will  not  say 
what  offence  may  be  taken,)  either  as  to  the  matter  or  manner  of 
your  petition  :  for,  if  what  you  have  done  be  a  necessary  duty  laid 
aside  by  others,  a  duty  can  never  give  an  offence  to  Christ,  and  so 
none  to  men.  But  Christians  will  look  upon  a  pious,  harmless, 
and  innocent  petition  to  the  Prince,  in  the  matters  of  the  Lord's 
honor  and  good  of  his  Church,  though  proffered  by  one  or  two, 
when  they  are  silent  whose  it  is  to  speak  and  act,  as  a  seasonable 
duty. 

4.  The  Draught  of  that  Petition  which  you  sent  me,  speaketh 
not  one  word  of  the  Covenant  of  God  ;  for  the  adhering  to  which 
you  now  suffer,  and  which  is  the  object  of  men's  hatred;  and  the 
destruction  whereof  is  the  great  work  of  the  times  :  and  your 
silence,  in  this  nick'*  of  time  appearelh  to  be  a  non-confession  of 
Christ  before  men  ;  and  you  want  nothing  to  beget  an  uncleanly 
deliverance,  but  the  profession  of  silence. 

5.  There  is  a  promise  and  real  purpose,  as  the  Petition  saith,  to 
live  peaceably  under  the  King's  authority.  But,  1.  Ye  do  not 
answer  so  candidly  and  ingenuously  the  mind  of  the  rulers,  who, 
to  your  knowledge,  mean  a  far  other  thing  by  authority,  than  ye 
do.  For  ye  mean,  his  just  authority,  his  authority  in  the  Lord,  and 
his  just  greatness,  in  the  maintenance  of  true  religion,  as  in  the  Cov- 
enant, Confession  of  Faith,  and  Catechisms,  is  expressed  from  the 
word  of  God  ;  they  mean  his  supreme  authority,  and  absolute  pre- 
rogative above  laws,  as  their  acts  make  clear,  and  as  (heir  practice 
is ;  for  they  refused,  to  such  as  were  unwilHng  to  subscribe  their  bond, 
to  add  authority  in  the  Lord,  or,  just  and  lawful  authority,  or,  au- 
thority as  it  is  expressed  in  the  Covenant:  but  this  Draught  of  a 
Petition,  under  your  own  hand,  yieldeth  the  sense  and  meaning 
to  them  which  tjjey  crave.  2.  That  authority  for  which  they  con- 
tend, is  exclusive  of  the  sworn  Covenant ;  so  that  except  ye  had 
said,  "  We  shall  be  subject  to  the  King's  authority  in  the  Lord,  or 
according  to  the  sworn  Covenant,"  ye  say  nothing  to  the  point  in 
hand  ;  and  that  sure  is  not  your  meaning.  3.  Whoever  promised 
so  much  of  peaceable  living  under  His  Majesty's  authority,  leaving 
out  the  exposition  of  the  Fifth  Connnandment,  as  your  petition 
doth,  may,  upon  the  very  same  ground,  subscribe  the  bond  refused 
by  the  godly ;  and  so  you  pass  from  the  Covenant,  and  make 
all  those  by-past  actings  of  this  Kirk  and  State,  these  years  by- 

1  Writing.  *  Juncture. 

35 


546  Rutherford's  letters. 

past,  to  be  horrid  rebellion  ;    and  how  deep  that  guiltiness  draw- 
eth,  consider. 

6.  A  condemning  of  the  Remonstrance,  simply  and  without 
any  limitation  and  distinction,  is  a  condemning  of  many  precious 
ones  in  the  land,  and  a  passing  from  the  causes  of  God's  wrath, 
which  is  the  chief  matter  of  tlie  Remonstrance. 

7.  That  nothing  is  before  your  eyes  but  the  exoneration  of  your 
conscience,  is  indeed  believed  by  the  godly  who  know  you  ;  but 
a  passing  in  silence  of  the  honest  materials  in  your  former  petition 
to  His  Majesty,  seemeth  to  be  a  deserting  thereof,  since,  in  all  your 
Petition,  ye  do  not  once  say,  ye  cannot  but  adhere  to  that  pious 
Petition,  as  your  necessary  duty.  And,  that  ye  intend  in  the  Pe- 
tition the  happiness  of  His  Majesty,  is  also  believed. 

Dear  brother,  show  to  our  brethren,  that  the  Lord  Christ  in 
your  persons,  hath  stated  a  question  betwixt  liim  and  the  powers 
on  earth.  The  only  wise  God  lead  you  now,  when  he  hath  brought 
you  forth  in  public,  so  to  act  as  if  ye  did  see  Jesus  Christ  by  you, 
and  beholding  you.  It  is  easy  for  such  as  are  on  the  shore,  to 
throw  a  counsel  to  those  that  are  tossed  in  the  sea ;  but,  only  by 
living  by  faith,  and  by  fetching  strength  and  comfort  from  Clirist, 
can  ye  be  victorious,  and  have  right  to  the  precious  promises  of 
the  Tree  of  life,  of  the  hidden  Manna,  of  the  gifted  Morning-Star, 
and  the  like,  made  to  those  who  overcome  :  to  Whose  strength  and 
grace,  brethren,  who  desire  with  me  to  remember  you,  do  recom- 
mend you. 

I  am,  dear  brother, 

Yours  in  the  Lord,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  1660. 


LETTER  CCCXLVni. 

FOR    THE    RIGHT    HONORABLE,    MY    LADY    VISCOUNTESS    OP 

KENMURE. 

Madam, — It  is  not  ray  part  to  be  unmindful  of  you.  Be  not 
afflicted  for  your  brother,  the  Marquis  of  Argyll.  As  to  the  main, 
in  my  weak  apprehension,  the  seed  of  God  being  in  him,  and  love 
to  the  people  of  God  and  his  cause,  it  shall  be  well.  The  making 
of  particular  reckoning  with  the  Lord,  and  of  peace  with  God,  and 
owning  of  his  cause,  when  too  many  disown  it,  will  make  his  peace 
with  the  King  the  surer.  The  Lord  is  beginning  to  reckon  with 
such  as  did  forsake  his  cause  and  covenant :  and  until  we  return 
to  him,  our  peace  shall  not  be  like  a  river  and  as  the  waves  of  the 
sea.  However,  the  opening  of  the  bosom  to  take  in  all  the  Ma- 
ligriants,  can  produce  no  better  fruits.  The  Lord  calleth  us  to 
flee  into  our  chambers,  and  shut  the  doors,  till  the  indignation  be 
over,  (Isaiah  xxvi.  20.)  The  lily  among  the  thorns  is  so  served: 
he  hideth  himself,  and  our  mountain  is  removed,  and  we  are 
troubled ;  but  the  Lord  reigneth,  let  the  earth  tremble,  and  let  the 


Rutherford's  letters.  547 

earth  rejoice.  The  Lord  without  blopd  broke  the  yoke  of  usurping 
oppressors  and  laid  them  aside :  the  same  Lord  can  settle  throne 
and  kingdom  on  the  pillars  of  Heaven.  But,  oh,  the  controversy 
the  Lord  hath  with  Edom  and  those  who  covenanted  with  us  and 
then  sold  us  ;  and  with  those  of  whom  the  Holy  Ghost  speaketh, 
(Lam.  ii.  14,)  "Thy  prophets  have  seen  vain  and  foolish  things 
for  thee  ;  they  have  not  discovered  thine  iniquity  to  turn  away  thy 
captivity,  but  have  seen  for  thee  false  burdens,  and  causes  of 
banishment."  The  time  of  Jacob's  suffering  is  but  short,  and  the 
vision  will  speak.  Could  we  be  from  under  deadness,  and  watch 
unto  wrestling  and  prayer  with  the  Lord,  and  live  more  by  faith, 
we  should  be  more  than  conquerors.  Wait  upon  the  Lord  ;  faint 
not. 

The  Lord  Jesus  be  with  your  spirit. 
Yours,  at  all  respective  observance,  in  the  Lord,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  July  24,  1660. 


LETTER  CCCXLIX. 


for  mistress  CRAIG,  UPON  THE  DEATH  OF  HER  HOPEFUL  SON, 
WHO  WAS  DROWNED  WHILE  WASHING  HIMSELF  IN  A  RIVER 
IN  FRANCE. 

Mistress, — You  have  so  learned  Christ,  as,  now  in  the  fur- 
nace, what  dross,  what  shining  of  faith  may  appear,  must  come 
forth.  I  heard  of  the  removal  of  your  son,  Mr.  Thomas.  Though 
I  be  dull  enough  in  discerning,  yet  I  was  witness  to  some  spiritual 
savoriness  of  the  new  birth  and  hope  of  the  Resurrection,  wiiich 
I  saw  in  the  hopeful  youth,  when  he  was,  as  was  feared,  a-dying 
in  this  city.  And,  since  it  was  written  and  advisedly  appointed, 
in  the  spotless  and  holy  decree  of  the  Lord,  where,  and  before 
what  witnesses,  and  in  what  manner,  whether  by  a  fever,  the 
mother  being  at  the  bed-side,  or  by  some  other  way  in  a  far 
country,  (dear  patriarchs  died  in  Egypt ;  precious  to  the  Lord, 
have  wanted  burials.  Psalm  Ixxix.  3,)  your  safest  will  be,  to  be 
silent,  and  command  the  heart  to  utter  no  repining  and  fretting 
thoughts  of  the  holy  dispensation  of  God. 

1.  The  man  is  beyond  the  hazard  of  dispute ;  the  precious 
youtli  is  perfected  and  glorified. 

2.  Had  the  youth  lain  year  and  day  pained  beside  a  witnessing 
mother,  it  had  been  pain  and  grief  lengthened  out  to  you  in 
many  portions,  and  every  parcel  would  have  been  a  little  death; 
now  His  holy  Majesty  hath  in  one  lump  and  mass,  broughi  to 
your  ears  the  news,  and  hath  not  divided  the  grief  into  many 
portions. 

3.  It  was  not  yesterday's  thought,  nor  the  other  year's  statute; 
but  a  counsel  of  the  Lord  of  old:  and  "who  can  teach  the 
Almighty  knowledge  ?" 


548  Rutherford's  letters. 

4.  There  is  no  way  of  quieting  the  mind,  and  of  silencing  the 
heart  of  a  mother,  but  godly  submission.  The  readiest  way  for 
peace  and  consolation  to  clay-vessels  is,  that  it  is  a  stroke  of  the 
Potter  and  Former  of  all  things ;  and  since  the  holy  Lord  hath 
loosed  the  grip,'  when  it  was  fastened  sure  on  your  part,  I  know 
that  your  light,  and  I  hope  that  your  heart  also,  will  yield.  It  is 
not  safe  to  be  at  pulling  and  drawing  with  the  omnipotent  Lord. 
Let  the  pull  go  with  him,  for  he  is  strong;  and  say,  "Thy  will 
be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  Heaven." 

5.  His  holy  method  and  order  is  to  be  adored ;  sometimes  the 
husband  before  the  wife,  and  sometimes  the  son  before  the  mother ; 
so  hath  the  only  wise  God  ordered  ;  and  when  he  is  sent  before, 
and  not  lost,  in  all  things  give  thanks. 

6.  Meditate  not  too  much  on  the  sad  circumstances — the  mother 
was  not  witness  to  the  last  sigh, — possibly,  cannot  get  leave  to 
wind  the  son,  nor  to  weep  over  his  grave,  and,  he  was  in  a  strange 
land : — there  is  a  like  nearness  to  Heaven  out  of  all  the  countriea 
of  the  earth. 

7.  This  did  not  spring  out  of  the  dust.  Feed  and  grow  fat  by 
this  medicine  and  fare  of  the  only  wise  Lord.  It  is  art  and  the  skill 
of  faith  to  read  what  the  Lord  writeth  upon  the  cross,  and  to  spell 
and  construct  ^  right  his  sense  ;  often  we  miscalP  words  and  sen- 
tences of  the  cross,  and  either  put  nonsense  on  his  rods,  or  burden 
his  Majesty  with  slanders  and  mistakes,  when  he  mindeth  for  us 
thoughts  of  peace  and  love — even  to  do  us  good  in  the  latter  end. 

8.  It  is  but  a  private  stroke  on  a  family,  and  little  to  the  public, 
arrows  shot  against  grieved  Joseph,  and  the  afflicted ;  but,  ah  ! 
dead,  senseless,  and  guilty  people  of  God.  This  is  the  day  of 
Jacob's  trouble  ! 

9.  There  is  a  bad  way  of  wilful  swallowing  of  a  temptation, 
and  not  digesting  it,  or  laying  it  out  of  memory  without  any 
victoriousness  of  faith.  The  Lord,  who  forbiddeth  fainting,  for- 
biddeth  also  despising.  But  it  is  easier  to  counsel  than  to  suffer: 
the  only  wise  Lord  furnish  patience.  It  were  not  amiss  to  call 
home  the  other  youth. 

I  am  not  a  little  afflicted  for  my  Lady  Kenmure's  condition. 
I  desire  you,  when  ye  see  her,  to  remember  my  humble  respects 
to  her.  My  wife  heartily  remembereth  her  to  you  ;  and  is 
wounded  much  in  mind  with  your  present  condition,  and  suffer- 
eth  with  you. 

Grace  be  with  you. 

Yours,  in  the  Lord,         S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  Aug.  4,  1660. 

1  Hold.  2  Construe.  3  Mispronounce. 


Rutherford's  letters.  549 


LETTER   CCCL. 

FOR  MY  REVEREND  BROTHER,  CHRISt's  SOLDIER  IN  BONDS, 
MR.  JAMES  GUTHRIE,  MINISTER  OF  THE  GOSPEL  AT  STIR- 
LING. 

Dear  Brother, — We  are  very  oft  comforted  with  the  word  of 
promise;  though  we  stmiible  notahttle  at  the  work  of  holy  provi- 
dence ;  some  earthly  men  flovuishing  as  a  green  herb,  and  the 
people  of  God  counted  as  sheep  for  the  slaughter,  and  killed  all  the 
day  long  ;  and  yet  both  word  of  promise,  and  works  of  providence, 
are  from  Him  whose  ways  are  equal,  straight,  holy,  and  spotless. 

As  for  me,  when  I  think  of  God's  dispensations,  he  might  justly 
have  brought  to  the  market-cross,  and  to  the  light,  my  unseen  and 
secret  abominations,  which  would  have  been  no  small  reproach  to 
the  holy  name,  and  precious  truths  of  Christ ;  but  in  mercy  he 
hath  covered  these,  and  shapen  and  carved  out  more  honorable 
causes  of  suffering,  of  which  we  are  unworthy. 

And  now,  dear  brother,  much  dependeth  upon  the  way  and 
manner  of  suffering,  especially,  that  liis  precious  truths  be  owned 
with  all  heavenly  boldness,  and  a  reason  of  our  hope  given  in 
meekness  and  fear ;  and  the  royal  crown,  and  absolute  supremacy 
of  our  Lord  .Tesus  Christ,  the  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth, 
avouched  as  becometh :  for  certain  it  is  that  Christ  will  reign  the 
Father's  King  in  Mount  Zion;  and  his  sworn  Covenant  will  not 
be  buried.  It  is  not  denied,  that  our  practical  breach  of  Covenant 
first,  and  then  our  legal  breach  thereof,  by  enacting  the  same  mis- 
chief and  framing  it  into  a  law,  may  heavily  provoke  our  sweetest 
Lord  ;  yet  there  are  a  few  names  in  the  land  that  have  not  defiled 
their  garments,  and  a  holy  seed  on  whom  the  Lord  will  have 
mercy,  like  the  four  or  five  olive-berries  upon  the  top  of  the  shaken 
olive-tree ;  and  their  eye  shall  be  toward  the  Lord  their  Maker. 
Think  it  not  strange  that  men  devise  against  you ;  whether  it  be 
to  exile, — the  earth  is  the  Lord's  ;  or  perpetual  imprisonment, — 
the  Lord  is  your  light  and  liberty  ;  or  a  violent  and  public  death, — 
for  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  consisteth  in  a  fair  company  of  glorified 
martyrs  and  witnesses,  of  whom  Jesus  Christ  is  the  chief  Witness, 
who  for  that  cause  was  born,  and  came  into  the  world.  Happy 
are  ye,  if  you  give  testimony  to  the  world  of  your  preferring  Jesus 
Christ  to  all  powers  :  and  the  Lord  will  make  the  innocency  and 
Christian  loyalty  of  his  defamed  and  despised  witnesses  in  this 
land  to  shine  to  after-generations,  and  will  take  the  Man-child  up 
to  God  and  to  his  throne,  and  prepare  a  hiding-place  in  the  wilder- 
ness for  the  Mother,  and  cause  the  earth  to  help  the  Woman.  Be 
not  terrified ;  fret  not ;  forgive  your  enemies  ;  bless,  and  curse  not; 
for  though  both  ye  and  I  should  be  silent,  sad  and  heavy  is  the 
judgment  and  indignation  from  the  Lord,  that  is  abiding  the  un- 
faithful watchmen  of  the  Church  of  Scotland.     The  souls  under 


550  Rutherford's  letters. 

the  altar  are  crying  for  justice,  and  there  is  an  answer  returned 
ah-eady  : — the  Lord's  salvation  will  not  tarry. 

Cast  the  burden  of  wife  and  children  on  the  Lord  Christ ;  he 
careth  for  you  and  them  ;  your  blood  is  precious  in  bis  sight.  The 
everlasting  consolations  of  the  liord  bear  you  up,  and  give  you 
hope  ;  for  your  salvation,  (if  not  deliverance,)  is  concluded. 

Your  own  brother,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  Feb.  15,  1C61. 


LETTER  CCCLL 

TO     MR.     ROBERT     CAMPBELL. 

Reverend,  and  dear  Brother, — Ye  know  that  this  is  a  time 
in  which  all  men  almost  seek  their  own  things,  and  not  the  things 
of  .Tesus  Christ.  Ye  are  your  lone,'  as  a  beacon  on  the  top  of  a 
mountain  ;  but  fa'inl  not,  Christ  is  a  numerous  multitude  himself; 
yea,  millions.  Though  all  the  nations  were  convened  against  him 
round  about,  yet  doubt  not  but  he  will,  at  last,  arise  for  the  cry  of 
the  poor  and  needy. 

For  me,  I.  am  now  near  to  eternity,  and  for  ten  thousand  worlds 
I  dare  not  adventure  to  pass  from  the  Protestation  against  the  cor- 
ruptions of  the  time,  nor  go  alongst  with  the  shameless  apostasy 
of  the  many  silent  and  dumb  watchmen  of  Scotland  ;  but  I  think 
it  my  last  duty  to  enter  a  protestation  in  Heaven,  before  the  right- 
eous Judge,  against  the  practical  and  legal  breach  of  the  Covenant, 
and  all  oaths  imposed  on  the  consciences  of  the  Lord's  people,  and 
all  Popish  superstitions  and  idolatrous  mandates  of  men.  Know 
that  the  overthrow  of  the  sworn  Reformation,  the  introducing  of 
Popery  and  the  Mystery  of  iniquity,  is  now  set  on  foot  in  the 
Three  Kingdoms ;  and  whosoever  would  keep  their  garments 
clean  are  under  that  command,  "Touch  not,  taste  not,  handle 
not." 

The  Lord  calleth  you,  dear  brother,  to  be  still  "steadfast,  un- 
movable,  and  abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord."  Our  royal 
kingly  Master  is  upon  his  journey,  and  will  come,  and  will  not 
tarry ;  and  blessed  is  the  servant  who  shall  be  found  watching 
when  he  cometh.  Fear  not  men,  for  the  Lord  is  your  light  and 
salvation.  It  is  true,  it  is  somewhat  sad  and  comfortless  that  ye 
are  your  lone ; '  but  so  it  was  with  our  precious  Master :  nor  are 
ye  your  lone,'  for  the  Father  is  with  you.  It  is  possible  that  I 
shall  not  be  an  eye-witness  to  it  in  the  flesh ;  but  I  believe  He 
Cometh  quickly  who  will  remove  our  darkness,  and  will  shine  glo- 
riously in  the  Isle  of  Britain,  as  a  crowned  king,  either  in  a  for- 
mally sworn  covenant,  or  in  his  own  glorious  way  ;  which  I  leave 
to  the  determination  of  his  infinite  wisdom  and  goodness.  And 
this  is  the  hope  and  confidence  of  a  dying  man  who  is  longing 
and  fainting  for  the  salvation  of  God. 

1  By  yourself  alone. 


Rutherford's  letters.  551 

Beware  of  the  ensnaring  bonds  and  obligations,  by  any  hand- 
writ  or  otherwise,  to  give  unhmited  obedience  to  any  authority, 
but  only  in  the  Lord  ;  for  all  innocent  self-defence,  (which  is  ac- 
cording to  the  Covenant,  the  Word  of  God,  and  the  laudable  ex- 
ample of  the  Reformed  Churches,)  is  now  intended  to  be  utterly 
subverted  and  condemned :  and  what  is  taken  from  Christ,  as  the 
flower  of  his  prerogative  royal,  is  now  put  upon  the  head  of  a 
Mortal  Power,  which  must  be  that  great  Idol  of  indignation  that 
provoketh  the  eyes  of  his  glory.  Dear  brother,  let  us  mind  the 
rich  promises  that  are  made  to  those  that  overcome,  knowino-  that 
those  that  endure  to  the  end  shall  be  saved. 

Thus  recommending  you  to  the  rich  grace  of  God,  I  remain, 
Your  affectionate  brother,  in  Christ,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's,  1G61. 


LETTER  CCCLTI. 

TO      ABERDEEN. 


Reverend,  and  dearly  beloved  in  the  Lord, — Grace  be 
to  you.  and  peace  from  God  our  Father,  and  from  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.' 

There  were  some  who  rendered  thanks,  with  knees  bowed  to 
Him,  "  of  whom  is  named  the  whole  fanuly  in  Heaven  and  earth," 
when  they  heard  of  "your  work  of  faith,  and  labor  of  love,  and 
patience  of  hope  in  our  Lord  Jesus  ;"  and  rejoiced  not  a  little,  that 
where  Christ  was  scarce  named  in  savoriness  and  power  of  the 
Gospel,  even  in  Aberdeen,  there  Christ  hath  a  few  names  precious 
to  him,  who  shall  walk  with  him  in  white.  We  looked  on  it,  (He 
knoweth  whom  we  desire  to  serve  in  our  spirit,  in  tlie  Gospel  of 
his  Son,)  as  a  part  of  the  fulfilling  of  that,  "The  wilderness  and 
solitary  place  sliall  be  glad  for  theni ;  and  the  desert  shall  rejoice 
and  blossom  as  a  rose ;"  but  now  it  is  more  grievous  to  us  than  a 
thousand  deaths,  when  we  hear  that  you  are  shaken,  and  so  soon 
removed  from  that  which  you  once  acknowledged  to  be  the  way 
of  God. 

Dearly  beloved, -the  sheep  follow  Christ  who  calleth  them  by 
name  :  a  stranger  they  will  not  follow;  but  they  flee  from  him,  for 
they  know  not  the  voice  of  a  stranger.  Ye  know  the  way.  "by 
which  ye  were  sealed  to  the  day  of  redemption  ;"  and  ye  received  the 
Spirit,  by  the  hearing  of  faith.  Part  not  with  that  way,  except  ye 
see  there  be  no  rest  for  your  souls  therein  ;  neither  listen  to  them 
that  say,  "  Many  were  converted  under  episcopal  as  well  as  under 
presbyierial  government;"  and  yet  the  godly  gave  testimony 
against  the  bishops ;  for  the  instruments  of  conversion  loathed 
episcopacy,  with  the  ceremonies  thereof,  and  never  sealed  it  with 
their  sufferings.  But  we  shall  desire  instances  of  any  engaged  by 
oaths,  and  by  the  sufferings  of  the  faithful  messengers  of  God, 


552  Rutherford's  letters. 

and  the  manifestation  of  the  Lord's  presence,  in  the  way  ye  now 
forsake,  who  yet  turned  from  it,  and  went  one  step  toward  sinful 
separation,  and  did  it  in  that  way  ye  now  aim  at,  and  did  yet 
flourish  and  grow  in  grace :  but  we  can  bring  proofs  of  many  who 
left  it,  and  went  further  on  to  abominable  ways  of  error.  And 
you  have  it  not  in  your  power  where  you  shall  lodge  at  night, 
having  once  left  the  way  of  God ;  and  many  we  know  lost  peace 
and  communion  with  God,  and  fell  into  a  condition  of  withering, 
and,  not  being  able  to  find  their  lovers,  were  foiced  to  return  to 
their  first  Husband.  We  shall  entreat  you  to  consider  what  a 
stumbling  it  is  to  malignant  opposcrs  of  the  way  and  cause  of 
God,  who  with  their  ears  heard  you,  and  with  their  eyes  saw  you, 
so  strenuously  take  part  with  the  godly  in  their  sufferings,  and 
profess  yourselves  for  religion,  truth,  doctrine,  government  of  the 
house  of  God,  his  covenant  and  cause;  if  now  you  build  again 
what  you  once  destroyed,  and  destroy  what  you  builded.  And  will 
you  not  make  yourselves,  by  so  doing,  transgressors  ?  How  shall 
it  wound  the  hearts  of  the  godly,  stain  the  profession,  darken  the 
glory  of  the  Gospel,  shake  the  faith  of  many,  weaken  the  hands 
of  all,  if  ye,  and  ye  first  of  all  in  this  kingdom,  will  stretch  out 
the  hand  to  raze  the  walls  of  our  Jerusalem,  by  reason  of  which  the 
Lord  made  her  terrible  as  an  army  with  banners  :  for,  when  kings 
came  and  saw  the  palaces  and  bulwarks  thereof,  they  marvelled 
and  were  troubled,  and  hasted  away;  fear  took  hold  of  them 
there,  and  pain  as  of  a  woman  in  travail.  And  we  shall  be 
grieved,  if  you  shall  be  heirs  to  the  guiltiness  of  breaking  down 
the  same  hedge  of  the  vineyard,  for  the  which  the  sad  indignation 
of  God  pursueth  this  day  the  Royal  Family,  many  nobles,  houses 
great  and  fair,  and  all  the  prelatical  party  in  these  Three  King- 
doms. And  when  your  dear  brethren  are  weak  and  fainting,  shall 
we  believe  that  ye  will  leave  us,  and  be  divided  from  this  so 
blessed  a  conjunction?  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  we  trust,  will 
walk  in  the  midst  of  the  Golden  Candlesticks,  and  be  with  us,  if 
ye  will  be  gone  from  us. 

Beloved  in  the  Lord,  we  cannot  but  be  persuaded  better  things 
of  you  ;  and  we  will  not  conceal  from  you,  that  we  are  ignorant 
what  to  answer  when  we  are  reproved  on  your  behalf,  in  regard 
that  your  change  to  another  gospel-way  (which  the  Lord  avert)  is 
so  much  the  more  scandalous,  that  the  sudden  alteration,  unknown 
to  us  before,  now  overtaketh  you,  when  men  come  amongst  you 
against  whom  the  furrows  of  the  fields  of  Scotland  do  complain. 
Forget  not,  dear  brethren,  that  Christ  hath  now  the  fan  in  his 
hand,  and  that  this  is  also  the  day  of  the  Lord,  which  shall  burn 
as  an  oven  ;  and,  that  Christ  now  sitteth  as  a  refiner  of  silver, 
purifying  the  sons  of  Levi,  and  purging  them  as  gold  and  silver, 
that  they  may  oiTer  unto  the  Lord  an  offering  of  righteousness ; 
and,  that  those  who  keep  the  word  of  his  (not  their  own)  patience, 
shall  be  delivered  from  the  hour  of  temptation,  that  shall  come  on 
all  the  earth  to  try  them. 

If  ye  exclude  all  non-converts  from  the  visible  city  of  God,  in 


Rutherford's  letters.  653 

which,  daily,  multitudes  in  Scotland,  in  all  the  four  quarters  of 
the  land,  above  whatever  our  fathers  saw,  throng  into  Christ,  shall 
they  not  be  left  to  the  lions  and  wild  beasts  of  the  forest,  even  to 
Jesuits,  Seminary-priests,  and  other  seducers?  '  For  the  magistrate 
hatli  no  power  to  compel  them  to  hear  the  Gospel,  nor  have  ye 
any  church-power  over  them,  as  ye  teach :  and  they  bring  not 
love  to  the  Gospel  and  to  Christ,  out  of  the  womb  with  them  ;  and 
so  they  nuist  be  left  to  embrace  what  religion  is  most  suitable  to 
corrupt  nature. 

Nor  can  it  be  a  way  approven '  by  the  Lord  in  Scripture,  to  ex- 
communicate from  the  Visible  Church,  (which  is  the  office-house 
of  the  free  grace  of  Christ,  and  his  draw-net,)  all  the  multitudes 
of  non-converts,  baptized,  and  visibly  within  the  Covenant  of 
Grace,  which  are  in  Great  Britain,  and  all  the  reformed  churches; 
and  so  to  shut  the  gates  of  the  Lord's  gracious  calling  upon  all 
these,  because  they  are  not,  in  your  judgment,  chosen  to  salvation, 
when  once  you  are  within  yourselves.  For  how  can  the  Lord 
call  Egypt  his  people,  and  Assyria  the  work  of  his  hands,  and  all 
the  Gentiles,  (who  for  numbers  are  as  the  flocks  of  Kedar,  and  the 
abundance  of  the  sea,)  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his 
Christ,  if  you  number  infants,  as  many  do,  and  all  such  as  your 
charity  cannot  judge  converts,  as  others  do,  among  heathens  and 
pagans  who  have  not  a  visible  claim  and  interest  in  Christ?  The 
candlestick  is  not  yours,  nor  the  house  ;  but  Christ  fixeth  and  re- 
moveth  the  one,  and  buildeth  or  casteth  down  the  other,  according 
to  his  sovereignty.  We  in  humility  judge  ourselves,  though  the 
chief  of  sinners,  the  sons  of  Zion  and  of  the  seed  of  Christ:  if  ye 
remove  from  us,  and  carry  from  hence  the  candlestick,  let  our 
Father  be  Judge,  and  show  us  why  the  Lord  hath  bidden  ye  come 
out  from  among  us.  We  look  upon  this  Visible  Church,  though 
black  and  spotted,  as  the  hospital  and  guest-house  of  sick,  halt, 
maimed,  and  withered,  over  which  Christ  is  Lord,  Physician,  and 
Master ;  and  we  would  wait  upon  those  that  are  not  yet  in  Christ, 
as  our  Lord  waited  upon  us  and  you  both.  We,  therefore,  your 
brethren,  children  of  one  Father,  cannot  but,  with  tears  and  ex- 
ceeding sorrow  of  heart,  earnestly  entreat,  beseech,  and  obtest  you, 
by  the  love  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  his  sufferings  and  precious 
ransom  which  he  paid  for  us  both,  by  the  consolations  of  his  Spirit, 
by  your  appearance  before  the  dreadful  tribunal  of  our  Lord  Jesus; 
yea,  and  charge  you  before  God  and  the  same  Lord  Jesus ;  "  who 
shall  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead,  at  his  appearing,  and  in  his 
Kingdom  ;"  break  not  the  spirits  and  hearts  of  those  to  whom  ye 
are  dear  as  their  own  soul ;  forsake  not  the  assemblies  of  the  peo- 
ple of  God  ;  let  us  not  divide. 

Not  a  few  of  the  people  of  God  in  this  shire  of  Fife,  in  whose 
name  I  now  write,  dare  say,  if  ye  depart,  that  ye  will  leave  Christ 
behind  you  with  us,  and  the  Golden  Candlesticks,  and  will  cast 
yourselves,  we  much  fear,  out  of  the  hearts  and  prayers  of  thou- 
sands dear  to  Jesus  Christ  in  Scotland.     Therefore,  before  ye  fix 

'  Approved. 


554  Rutherford's  letters. 

judgment  and  practice  on  any  untrodden  path,  let  a  day  of  humil- 
iation be  agreed  upon  by  us  all,  and  our  Father's  mind  and  will 
inquired,  through  our  one  common  Saviour;  and  let  us  see  one 
another's  faces  at  "best  conveniency ;  and  plead  the  interest  of 
Christ,  and  be  comforted,  and  not  stumbled  '  at  your  ways. 

So,  expecting  your  answer,  we  shall  pray  that  the  God  of  peace, 
who  brouglit  again  from  the  dead  our  Lord  Jesus,  that  great  Shep- 
herd of  the  sheep  through  the  blood  of  the  Everlasting  Covenant,  ^ 
may  make  you  perfect  in  every  good  work  to  do  his  will;  work- 
ing in  you  that  which  is  well-pleasing  in  his  sight,  through  Jesus 
Christ ;  and  1  shall  remain, 

Your  affectionate  brother,  in  the  Lord,  S.  R. 

St.  Andrew's. 

i  Made  to  stumble. 


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GRI  FFITH— LIVE  WHILE  YOU  LIVE.  By  the  Rev.  Thomas  Griffith,  A.M.,  Homer- 
ton.     ISnio.     30  cents. 

HALDANE— EXPOSITION  OF  THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  ROMANS.  With  Re- 
marks on  the  Commentaries  of  Dr.  Macknight,  Prof.  Moses  Stuart,  and  Prof.  Tholuck. 
By  Robert  Haldane,  Esq.     8vo.     $2  50. 

"This  is  one  of  the  great  theological  works  of  the  century, nor  has  there  been  one  commentnry  on  this  profound 
epistle  since  the  days  of  Calvin,  which  has  done  more  than  it  for  the  revival  of  pure  religion  in  Europe  " 

"It  is  clear  .and  masterly  in  its  development  of  principles.  It  is  bold  and  decided  in  its  tone,  because  tha 
Word  of  Gc.d  which  it  illustrates  and  defends  is  so.  We  recommend  the  work  most  cordially  to  the  atten- 
tion of  ministers,  preachers,  students  in  theology."— £(:/t7i6ur^A  Christian  Instructor. 


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